[gentoo-user] Unable to locate printer

[Thelma]

I have two network printers and all of a sudden when trying to print to them I get an error message in cups:

Unable to locate printer

Ping printer IP works, printing from VirtualBox - Windows works.

lpstat -t
scheduler is running
no system default destination
device for 3170-color: lpd://BRN30055C898DF9/BINARY_P1
device for 5370: lpd://brother-5370/BINARY_P1
device for L6200: lpd://BRNB42200553231/BINARY_P1
3170-color accepting requests since Sat 27 Jan 2024 11:10:13 AM MST
5370 accepting requests since Sat 27 Jan 2024 11:11:11 AM MST
L6200 accepting requests since Thu 07 Apr 2022 12:24:10 PM MDT
printer 3170-color now printing 3170-color-0. enabled since Sat 27 Jan 2024 11:10:13 AM MST
Unable to locate printer "BRN30055C898DF9".
printer 5370 now printing 5370-0. enabled since Sat 27 Jan 2024 11:11:11 AM MST
Unable to locate printer "brother-5370".
printer L6200 is idle. enabled since Thu 07 Apr 2022 12:24:10 PM MDT

[Michael Dinon]

What version of cups?

--

Kind regards,

Mike

[Joe B]

Have you installed Avahi-daemon set it up to start automatically deleted printer and re-added?

~ Joe B

---

From: Thelma <the...@sys-concept.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2024 11:38:48 AM
To: Gentoo mailing list <gento...@lists.gentoo.org>
Subject: [gentoo-user] Unable to locate printer

 

[Thelma]

On 1/27/24 23:19, Michael Dinon wrote:
>
> What version of cups?

cups-2.4.7-r1

[Thelma]

Systems show Avahi-daemon status: started.
but it I don't know how it helps me find a local printer.

I'm puzzled as printers were working last week without any problems.
I did not do any update or modification to the system but all of a sudden they stop working "Unable to locate printer"

The solution was to change printer setting:

lpd://BRN30055C898DF9/BINARY_P1
lpd://brother-5370/BINARY_P1

with:
lpd://printer-IP-address/BINARY_P1
lpd://printer-IP-address/BINARY_P1

How to set Avahi-daemon to start automatically deleted printer?

On 1/27/24 23:36, Joe B wrote:
> Have you installed Avahi-daemon set it up to start automatically deleted printer and re-added?
>
> ~ Joe B

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Thelma <the...@sys-concept.com>
> *Sent:* Saturday, January 27, 2024 11:38:48 AM
> *To:* Gentoo mailing list <gento...@lists.gentoo.org>
> *Subject:* [gentoo-user] Unable to locate printer

[Michael]

On Sunday, 28 January 2024 17:43:22 GMT Thelma wrote:
> Systems show Avahi-daemon status: started.
> but it I don't know how it helps me find a local printer.
>
> I'm puzzled as printers were working last week without any problems.
> I did not do any update or modification to the system but all of a sudden
> they stop working "Unable to locate printer"

> The solution was to change printer setting:
>
> lpd://BRN30055C898DF9/BINARY_P1
> lpd://brother-5370/BINARY_P1
>
> with:
> lpd://printer-IP-address/BINARY_P1
> lpd://printer-IP-address/BINARY_P1
>
> How to set Avahi-daemon to start automatically deleted printer?

I don't think avahi is needed unless you are printing from different temporary
clients and you want the printers to be automatically discovered on the
network. If this is not your use case, you could try something like this:

lpadmin -p 3170-color -E -v ipp://<IP_address_here>/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere

Which will use the CUPS driverless method:

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Driverless_printing

[Wol]

On 28/01/2024 17:43, Thelma wrote:
> The solution was to change printer setting:
>
> lpd://BRN30055C898DF9/BINARY_P1
> lpd://brother-5370/BINARY_P1
>
> with:
> lpd://printer-IP-address/BINARY_P1
> lpd://printer-IP-address/BINARY_P1

That implies the problem is your router or printer - nothing to do with
gentoo.

Using the IP address is dangerous - unless you've explicitly configured
stuff, it can change ... At the end of the day, everything here is a
pain in the arse if you are using DHCP, and if you're using static IPs
it's a pain in the arse too ... :-)

What you want to do is configure your printer to send its DHCP with an
"I am called X" message. Your DHCP server (I guess it's your router)
then needs to configure DNS so that X matches whatever IP address it
hands out (that *should* happen automatically). Then everything "just
works (TM)".

The trouble is it sometimes doesn't "just work". With my router, I know
I have a local range of 192.168.1/8. And it's configured so that 1..127
are available for random DHCP allocation. 128..254 are static addresses.
and 0 and 255 are broadcast and router respectively. That's of course
all if IIRC.

But then, for my server(workstation) and printers I've then allocated a
static mac->IP mapping, so I can put a hard-coded entry in my hosts
file. Stuff I don't care about, laptops, mobile phones, games boxes, etc
just get a random IP.

