# Looking for a OS X compatible print server



## tomdkat (Dec 14, 2007)

Greetings!  We're wanting to get a HP Photosmart C3180 All-in-One inkjet printer shared on a network.  I bought a Netgear PS121 USB 2.0 printer server which worked with the HP printer and I was able to print to the printer through the printer server over the network from a Windows machine.  I tried printing to the same print server from a Mac-mini running OS X Tiger with no success.   It appears the HP Photosmart print driver I  installed on Tiger didn't install a PPD in CUPS to allow for network printing.  When I connect the Photosmart printer directly to the Mac-mini, I can print just fine.  When it's connected to the print server, the print server rejects the print job.

When I define the print server to the Mac-mini, Tiger wants to use the Generic Postscript driver. I define the print server using the IPP printer definition area.

I tried installing Bonjour for Windows XP on the Windows machine and using that to print to the HP Photosmart printer when it was physically connected to the Mac-mini and I WAS able to print a test page once but I made the stupid mistake of changing the printer driver on Windows that was setup by Bonjour and I haven't been able to print to the Bonjour shared printer since.  *Sigh*

So, I'm looking for a recommendation for a print server that will hopefully work better with OS X Tiger.  Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Peace...


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## gsahli (Dec 14, 2007)

The only print server that will work the way you want (using the HP-provided driver) is the Airport Express/Extreme. That's because Apple software does redirection of USB output to the USB port on the Express/Extreme.

Otherwise, all other print servers that I know of use standard protocols - but standard protocols on OS X are provided by CUPS - meaning you have to have a CUPS driver.

When you set up a printer via print server in Printer Setup Utility, if using the LPD or IPP protocols, you have to enter the queue name of The print server. On page 3-6 of the online manual (figure near top), it shows port name P1 (port name = queue name).

For driver, get the hpijs 3-part driver:
http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting/MacOSX/hpijs
http://openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=HP-PhotoSmart_C3180_All-in-One


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## tomdkat (Dec 14, 2007)

Wow!  Thanks!  I'll give this a try!   

Peace...


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## tomdkat (Dec 29, 2007)

Ok, I'm finally getting around to installing this print server again.  I can print to it from Windows just fine.

I've downloaded the appropriate PPD file but I'm having problems finding good instructions on how to install it on OS X Tiger.  Do I simply copy the file to [System drive]/Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/en.lproj/ as described here?

Thanks!

Peace...


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## MisterMe (Dec 29, 2007)

tomdkat said:


> ...  Do I simply copy the file to [System drive]/Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/en.lproj/ as described here?
> 
> ...


I strongly suggest that your download and install *Gutenprint*. This bundle of CUPS drivers includes documentation for using CUPS on MacOS X. As for installing a particular PPD file, use *Printer Setup Utility*. During the setup process, use the _File/Open_ to locate the file on whichever mounted volume it is stored on. *PSU* will place a copy in the appropriate location.


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## tomdkat (Dec 29, 2007)

Well, I've got GREAT news!!!  I've got the Netgear print server working!!!!  

I had to install the following: 
hpijs package
foomatic-rip
espgs (GhostScript)
PPD file for printer

Once I got all that in place, I defined the printer server as an IP printer using LPD as the protocol and I had to specify "lp" as the queue name and everything else just fell into place.  

Thanks for the great links!  

Peace...


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## tomdkat (Dec 29, 2007)

MisterMe said:


> I strongly suggest that your download and install *Gutenprint*. This bundle of CUPS drivers includes documentation for using CUPS on MacOS X. As for installing a particular PPD file, use *Printer Setup Utility*. During the setup process, use the _File/Open_ to locate the file on whichever mounted volume it is stored on. *PSU* will place a copy in the appropriate location.


Thanks.  Now that I have it working, should I still install Gutenprint?  I've got two more iMacs I'll need to get setup so installing Gutenprint is definitely an option.  Or will installing the packages I installed above be the way to go? 

Thanks!

Peace...


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## tomdkat (Dec 29, 2007)

MisterMe said:


> As for installing a particular PPD file, use *Printer Setup Utility*. During the setup process, use the _File/Open_ to locate the file on whichever mounted volume it is stored on. *PSU* will place a copy in the appropriate location.


When I fire up the PSU, I don't see a "File" menu option.  I see "PSU" (in bold) and then "Edit" and "View", etc.   I never see any point or place where I can specify the location of a PPD to load.  

What am I missing?

Thanks!

Peace...


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## MisterMe (Dec 30, 2007)

tomdkat said:


> ...
> What am I missing?
> 
> ...



Launch *Printer Setup Utility*.
Click _Add_ to launch the *Printer Browser*.
Click the *More Printers...* button to open a _File/Open_ dialog box.

Congratulations getting your printer to work. *Gutenprint* automates what you did manually. I would still install the bundle. I installed *Gutenprint* even though I use genuine PostScript printers.


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## tomdkat (Dec 30, 2007)

MisterMe said:


> Launch *Printer Setup Utility*.
> Click _Add_ to launch the *Printer Browser*.
> Click the *More Printers...* button to open a _File/Open_ dialog box.


Thanks.  I'm not at the machine now but I don't recall seeing a "File/Open" dialog when clicking "More Printers".  I see a dialog where I can choose additional printer types (like Windows Printing, HP IP Printing, etc) but no place where I can choose something from the file system.  I'll look again today.



> Congratulations getting your printer to work. *Gutenprint* automates what you did manually. I would still install the bundle. I installed *Gutenprint* even though I use genuine PostScript printers.


Thanks!  I tried Gutenprint on one of the iMacs I had to get working with the networked printer and it didn't come with the driver I needed.  I then manually installed the PPD file but it wouldn't print but it was late and that might have been due to user error.  I went ahead and installed foomatic-rip, Ghostscript, and the HPIJS driver manually and all things are now working well.   Apparently, Gutenprint was already installed on the two iMacs so the version I downloaded upgraded what was already installed.   

Thanks again to gsahli and you for all your help!  

Peace...


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