Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
On Wednesday 08 March 2006 18:28, Kris Kerwin wrote: Currently, in order to share our printer, we simply unplug it from one another's computers. However, we would like to be able to share it over the network instead to make life easier for the both of us. However, there are a few problems that I'm foreseeing. Back before in-home networks were practical, my dad had a little gray box that had three cables going in the back end, and a switch on the front - A/B. I think that box was for the old parallel printer ports, but I'd imagine that if you go down to Best Buy or another computer store they'd have something similar for sharing a USB device between multiple machines. It's possible you'd need to flip a switch when you want to print, but it would still be easier that moving the cables, and it won't break any of your college's rules regarding the network. Also, it won't require any additional configuration headaches. -- Eric Bliss systems design and integration, CreativeCow.Net -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
Daniel, Thanks for your quick reply. I couldn't think of a more complex solution right now, but couldn't you simply make your IP static? I've done it at work because our DNS was failing, simply copied the network configurations gained with DHCP and made it permanent... Question: how does one *make* a static IP? I thought that IP was assigned by DHCP? Isn't that the way that DHCP works? It leases an IP to a specific computer, which then gives up that lease when it's done using it. At that point, DHCP is free to re-lease that same IP to whomever else requests it, correct? If that's the case, what would prevent another computer from accidentally obtaining that same IP? Otherwise, if this is a viable solution, how do I make it work? I'm comfortable editing config files, but I just don't know where to go to do it. Thanks again, all, for your help. Kris On Wednesday 08 March 2006 20:43, Daniel da Veiga wrote: On 3/8/06, Kris Kerwin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi folks! I have a quick question. I'm a college student. I share my printer with my roommate. We have separate computers; he uses Windows XP, and I Gentoo. Together, we're behind our school's router which dynamically assigns us both IP's. Currently, in order to share our printer, we simply unplug it from one another's computers. However, we would like to be able to share it over the network instead to make life easier for the both of us. However, there are a few problems that I'm foreseeing. First off, I have a laptop with only one ethernet port, so setting up an ad hoc network between us is out of the question. Also, my school has a one port - one computer rule that prohibits routers. Second, since we're both behind a DHCPd server, we both have dynamic IPs. There's no easy way to point his computer to the right server if it has a dynamic IP. Third, since we're both behind a router, using something like DynDNS to provide a static contact despite the dynamic IP won't work either. So, I guess what I'm wondering is if there's any way to make this work, or if I'm SOL? Thank you much for your help. Kris Kerwin -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list I couldn't think of a more complex solution right now, but couldn't you simply make your IP static? I've done it at work because our DNS was failing, simply copied the network configurations gained with DHCP and made it permanent... -- Daniel da Veiga Computer Operator - RS - Brazil -BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK- Version: 3.1 GCM/IT/P/O d-? s:- a? C++$ UBLA++ P+ L++ E--- W+++$ N o+ K- w O M- V- PS PE Y PGP- t+ 5 X+++ R+* tv b+ DI+++ D+ G+ e h+ r+ y++ --END GEEK CODE BLOCK-- -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
Question: how does one *make* a static IP? I thought that IP was assigned by DHCP? Isn't that the way that DHCP works? It leases an IP to a specific computer, which then gives up that lease when it's done using it. At that point, DHCP is free to re-lease that same IP to whomever else requests it, correct? If that's the case, what would prevent another computer from accidentally obtaining that same IP? Otherwise, if this is a viable solution, how do I make it work? I'm comfortable editing config files, but I just don't know where to go to do it. Thanks again, all, for your help. Kris this is a more complicated question than it appears. Let's say, for instance that you have an actual dhcp server, not just a router/ap giving out ips. Now, most dhcp servers allow you to either statically, or dynamically, associate an IP with a MAC address (hardware address). I can set my dhcp server up such that you ALWAYS get the same ip address for a given mac address. This is helpful in some cases where you have more ip space than machines and want to know who gets what. I can either do that by manually adding the mac into the configuration, or by making an infinate lease time. in both cases, you've got a static dynamic address :) if you have more machines than ip space (a class C subnet has on the order of 254 possible addresses), you have to have dynamic dhcp for those. in that case, you have a much shorter lease time, and when a box comes on, it asks for the last address it has, and the dhcp server says yes if no one is using it, or no, use this one if it's in use. however, IP is NOT limited to using dhcp. you can manually set your machine to have a given ip address (since this is the gentoo list, it's in the /etc/conf.d/net file). if you're manually setting an ip address, you do have to be careful that you're not setting it in the range that the dhcp server will assign. email me offline if you need more detail than thatip theory in general is a little off-topic. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
On 3/8/06, Kris Kerwin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi folks! I have a quick question. I'm a college student. I share my printer with my roommate. We have separate computers; he uses Windows XP, and I Gentoo. Together, we're behind our school's router which dynamically assigns us both IP's. Currently, in order to share our printer, we simply unplug it from one another's computers. However, we would like to be able to share it over the network instead to make life easier for the both of us. However, there are a few problems that I'm foreseeing. First off, I have a laptop with only one ethernet port, so setting up an ad hoc network between us is out of the question. Also, my school has a one port - one computer rule that prohibits routers. Second, since we're both behind a DHCPd server, we both have dynamic IPs. There's no easy way to point his computer to the right server if it has a dynamic IP. Third, since we're both behind a router, using something like DynDNS to provide a static contact despite the dynamic IP won't work either. So, I guess what I'm wondering is if there's any way to make this work, or if I'm SOL? It would seem that people are thinking about this problem just a bit too hard. Here is how my network is setup. All users have DHCP addys, its a mix of mainly Gentoo with the odd Windows box. The printers are all connected to Gentoo servers which have cups and samba setup. Cups serves printing for all the Linux boxes and is also hooked into Samba so the windows boxes can print. As far as IP addresses go... screw em... use the netbios name of the machines, for the Windoze box this will be its hostname and the same is true for the Linux box (I don't think I had to do any extra setup in Samba to make it broadcast a netbios name). You will then be able to print locally from the Linux box via CUPS and you can install the printer just like any other shared printer (\\your_gentoo_box\printer_name) under Windows. Gentoo has excellent Samba setup howtos if you need more info. In this case you break no rules and there is no complex DNS setup stuff. Hope all this makes some sense. -Mike -- Michael E. Crute http://mike.crute.org Linux takes junk and turns it into something useful. Windows takes something useful and turns it into junk. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
Someone with more network knowledge will probably correct any bullshit I'll type from now on... :) On 3/9/06, Kris Kerwin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Daniel, Thanks for your quick reply. I couldn't think of a more complex solution right now, but couldn't you simply make your IP static? I've done it at work because our DNS was failing, simply copied the network configurations gained with DHCP and made it permanent... Question: how does one *make* a static IP? I thought that IP was assigned by DHCP? Isn't that the way that DHCP works? It leases an IP Well, this is more of a server solution than a workstation one, you'll probably turn your computer off once in a while. DHCP wil not give anyone an IP that is already in use (its against TCP/IP rules), so, if you have your machine running with an IP, DHCP will not lease it (at least I think so because my machine never conflited). to a specific computer, which then gives up that lease when it's done using it. At that point, DHCP is free to re-lease that same IP to whomever else requests it, correct? If that's the case, what would Yes, if your DHCP sends a DHCP_RELEASE command to the server, it will give up that IP and it will be available for another computer. prevent another computer from accidentally obtaining that same IP? You just never RELEASE the IP, and when it expires you LEASE it again, and DHCP cache will always try to get the last IP, of course, I've done it in a server running all the time, first I tried RELEASING and automatic LEASING it again in TIMEOUT seconds (where timeout is the LEASE time minus a few seconds, it alll depends on how big is your server's lease time), I've created a script to do that, but deleted it long ago. Then I decided to simply configure /etc/resolv.conf, /etc/conf.d/net and /etc/hosts so I would have an static IP, and let TCP/IP do the rest (not allow the DHCP server to LEASE