What is a CUPS server and how to share a printer over a network

Question

The title tells you all except that it's about sharing printers. How do I connect to a shared printer on the network through CUPS or terminal?

Answer 1

Apart from something to drink off CUPS in Linux is: Common Unix Printing System

CUPS is responsible in general for making you connect a printer to Ubuntu and not needing to install any drivers. You can say that CUPS is the one responsible for making almost all printers into a Out of the Box experience. No need for additional drivers, Printer CDs/DVDs or in most cases having to compile and do a lot of work to have it working instantly.

The following image is a GUI interface for cups. CUPS also has a web interface.

The other acronym that stands out as CUPS is HPLIP which is HP Linux Imaging and Printing. This one gives some enhancements over HP printers and all-in-one. If you are the 1% that has problems with detecting your HP printer with CUPS then try HPLIP. It covers that extra 1%. And it shows stuff like ink level and some other specific HP variables.

To SHARE A PRINTER in Ubuntu is really easy. Assuming you are using the default Ubuntu which comes with CUPS go to the Cog symbol in the top right part of the screen (Looks like a Gear). Click on it and select from the menu Printers (This is for 12.04 and below). You can also open the Dash and type print, printer, printing, prin and so on (Any word that resembles printer) if you are using 12.04 and above. The printers icon will appear. You HAVE to do it this way since the printer option in the system settings takes you to another window that does not have the options I mention here.

Once inside the Printers Window follow the steps below to share it in a network:

Step 1 - Go to the Settings Option in the Server Option in the Menu:

Step 2 - Activate the first 2 options so the CUPS server knows that you will be sharing a printer and looking for shared printers. This will solve a problem where sharing a printer inside the configuration window of the said printer will message you with "Not Published. See Server Settings". Since the server is not configured for sharing this is the reason why is not published in the network and even if you have it marked as shared the printer it will not appear in the network.

Step 3 - Right click the printer in the Printer Window and select SHARED. Also remember to ENABLE it in the same context menu. In my case I have it disabled. You can not share a printer if you have it disabled (Obviously ^^).

Step 4 - Go inside the Settings for that Printer and in the Policies activated Shared. If you did the Step 2 correctly, this option will not mention any sort of problem

So there you have it. You have just shared your printer, have given it access from other network PCs and they can also add it to their PC as a shared printer and print on it. Nice!.

Answer 2

CUPS is an acronym for Common Unix Printing System.

Here's a good blog post about it: http://www.debianadmin.com/setup-cups-common-unix-printing-system-server-and-client-in-debian.html

from the post:

The Common UNIX Printing SystemTM, or CUPS, is the software you use to print from applications like the web browser you are using to read this page. It converts the page descriptions produced by your application (put a paragraph here, draw a line there, and so forth) into something your printer can understand and then sends the information to the printer for printing.