Use CUPS, newer Windows versions understand IPP directly (older are
probably upgradeable). You need to choose something like
"Network/Internet Printer" as printer type in Windows and use
http://<name of your Linux print server>:631/printers/<queue>
as the URL and you are able to print on the server. This way you don't
need Samba and have one point of failure and one potential security hole
less.
If you use Samba you can make your server pretending PostScript printers
(which in reality are your printers with GhostScript) and letting
Windows automatically download a generic PostScript driver from the
server and all info about the printer's adjustable options (PPD files).
So a Windows user can simply browse the network, choose some of the
sixty printers (fill in the "Location" field in Printerdrake correctly
or equip your users with inline skates) an they get automatically set up
under Windows and due to the data arriving as PostScript (and not in the
printer's proprietary format) and passing through all CUPS filters you
get even usable information in the accounting file
/var/log/cups/page_log. You can also use the accounting options of the
"lpadmin" command or of the KDE Printing Manager.
To do this, enter "man cupsaddsmb" at the command prompt. The default
configuration makes simply all printers advertised when browsing on a
Windows client, but you have to take care of rthe driver on the clients
and you cannot do accounting with CUPS.
See also http://localhost:631/sam.html (on a Mandrake 8.2 machine with
CUPS installed and running).
Till
Claudio wrote:
>
> I suggest it too. I actually use samba+cups as printserver, with about 60
> queues. It works great! :o)
> By the way Till, I'm going to realize a new printserver with incoming 8.2.
> Since all of the printers use jetdirect protocol, I can use both CUPS or
> LPRng. What would you suggest depending on your experience?
> Thanks in advance,
> Claudio
