Lexmark x463de printer

Problems and successes with specific brands/models of printers
Post Reply
Message
Author
comcoco
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu 02 Feb 2012, 10:59

Lexmark x463de printer

#1 Post by comcoco »

I need help setting up to print on a Lexmark x463de printer via the network using Puppy 528.

First, Cups 1.4 does not find this network printer. I found its IP address from the printer to be 192.168.2.107. Exactly how do I enter that information into Cups?

Next, Cups does not list this printer under Lexmark. Is there a good alternative printer to try?

Finally, I tried to find a driver for this printer on the Lexmark website. Drivers for many other Linux distributions are offered. I downloaded one for a Ubuntu distribution and one for a Debian distribution which seem to be the same:
PPD-File-LMACK.tar.Z
I do not know how to try to use this driver in Cups. Do I have to extract something from it first? What is the best driver to try, that is for what other Linux distribution. Many (100 +)are offered, below is a link to the list:

http://support.lexmark.com/index?segmen ... age=null#2

Obviously I do not know what I am doing. About the only thing I know is that I need help.

Thanks in advance!!

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

Re: Lexmark x463de printer

#2 Post by rcrsn51 »

comcoco wrote:I need help setting up to print on a Lexmark x463de printer via the network using Puppy 528. First, Cups 1.4 does not find this network printer.
Try using Find New Printers. It may take several tries. If CUPS still can't find it, do a manual install.

1. From the list of devices, elect AppSocket/HPJetDirect
2. Enter the URI as "socket://192.168.2.107".
Next, Cups does not list this printer under Lexmark. Is there a good alternative printer to try?
If you go here, you will see links to some Lexmark inkjet printers. But they won't apply to you. The recent Lexmark Linux driver packages have become so complicated that they are impossible to convert into PETs.

However, you have three alternatives:

1. Your printer claims to be HP PCL5e compatible. Install the hplip_print package from the link above and try installing it as a Laserjet 4.

2. Your printer is also Postscript-capable. I have attached a generic Postscript PPD file. Install it and run CUPS. You will see it listed under Lexmark.

3. I looked at your download from Lexmark. It also contains Postscript PPD files. So if mine doesn't work, we can try one of theirs.
Last edited by rcrsn51 on Wed 28 Nov 2012, 14:09, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#3 Post by rcrsn51 »

No reply? That's too bad. Once we had the printer working we could have looked at running its scanner over the network.

comcoco
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu 02 Feb 2012, 10:59

#4 Post by comcoco »

rsrsn51,

Thank you so much for your help! This printer is located across town in my Church so I could not try your suggestion until today. I have now tried them.

The IP was entered as you instructed.

Your Lexmark_X413de_Postscript_PPD-1.1.pet was downloaded and run. It indeed appeared on the CUPS Lexmark list. It was selected and installed. A message indicated that the printer had been successfully installed. Unfortunately, neither the test file, nor another file would print. This was your alternative No. 2.

I do not know how to find the hplip_print package your refer to in your alternative No. 1. I do not know what link you are referring to.

In your alternative No. 3 where do I find find the Postscript PPD files in the Lexmark download? I do not know what Lexmark download you refer to. I looked in the list of Linux printer in the list from the Lexmark webpage, but do not find anything like that.

I wish I were better able to use the suggestions you gave me. I do not know how.

I really appreciate you help and patience. Thanks!!

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#5 Post by rcrsn51 »

The HP driver package is here at the bottom of the page. It is named hplip_print-3.12.10a.pet.

In CUPS, delete the current printer (look under its Admin tab). Then let CUPS rediscover it. Install it as any of the Laserjet 4 models.

If that doesn't work, we can look at the Lexmark driver.

comcoco
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu 02 Feb 2012, 10:59

#6 Post by comcoco »

rcrsn51

I found the hplip_print file. I downloaded and installed it on my home machine and see in CUPS under HP a Laserjet 4 listed. I will try doing this on the Church computer tomorrow where this printer is located.

I will let you know the results.

Thanks!!

comcoco
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu 02 Feb 2012, 10:59

#7 Post by comcoco »

rcrsn51,

I did the same thing on a computer on the Church network containing the printer today. That is your No. 1 alternative. The hplip_print package was installed. CUPS was then used to install the printer as a HP Laserjet 4. A successful installation was reported, but the test page would not print.