that IP to someone else). I couldn't find anywhere in the web if that SHOULD work, it just does, for me. Otherwise, if this is a viable solution, how do I make it work? I'm comfortable editing config files, but I just don't know where to go to do it. You ifconfig to get the IP your're using right now and the Netmask used in your network environment. Then you edit the /etc/conf.d/net file to configure your ethernet interface to have a static IP, using the one you're already using from DHCP and set the netmask you got from ifconfig, and let be your /etc/resolv.conf and /etc/hosts that were written by the DHCP client. Thanks again, all, for your help. Kris On Wednesday 08 March 2006 20:43, Daniel da Veiga wrote: On 3/8/06, Kris Kerwin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi folks! I have a quick question. I'm a college student. I share my printer with my roommate. We have separate computers; he uses Windows XP, and I Gentoo. Together, we're behind our school's router which dynamically assigns us both IP's. Currently, in order to share our printer, we simply unplug it from one another's computers. However, we would like to be able to share it over the network instead to make life easier for the both of us. However, there are a few problems that I'm foreseeing. First off, I have a laptop with only one ethernet port, so setting up an ad hoc network between us is out of the question. Also, my school has a one port - one computer rule that prohibits routers. Second, since we're both behind a DHCPd server, we both have dynamic IPs. There's no easy way to point his computer to the right server if it has a dynamic IP. Third, since we're both behind a router, using something like DynDNS to provide a static contact despite the dynamic IP won't work either. So, I guess what I'm wondering is if there's any way to make this work, or if I'm SOL? Thank you much for your help. Kris Kerwin -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list I couldn't think of a more complex solution right now, but couldn't you simply make your IP static? I've done it at work because our DNS was failing, simply copied the network configurations gained with DHCP and made it permanent... -- Daniel da Veiga Computer Operator - RS - Brazil -BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK- Version: 3.1 GCM/IT/P/O d-? s:- a? C++$ UBLA++ P+ L++ E--- W+++$ N o+ K- w O M- V- PS PE Y PGP- t+ 5 X+++ R+* tv b+ DI+++ D+ G+ e h+ r+ y++ --END GEEK CODE BLOCK-- -- Daniel da Veiga Computer Operator - RS - Brazil -BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK- Version: 3.1 GCM/IT/P/O d-? s:- a? C++$ UBLA++ P+ L++ E--- W+++$ N o+ K- w O M- V- PS PE Y PGP- t+ 5 X+++ R+* tv b+ DI+++ D+ G+ e h+ r+ y++ --END GEEK CODE BLOCK-- -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
On 3/9/06, Michael Crute [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 3/8/06, Kris Kerwin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi folks! I have a quick question. I'm a college student. I share my printer with my roommate. We have separate computers; he uses Windows XP, and I Gentoo. Together, we're behind our school's router which dynamically assigns us both IP's. Currently, in order to share our printer, we simply unplug it from one another's computers. However, we would like to be able to share it over the network instead to make life easier for the both of us. However, there are a few problems that I'm foreseeing. First off, I have a laptop with only one ethernet port, so setting up an ad hoc network between us is out of the question. Also, my school has a one port - one computer rule that prohibits routers. Second, since we're both behind a DHCPd server, we both have dynamic IPs. There's no easy way to point his computer to the right server if it has a dynamic IP. Third, since we're both behind a router, using something like DynDNS to provide a static contact despite the dynamic IP won't work either. So, I guess what I'm wondering is if there's any way to make this work, or if I'm SOL? It would seem that people are thinking about this problem just a bit too hard. Here is how my network is setup. All users have DHCP addys, its a mix of mainly Gentoo with the odd Windows box. The printers are all connected to Gentoo servers which have cups and samba setup. Cups serves printing for all the Linux boxes and is also hooked into Samba so the windows boxes can print. As far as IP addresses go... screw em... use the netbios name of the machines, for the Windoze box this will be its hostname and the same is true for the Linux box (I don't think I had to do any extra setup in Samba to make it broadcast a netbios name). You will then be able to print locally from the Linux box via CUPS and you can install the printer just like any other shared printer (\\your_gentoo_box\printer_name) under Windows. Gentoo has excellent Samba setup howtos if you need more info. In this case you break no rules and there is no complex DNS setup stuff. Hope all this makes some sense. Well, in fact, I think it does. I forgot