Basically, you need to understand how DNS, DHCP, and all this name
allocation stuff works, and it's pretty logical. It just takes quite a
bit getting your head round it.

Cheers,
Wol

[Thelma]

These instruction on Gengoo Driveless printing are not clear.
I tried to follow this example and run:

lpadmin -p foobar -E -v ipp://10.0.0.106/ipp -m everywhere

did not create file: foobar.ppd in /etc/cups/ppd/

ls -al /etc/cups/ppd/
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 26945 Nov 30 2020 3170-color.ppd
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 26929 Nov 30 2020 3170-color.ppd.O
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 16460 Jan 27 13:48 5370.ppd
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 25537 Jan 27 13:46 5370.ppd.O
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Dec 13 17:47 .keep_net-print_cups-0
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 16476 Apr 7 2022 L6200.ppd
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 16476 Apr 7 2022 L6200.ppd.O

But it did create foobar local raw printer name foobar, and when I tried to print to it, it spit out strange characters.

I noticed you substitute after <IP-address>/ipp with <IP_address_here>/BINARY_P1
This is not very clear in Gentoo Documentation

Trying it:
lpadmin -p 3170-color2 -E -v ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere

It did not create any file name: 3170-color2.ppd ; but it did create entry in printer entry 3170-color2 - local raw printer
and printing to it works OK. Thank you!

Can you explain the <IP-address>/ipp vs. <IP_address_here>/BINARY_P1

[Thelma]

Hm..., my route assign local pcs and printers static IP so there is no confusion. How can it be dangerous.
I think this is simpler process then paying with DNS on small networks.

[Alan Grimes]

Don't bother, printing always stops working the day after you get it set
up on linux. It's easier to ssh int your linux machine from your windows
machine and then print than it is to get linux to print in any useful
way. =|

--
You can't out-crazy a Democrat.
#EggCrisis #BlackWinter
White is the new Kulak.
Powers are not rights.

[Thelma]

On 1/28/24 12:17, Thelma wrote:
> Trying it:
> lpadmin -p 3170-color2 -E -v ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere

As you suggested I tried:
lpadmin -p 5370-bw -E -v ipp://10.0.0.106/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere

It crated printer entry, but not ppd file in: /etc/cups/ppd/

Trying to print to this printer prints gibberish.

[Michael]

Did you run the lpadmin command as root?

> But it did create foobar local raw printer name foobar, and when I tried to
> print to it, it spit out strange characters.

Where did you find this local raw printer?

What does 'lpstat -t' run as your plain user show?

> I noticed you substitute after <IP-address>/ipp with
> <IP_address_here>/BINARY_P1 This is not very clear in Gentoo Documentation
>
> Trying it:
> lpadmin -p 3170-color2 -E -v ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere
>
> It did not create any file name: 3170-color2.ppd ; but it did create entry
> in printer entry 3170-color2 - local raw printer and printing to it works
> OK. Thank you!

You can try moving temporarily all .ppd files from /etc/cups/ppd/ and try
running the lpadmin command again. Perhaps if it finds some ppd file already
in there with the same settings it won't create a new file.

> Can you explain the <IP-address>/ipp vs. <IP_address_here>/BINARY_P1

If you login into the printer's admin GUI with your browser and navigate to
Network, Services, you will see a list of service names. You can try
configuring CUPS with each one at a time to see what works for you.

[Michael]

On Monday, 29 January 2024 02:53:27 GMT Thelma wrote:
> On 1/28/24 12:17, Thelma wrote:
> > Trying it:
> > lpadmin -p 3170-color2 -E -v ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere
>
> As you suggested I tried:
> lpadmin -p 5370-bw -E -v ipp://10.0.0.106/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere
>
> It crated printer entry, but not ppd file in: /etc/cups/ppd/

Try to remove the option '-E' above to see if it creates a ppd file this time.
If it refuses to work, consider emerging a corresponding driver from brother-
overlay, instead of the CUPS driverless configuration.

> Trying to print to this printer prints gibberish.

I am confused. In your previous message you wrote it did not create an entry
in ppd, but it printed fine. :-/

The gibberish you see being printed may be a result of the driver. The 'IPP
Everywhere' driver should not present itself as a raw printer in the localhost
CUPS webgui (https://127.0.0.1:631), but as:

Description: 5370-bw
Location:
Driver: <printer-model> series - IPP Everywhere (mono)
Connection: ipp://10.0.0.106/BINARY_P1

[Thelma]

On 1/29/24 05:16, Michael wrote:
> On Monday, 29 January 2024 02:53:27 GMT Thelma wrote:
>> On 1/28/24 12:17, Thelma wrote:
>>> Trying it:
>>> lpadmin -p 3170-color2 -E -v ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere
>>
>> As you suggested I tried:
>> lpadmin -p 5370-bw -E -v ipp://10.0.0.106/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere
>>
>> It crated printer entry, but not ppd file in: /etc/cups/ppd/
>
> Try to remove the option '-E' above to see if it creates a ppd file this time.
> If it refuses to work, consider emerging a corresponding driver from brother-
> overlay, instead of the CUPS driverless configuration.

