Wireless Printing in Linux

If you go to Uniprint's wireless printing page, you'll see it is possible to print to most public printers from anywhere on OSU's network, such as osuwireless. However, Uniprint only supports Mac and Windows; Linux users are out of luck and left with the options of either installing a new operating system to print their documents or using a lab computer (if available). Therefore, we in the Open Source Club have decided to publish a tutorial so fellow Linux users can print to their libraries from their laptops or dorm rooms just like Windows/Mac users can.

First, we need to have CUPS installed. This is the default in many Linux distributions as far as I know. If it's not installed by default, please leave a comment.

With CUPS installed, go to http://localhost:631/ and click on . Fill in your own description and pick a meaningful description location that you will remember later on (e.g. Science & Engineering Library, Color Printer). For the printer Name, you will want to look up your printer in the table below. Fill it in and click on .

On the next page, select "LPD/LPR Host or Printer" for the device and click . Now, for Device URI, fill in the URI shown in the table below. For example, if I want to print to the printer in room 45 of Thompson Library, I would enter lpd://128.146.12.138/li0045-hp4200mobile. Now, select the printer's manufacturer (should be in the model name) for Make. If the instructions for your printer below mention uploading a PPD file instead of saying the model, upload it here; otherwise, in the table that comes up select the closest match to the corresponding printer model (listed below). When your web browser prompts you for a username and password, enter the administrative username/password for the computer you're on, or the username/password of some other user in the lpadmin group. You may be redirected to a page with a lot of optional configurations options. At this point all of your applications should be able to use that printer, and have it listed as one of your installed printers, but you may wish to customize your settings for it. Remember that you will still need to swipe your BuckID at the print station to pay for and release your print job.

Note: The installers from Uniprint will install a Popup Client program, which asks for a username, password, and title. This is not (yet) possible for Linux. Instead, the username will be the username you're logged into your computer with and the title will be whatever the title is of what you're printing. There will be no password. This means that from the time you send your document to the printer queue, until the time you go and pick it up, anybody can swipe their ID to pick it up. Do not send confidential or sensitive information to the printer because it is not possible to password protect it, even though Uniprint's proprietary program will add a password.

1. Residence halls may be restricted to current on-campus residents, subject to OSU Housing's terms and conditions.
2. Computer labs may be restricted to students of particular major(s) or on other factors at the discretion of department's IT service.
3. Some printers appear to require a PPD file and we have not yet ensured some particular instances will work.