Networked printer setup via router

T

tigrr

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I've just bought a broadband router with a built-in USB printer server (Surecom EP-4904AX) with the intent of sharing my internet connection between a Windows PC and my Mac.

The internet connection works perfectly without any configuration, but I'm having problems with the printer sharing.
I finally figured out how to do it on the PC, with the aid of the installation program, but not on my Mac.

Note that the USB printer (Canon S-500) is not connected to the PC, but to the router. So it's not a matter of networking the PC and the Mac as far as I can see (I've seen several instructions on how to do this online, but nothing on my situation).

I've also figured out that by entering the following URL in a browser on my Mac or on the PC: http://192.168.1.1/
.... I can access the router's settings (which is a whole lot of tech mumbo-jumbo that I don't understand a bit of, thus I'm not touching any of it. Besides I haven't seen anything regarding the printer there).

I've experimented with the IP address as above when adding a printer using the "Printer Setup Utility" (found in the "Applications" - "Utilities" folder). I've tried all three protocols without any better results.

I have to add that the S-500 printer works perfectly when connected directly to the Mac via USB.


How do I set up the Mac to be able to print via the router?
 
I don't understand.
That's a Linux related website. But knowing that Mac OS X is in fact UNIX that could make sense.

So are you saying I need to install additional software to make it work with the printer server function in the router?
Is this some sort of complicated and time consuming UNIX/Linux command-line hacking sort of thing?

I've had a look at the link, but all that tech-speak really doesn't make much sense to me.

I was hoping for quick and simple solution just as with the PC, but I assume that's because a Windows-only installation CD came with the router, and nothing for Macs.
 
I am not here to send you all around Job's barn. CUPS is a part of MacOS X. Apple included it to leverage the plethora of print drivers developed by Linux contributers. Your problem is that the manufacturer does not support your preferred printer configuration on the Mac. The CUPS project does. If you search this forum, you will find numerous posters who share your problem. CUPS solved their problem. It has solved yours.

You have three choices:
1. Use the printer as the manufacturer intended.
2. Configure your printer with a CUPS driver.
3. Continue to whine.

You have a Mac. You don't have to use the commandline to configure your printer. Read the MacOS X Help menu to help you with this task. You might also download and install Gutenprint, a subset of the universe of CUPS drivers. It includes documentation on using the Printer Setup Utility to configure CUPS drivers.
 
Choice no. 3 is out of the question ;)
so....

I've downloaded gutenprint-5.0.0.U.dmg from here and installed it, then configured the printer setup, but still getting nowhere.

Whenever I try to print the print-monitor seems to display that everything is working fine, but after a few seconds it says "Jobs stopped".
At this stage I don't know if the problem is the printer driver/setup or just the wrong IP address.

Here's what I did step by step:

1) I started the "Printer Setup Utility" (found in "Applications/utilites")
2) In the "Printer list" window I press the "Add" button to add a new printer
3) From the two icons at the top I select "IP printer"
4) The I fill in the fields as follows:

Protocol: Internet printing protocol -IPP
Address: 192.168.1.1
Queue : (left blank)
Name : S-500 (via printer-server)
Location: at home
Print using: Canon -> Canon S500 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.0.0

5) I then press the "Add" button to complete the configuration

6) I pick a document to test-print with, select "Print", choose "S-500 (via printer-server)" as the printer, then print.
 
If you are not sure that your router uses the same IP-address for printing that it uses for printing, then you need to read its manual to be sure. Alternatively, you may search around its configuration web page for configuration information.
 
The documentation that came with the router only explains the routing part. There is no explanation on how to set up the printer-server, but I'll continue to search for more information.
I have no idea how I can figure out the IP address of the printer-server. I just assumed that 192.168.1.1 was the magic number, being that I can access the router's settings via that number.

However, getting back to the Mac: is my configuration procedure correct?
(Apart from a possible wrong IP number that is).

In the printer configuration I've left the "Queue" field empty. Should it be filled in? If so, is it just a means for me to identify which printer is in use if there are several printers connected to a network, so I can enter just about anything there (just like the "name" and "location" fields?

Finally, when should I use (in the "Protocol" field):
Line printer daemon -LPD,
Internet printing protocol -IPP or
HP jet direct socket?

Is there anything else in MacOS I have to configure?

If I can assure that the setup procedure on the Mac is correct at least I know that I have to look towards the printer-server if it still won't work.
 
If the print server supports LPD or IPP, and that's what you choose in Printer Setup, you must enter the device-specific queue name that you find in the manual for the print server. On Windows, this is part of the automatic port setup - on OS X, we have to enter it manually. If your manual is Windows-specific and doesn't show the queue name in a figure, for example, go to Printer Properties (Windows) for the printer, select the port for the printer and click Configure port - the queue name will be there.

LPD - oldest TCP/IP protocol, almost always supported.
IPP - Internet Printing Protocol - newest, often not supported.
HP Jetdirect - called raw port or socket printing in many Windows-oriented manuals - easy to use because it doesn't require the queue name.
 
Thanks for clearing up a few things.
I've had a look at the printer properties on my Windows PC and regarding the port it says:

Surecom_1 (Canon S500_192.168.1.1)

So it looks like the IP address is indeed 192.168.1.1
...something I seem to have confirmed yet again when I press the "port settings" button in that same window:

Printer server IP: 192.168.1.1

so why won't it work on my Mac even when I've entered 192.168.1.1 as the "address" in the printer configuration window?
Still confused about the significance (or insignificance) the "queue" setting has I even tried entering "Surecom_1" although that didn't make any difference.

I can't find any mention of the Queue name in "printer properties" for the printer in Windows.
There's a section for setting stuff concerning the queue (start printing after first or last page has been added to the queue, print directly to the printer (in EMF or RAW format), activate/deactivate two-way communications(, but still no mention of the queue name.

So the queue name is a pre-defined name which is used to identify the printer, and not a name that I, the user makes up in order for me to quickly identify which printer we're looking at?
 
Queue name is a part of the address to the printer on the print server. You can't make one up - except if the print server's setup page has a place for you to create the queue name that all computers will access the printer by.

On Windows, right-click on the printer > select Properties > select Ports > highlight the correct port for the print server/printer > click on Configure Port > find LPR settings:Queue Name.
(This is of course for a "Standard TCP/IP port" = LPD on OS X)
 
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