I tried Without '-E' and still no ppd file in: /etc/cups/ppd/

>> Trying to print to this printer prints gibberish.
>
> I am confused. In your previous message you wrote it did not create an entry
> in ppd, but it printed fine. :-/

So am I, I was under impression it printed OK as I created two entries and try printing one page, it printed OK
but now it prints strange characters only.

lpadmin -p 3170-color2 -E -v ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere

lpadmin -p 5370-bw -E -v ipp://10.0.0.106/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere

Both are identified as;
Driver: Local Raw Printer (grayscale, 2-sided printing)
Connection: ipp://10.0.0.106/BINARY_P1
Connection: ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1

[Michael]

On Monday, 29 January 2024 14:43:07 GMT Thelma wrote:
> On 1/29/24 05:16, Michael wrote:

> I tried Without '-E' and still no ppd file in: /etc/cups/ppd/

OK, let's try a different syntax[1] to see if those pesky .ppd files will be
created:

lpadmin -p 3170-color2 -E -v ipp://10.0.0.105/ipp/print -m everywhere
lpadmin -p 5370-bw -E -v ipp://10.0.0.106/ipp/print -m everywhere

If they still fail to work with IPP-Everywhere, then I'm afraid you have to
use specific Brother drivers for these printers[2].

[1] https://www.cups.org/doc/network.html
[2] https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Brother_networked_printer

[Thelma]

Hm.., it didn't do anything. (and yes, I run them as root)

# lpadmin -p 5370-bw -E -v ipp://10.0.0.106/ipp/print -m everywhere
# ls -al /etc/cups/ppd/

-rw-r----- 1 root lp 26945 Nov 30 2020 3170-color.ppd
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 26929 Nov 30 2020 3170-color.ppd.O
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 16460 Jan 27 13:48 5370.ppd
-rw-r----- 1 root lp 25537 Jan 27 13:46 5370.ppd.O

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Jan 27 17:10 .keep_net-print_cups-0

The driver I'm using brother driver 5370.ppd
Driver: Brother BrGenML1 for CUPS (grayscale, 2-sided printing)
Connection: lpd://10.0.0.106/BINARY_P1

This one is working.

[Thelma]

locahost:631

When I select printer it show what driver it using.

>
> What does 'lpstat -t' run as your plain user show?

as user: $ lpstat -t

scheduler is running
no system default destination

device for 3170-color: lpd://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1
device for 3170-color2: ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1
device for 5370: lpd://10.0.0.106/BINARY_P1
device for 5370-bw: ipp://10.0.0.106/ipp/print
3170-color accepting requests since Sat 27 Jan 2024 06:12:01 PM MST
3170-color2 accepting requests since Sun 28 Jan 2024 12:07:59 PM MST
5370 accepting requests since Mon 29 Jan 2024 08:55:47 AM MST
5370-bw accepting requests since Mon 29 Jan 2024 10:40:51 AM MST

L6200 accepting requests since Thu 07 Apr 2022 12:24:10 PM MDT

printer 3170-color is idle. enabled since Sat 27 Jan 2024 06:12:01 PM MST
printer 3170-color2 is idle. enabled since Sun 28 Jan 2024 12:07:59 PM MST
printer 5370 is idle. enabled since Mon 29 Jan 2024 08:55:47 AM MST
printer 5370-bw disabled since Mon 29 Jan 2024 10:40:51 AM MST -
The printer configuration is incorrect or the printer no longer exists.

>
>> I noticed you substitute after <IP-address>/ipp with
>> <IP_address_here>/BINARY_P1 This is not very clear in Gentoo Documentation
>>
>> Trying it:
>> lpadmin -p 3170-color2 -E -v ipp://10.0.0.105/BINARY_P1 -m everywhere
>>
>> It did not create any file name: 3170-color2.ppd ; but it did create entry
>> in printer entry 3170-color2 - local raw printer and printing to it works
>> OK. Thank you!
>
> You can try moving temporarily all .ppd files from /etc/cups/ppd/ and try
> running the lpadmin command again. Perhaps if it finds some ppd file already
> in there with the same settings it won't create a new file.
>
>
>> Can you explain the <IP-address>/ipp vs. <IP_address_here>/BINARY_P1
>
> If you login into the printer's admin GUI with your browser and navigate to
> Network, Services, you will see a list of service names. You can try
> configuring CUPS with each one at a time to see what works for you.

I'm using XFCE it doesn't have GUI setting for printers. But I can login via http://localhost:631 to see the printers