How to print over a wireless network?

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mcman56
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How to print over a wireless network?

#1 Post by mcman56 »

I have a Cannon Pixma MX860 connected by USB to a computer running Vista. I am running 4.3 Puppy on a laptop and would like to set up printing over the wireless network to the Cannon. The wireless internet connection for the puppy system is already running. CUPS does not seem to offer an appropriate option. I did download the driver from Cannon but it is a xxxxxi386-deb.tar.gz type file. The is not a .ppd like the CUPS program mentions. I'm stuck. Any direction would be appreciated. I'm new to Puppy and Linux.

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Patriot
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Re: Wireless Network Printing

#2 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....
mcman56 wrote:I have a Cannon Pixma MX860 connected by USB to a computer running Vista. ........
Kindly take a look here ... and get the appropriate driver package for your mx860 ...


Rgds

mcman56
Posts: 103
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Location: CA

Still Stuck

#3 Post by mcman56 »

I loaded the driver and wireless pieces on the link. When I go to add a printer there are two possibles.
1. cannon network printer - I enter uri "cnijusb:/dev/usb/lp0" It eventually offers specific drivers but the MX860 is not there. (the PET loaded clearly is named 860) There are lots of other cannons on the list.
2. usb print status readback canon ij - this also leads to the multiple options but not an MX860

I have puppy 4.3 but do not see how to verify what version of CUPS is included. How do you get software versions in Linux?

What do I do? I really appreciate your help on all of this. Would a generic Linux book help me get a better start on this. Something like:
http://www.amazon.com/Running-Linux-Mat ... 79&sr=1-14

Thanks!

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Patriot
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Re: Still Stuck

#4 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....

Ok, puppy 4.3 still uses CUPS-1.1.23 ... to verify this, open a terminal and do this:

# cups-config --version

To verify if CUPS can see your printer if it is on the usb port:

# /usr/lib/cups/backend/usb
-or-
# /usr/lib/cups/backend/cnijusb

To verify if CUPS can see your wireless printer:

# /usr/lib/cups/backend/cnijnet

After you have installed the mx860 driver, it defaults to the usb port (cnijusb). To use network printing, you should be using the cnijnet uri ... If it is not detected during CUPS printer setup, please check your firewall settings and open ports 8611-8614 for canon net printing ...

To setup canon printer in CUPS, please open your browser and enter http://localhost:631/ .....


Rgds
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mcman56
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Progress but not success

#5 Post by mcman56 »

I managed to get CUPS 1.3 loaded and verified.
The MX860 driver also loaded as cnijusb:/dev/usb/lp0.
I tried to print a test page but it is still processing.
I tried to "convert" the uri to cnijnet but it would not accept
I used cnijnet:/01-02-03-04-05-06 from the example and it was accepted.
I tried to print and it is still processing.
I tried "# /usr/lib/cups/backend/cnijnet " but there was no response
I see the statement to alter firewall settings but do not know how to do that.
Help!
I really appreciate your support on this. Is there a book that would also help or is stumbling through with support the standard method?
Thanks,
Dan

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mikeb
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#6 Post by mikeb »

Erm is not the printer being accessed over a network in which case samba would be needed then added as a network printer. Windows does not offer ipp which is the standard protocol unless you buy server :shock: so this is the usual route.
If samba is already running there should the printer showing up during the cups wizard (I believe but never used it as have linux being the print server so can use ipp for linux and windows)
mike

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Patriot
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Re: Progress but not success

#7 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....
mcman56 wrote: .....
I tried to "convert" the uri to cnijnet but it would not accept
I used cnijnet:/01-02-03-04-05-06 from the example and it was accepted.
I tried to print and it is still processing.
I tried "# /usr/lib/cups/backend/cnijnet " but there was no response .....
This is what happens when I am not given proper details of how printing is to be done and what are the parameters to work with ...

Are you trying to print from puppy to mx860 through the vista PC? Are you trying to print directly to the mx860 using the wireless connectivity? Have you connect the mx860 directly to your machine's usb port and make a test print? Is the mx860 which I assume have wifi connectivity have been properly setup?

My apologies, for I was assuming that you know what you're doing when you asked your first question. Now, it seems that you may be kinda blurred .... Sorry, I couldn't get to Diagon Alley for the wand unless Hermione brings me there .....

Please browse through the printers sub-forum to see if it can help you understand the printing sub-system better ... Hopefully, you'll be able to provide and/or describe the parameters needed for diagnosing the problem .....


Rgds

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mikeb
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#8 Post by mikeb »

I have been trying to setup printing using the adobe postscript driver I used with and epson from windows -->> linux but with the canon its not playing with either their ppd or the gutenprint one...hmm. I did read that the canon one cannot handle remote and a special driver needs making but this was more to do with linux to linux.

