For me, setting up a printer was not all that difficult. First, let me say that a little google goes a long way. Honestly, if you got this far and your computer has ubuntu linux installed on it and you’re surfing the web, you should be able to handle setting up a printer in linux.
You should already have a printer service setup in ubuntu by default (cups, common unix printing interface). You can go do “System” -> “Administration” -> “Printing” and when the windows comes up click on “new printer”. You can try and use a “detected printer” if your printer is listed. I had my printer plugged in and on (usb) when I tried this and it wasn’t detected. But, I rebooted with it on and plugged in, and it was there then. The model number for my epson stylus wasn’t listed, so I tried the closest number, but it still wouldn’t print.
So I googled “setup printer epson stylus ubuntu linux”, and found a nice page with explicit instructions. I ended up downloading a linux driver from epson, and installing using the instructions I googled. My CX3200 is printing just fine.
So – to setup your printer, try to install using drivers already in Ubuntu. If that doesn’t work, go to the printer web site for your make (lexmark, ibm, epson, hp) and look for a linux driver. Last, google to find help. And if you are setting up a printer that is a multi-function device and has a scanner, you also want to go to System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager and install “XSane” – which will install a driver for your scanner as well. Then, when you are within any graphics program (like Gimp), you can “acquire” your images using the scanner and the XSane driver. It works well.
I should have mentioned – at any give time – the first place you should ALWAYS look for help is http://ubuntuforums.org/. There are tons of people there waiting to help you, and chances are your question has already been asked and answered by someone else.
Please add any linux printer help you may have by submitting a comment to this page.
originally posted: 2006-01-19 01:41:38 -0400