Linux printing was guaranteed by the supplier when we leased this printer, but we can not make it work. It copies well. It scans pages. It will even print a file if that file printed as a pdf file on a memory stick which is physically moved to the printer. My complaints to the supplier have not had any results. I would like to try your alternative No.3, but I do not know how.

Thanks for you help!

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#8 Post by rcrsn51 »

comcoco wrote:Linux printing was guaranteed by the supplier when we leased this printer, but we can not make it work
The problem is that we are not working in one of the big-boy Linuxes for which the Lexmark driver packages are intended.

If you print to this machine from Windows, do you need to enter any kind of password?

I have attached another Postscript driver to try, but I am not hopeful. Before installing it, go into the folder /usr/share/cups/model and delete the current Lexmark PPD. Then install the new PET.

Delete and rediscover the printer.

However, finding the right driver is irrelevant if you don't have the right network connection. From the terminal, type

Code: Select all

mpscan -p 9100 192.168.2.207
mpscan -p 515 192.168.2.207
mpscan -p 139 192.168.2.207
mpscan -p 631 192.168.2.207
What do you get back?

Is it possible to connect your computer directly to the printer by USB? This is a better way to test the PPD files.
Attachments
Lexmark_X463de_Postscript_PPD-2.0.pet
(3.07 KiB) Downloaded 682 times

comcoco
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu 02 Feb 2012, 10:59

#9 Post by comcoco »

rcrsn51

We got the network printer working thanks to you! Your last driver did the trick along with your suggestion that we connect to the printer via a USB wire rather than through the network. This helped a lot. Once we got it printing as a local printer we went back and used the same settings and driver to set it up as a network printer. CUPS is now even finding this network printer automatically and the other computers on the network have been set up to use this printer, even far away computers on the network via LAN Cat 5 cables.

This is all now working as we want. Hurrah for you and Puppy Linux!

I do not think you need to consider Puppy Linux to be inferior to the "big boys". This little distribution runs fast and works well for me on several computers on two different networks. I have recently found a small little modestly priced computer with no fan or other moving parts or a disk drive. This runs well on Puppy. I intend to eventually replace all the computers on both these networks with this little machine.

I am gradually getting to a point where I will have no more requirement for Windows XP. The last remaining challenge is to find a substitute for MS Access which can read and use Access files. I have not been able to do this even on Wine. MS Money is possible to use on Puppy with Wine. Beyond these I need to learn some Puppy tricks which would help me a lot, like being able to always have a specific USB stick be assigned a specific address. I have a long wish list of things like this I would like to be able to do on Puppy. Do you or other on this Puppy Linux Discussion Forum have a way to work with me on this?

By the way, I see from your location that we are not far apart. I am in Lewiston, New York, USA.

Thank you very much!

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#10 Post by rcrsn51 »

Glad to help. Did it end up using the socket networking protocol? This is the same as Port 9100.

Do you now want to look at accessing the unit's scanner remotely?
The last remaining challenge is to find a substitute for MS Access which can read and use Access files
Have you tried Open/LIbre Office? There are instructions on the web for setting this up.

comcoco
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu 02 Feb 2012, 10:59

#11 Post by comcoco »

Thanks, rcrsn51!

Actually I do not know what networking protocol we used. First I followed your suggestion and got it working on the USB with your new driver. Then I stripped everything on the networking out to get a fresh start. At that point the CUPS program found the printer on the network and I just installed it using the same driver there. When I say found, I mean it appeared when I went to CUPS>Administration>Add Printer, not even Find New Printer. It just appears on the list. Bingo it works! I know I should try to document what I did, but I am not even sure now myself. I do know that I was able to almost immediately get it running on a second identical computer on the network. I am concerned that without documenting this I will be in trouble again months from now when something goes wrong and I need to do it again. I try to document when something finally works, but usually I can not recall even immediately what I did. Usually I have been trying all kinds of things and finally some combination works.

I am satisfied with out the remote scanner right now. I am not sure what value that would be.

I read that now Libre Data Base can read Access files, but I have not been able to get that to happen. I will try the most recent version of Libre, but I am not too hopeful. I have also read that many people have not been able to do that.

Thanks again!!

Post Reply