My approach is the adobe postscript driver , the ppd and the cups printer uri (which resembles how I am printing from the gimp )

I will be trying again later

mike

mcman56
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue 03 Nov 2009, 04:01
Location: CA

Still Trying

#9 Post by mcman56 »

Yes, it is true, I don't know what I'm doing. I am also very very new to Linux and Puppy. I'll check out the recommended forum.

The MX860 is connected directly by USB to a PC running Vista. It is functional with the Vista system. This same Vista system is connected by USB to the wireless router.

The Puppy system has a wireless card and is connecting to the internet.

I would like to print to the MX860 from the Puppy system. In Windows, it has been possible to see and use a printer over the wireless network. I was assuming it would work like that.

mcman56
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue 03 Nov 2009, 04:01
Location: CA

#10 Post by mcman56 »

I was able to assign an IP address. i can ping the address and get a response. CUPS asks for a host name..what is that? I still can not find a method to open certain ports. If pininging works does that show that the port is working????

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Patriot
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#11 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....
mcman56 wrote:I was able to assign an IP address. i can ping the address and get a response. CUPS asks for a host name..what is that? I still can not find a method to open certain ports. If pininging works does that show that the port is working????
Ok, is that ip address for the mx860 wireless printer or the vista pc? It is important for the printer to have an ip assigned to its wireless connectivity for this to work ... I believe this can be done through the vista pc ...

If you have already assigned the ip address to the mx860 wireless printer, then CUPS should automatically find the printer using cnijnet: backend ... (ie. if you enter /usr/lib/cups/backend/cnijnet in a terminal, it should list the mx860 in the output).

The firewall setup can be done through the start menu (ie. Start -> Setup -> Linux Firewall wizard) ... If you haven't done this previously then that would mean all ports are open, so leave it be for now ... You can setup the firewall later after your printer is working ... If you have already executed the firewall setup, you can either disable it by deleting /etc/rc.d/rc.firewall (and reboot) or run the firewall setup again and allow port 8611-8614 open ...


Rgds

gerry
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#12 Post by gerry »

I had a long saga getting my Canon printer working- but that was in the days when step one was to install cups.

Have you tried plugging your printer directly into you Linux computer? That way you are solving only one problem. Having solved that, tackle the networking problem.

To see your windows host name, just run PNethood. It will say "scanning "hostname"".

Gerry

mcman56
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#13 Post by mcman56 »

I deleted the firewall file and rebooted. I plugged the printer directly to the usb and added it as a new printer. It seemed to recognize it on the usb port and offered it as an option. I sent a "print test page" but it shows "no jobs". Driver shows as Canon MX860 Series Ver. 3.10. URI: usb://canon/mx860%20series.

This is different from before. When "showing all jobs"..it shows these as complete even though they did not print.

Status is : idle, accepting jobs, published

Running PNethood returns... command not found.

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mikeb
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#14 Post by mikeb »

This is different from before. When "showing all jobs"..it shows these as complete even though they did not print.
Ok me too lol
Now when testing locally if a print job has a paper/tray/quality combination that the printer does not like it will show as completed but nothing happens...no clues etc. May be worth fiddling with options if this is what you are getting

mike

mcman56
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#15 Post by mcman56 »

I believe I have resolved the communication/ network issue. I needed to set up the printer totally wireless with no usb connection.
1. It works for the desktop Vista system.
2. CUPS recognizes it along with its IP address during setup.
3. CUPS shows it as idle, accepting jobs, published
4. When I send a print file, it shows as sent and then completed.
5. Nothing ever prints

Are there any recommendation for the CUPS printer options? What is "amount of extension"?

Thanks for all of your help and patience on this. I am a beginner.

Dan
.

mcman56
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue 03 Nov 2009, 04:01
Location: CA

Success!

#16 Post by mcman56 »

After struggling with this for a long time, I decided to start over. I reloaded Puppy. Looking at Patriot's drivers, the wireless driver is for his print drivers 3.00 and below yet the print driver on the same post is 3.10. Maybe that was the issue all along but being new to this I could have done something wrong.

So...I loaded Patriot's wireless driver. I went to Canon Au site and downloaded their print driver. I unpacked their driver and placed the .ppd in /usr/share/cups/model. CUPS found the printer right away and loaded it. When trying to test print, there was a fault that some file was missing. I copied the file from the Canon Au unpack and placed in in the same folder (at least i think it was the same folder) After that everything worked fine.

Thanks for all of the help and in particular the wireless driver.

Dan

Compaq Armada, Netgear wireless card, Puppy 4.3, Cups 1.33, Canon Pixama MX860 wireless.

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