that the main problem was in fact just PRINTING... Yeah, cups and samba will take care of that. Samba will broadcast netbios stuff over the net so you can see your shared printer (and folders). Check: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/quick-samba-howto.xml and http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Native_Windows_Printing_with_CUPS/Samba You know, sometimes you just loose focus and forget about simple solutions for simple problems... -- Daniel da Veiga Computer Operator - RS - Brazil -BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK- Version: 3.1 GCM/IT/P/O d-? s:- a? C++$ UBLA++ P+ L++ E--- W+++$ N o+ K- w O M- V- PS PE Y PGP- t+ 5 X+++ R+* tv b+ DI+++ D+ G+ e h+ r+ y++ --END GEEK CODE BLOCK-- -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
On 3/9/06, Daniel da Veiga [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Well, in fact, I think it does. I forgot that the main problem was in fact just PRINTING... Yeah, cups and samba will take care of that. Samba will broadcast netbios stuff over the net so you can see your shared printer (and folders). You know, sometimes you just loose focus and forget about simple solutions for simple problems... Hehe... everybody wants to engineer an elaborate fix when sometimes all it takes is some duck tape ;-) -Mike -- Michael E. Crute http://mike.crute.org It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes. --Douglas Adams -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
On Thursday 09 March 2006 11:56, Eric Bliss [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote about 'Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba': On Wednesday 08 March 2006 18:28, Kris Kerwin wrote: Currently, in order to share our printer, we simply unplug it from one another's computers. However, we would like to be able to share it over the network instead to make life easier for the both of us. However, there are a few problems that I'm foreseeing. Back before in-home networks were practical, my dad had a little gray box that had three cables going in the back end, and a switch on the front - A/B. I think that box was for the old parallel printer ports, but I'd imagine that if you go down to Best Buy or another computer store they'd have something similar for sharing a USB device between multiple machines. Now a days they usually call such devices KVM switches. Although, that may be a term specific to boxes like that which allow a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to be shared between all the computers in a rack. -- If there's one thing we've established over the years, it's that the vast majority of our users don't have the slightest clue what's best for them in terms of package stability. -- Gentoo Developer Ciaran McCreesh -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
[SOLVED] Re: [gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
All, Samba proved to be a very simple and effective fix. Plus, as was said earlier, it doesn't break any of the rules that my school has in place. Thanks again, all, for your help. Kris On Thursday 09 March 2006 13:33, Michael Crute wrote: On 3/9/06, Daniel da Veiga [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Well, in fact, I think it does. I forgot that the main problem was in fact just PRINTING... Yeah, cups and samba will take care of that. Samba will broadcast netbios stuff over the net so you can see your shared printer (and folders). You know, sometimes you just loose focus and forget about simple solutions for simple problems... Hehe... everybody wants to engineer an elaborate fix when sometimes all it takes is some duck tape ;-) -Mike -- Michael E. Crute http://mike.crute.org It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes. --Douglas Adams -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
[gentoo-user] Printer Sharing with Samba
Hi folks! I have a quick question. I'm a college student. I share my printer with my roommate. We have separate computers; he uses Windows XP, and I Gentoo. Together, we're behind our school's router which dynamically assigns us both IP's. Currently, in order to share our printer, we simply unplug it from one another's computers. However, we would like to be able to share it over the network instead to make life easier for the both of us. However, there are a few problems that I'm foreseeing. First off, I have a laptop with only one ethernet port, so setting up an ad hoc network between us is out of the question. Also, my school has a one port - one computer rule that prohibits routers. Second, since we're both behind a DHCPd server, we both have dynamic IPs. There's no easy way to point his computer to the right server if it has a dynamic IP. Third, since we're both behind a router, using something like DynDNS to provide a static contact despite the dynamic IP won't work either. So, I guess what I'm wondering is if there's any way to make this work, or if I'm SOL? Thank you much for your help. Kris Kerwin -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
