Printing from Linux host to the printer on Windows host sometimes quite complicated due to the share and permission setting. We often find this situation if we trying to migrate our system from Windows to Linux, or designed a hybrid environment and mixed a Windows system with Linux system.
The easiest way maybe by using Network Print Server and printing with TCP-IP printing protocol. You must buy a network print server or designed a host as network print server. If you have attached the printer into Windows system, you may using another trick : Using LPD protocol. This method is easy to setup and you do not need to buy anything.
We need 2 step to make this possible. Initial phase is preparing Windows to provide LPD protocol and the second phase is add printer on the Linux host.
Preparing Windows Host :
- Install printer driver and test local printing.
- Go to Setting | Control Panel | Add-Remove Program
- Choose Windows Component
- Install (give a thick on) Other Network File and Print Services
- Click Next and following the wizard
- Activating the services so the protocol will be activated during Windows boot. Go to Setting | Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services. Enable the TCP-IP Print Server service
- Share the printer
- Write down your Windows IP Address. You could checked this by typing IPConfig on the command prompt
Preparing Linux Host
- Add printer using KDE Control Center or Personal Setting or Desktop Setting
- Choose LPD Protocol on the protocol wizard entry
- Entry the Windows host IP Address and name of shared printer
- Testing the printer
Reference (Indonesian) :
