How to Check the Status of Printers

1. Log in on any system on the network.

2. Check the status of printers by using the lpstat command.

   Only the most commonly used options are shown here. See the lpstat(1) man page for other options.

   $ lpstat [-d] [-p printer-name [-D] [-l]] [-t]

   -d	Shows the system's default printer.
   -p printer-name	Shows if a printer is active or idle, when it was enabled or disabled, and whether it is accepting print requests.  You can specify multiple printer names with this command. Use a space or a comma to separate printer names. If you use spaces, enclose the list of printer names in quotes. If you don't specify printer-name, the status of all printers is displayed.
   -D	Shows the description of the specified printer-name.
   -l	Shows the characteristics of the specified printer-name.
   -t	Shows status information about the LP print service, including the status of all printers: whether they are active and whether they are accepting print requests.

Examples--Checking the Status of Printers

In the following example, the command requests the name of the system's default printer.

$ lpstat -d
system default destination: luna

In the following example, the command requests the status of the printer luna.

$ lpstat -p luna
printer luna is idle. enabled since Feb 18 16:06 1997. available.

In the following example, the command requests a description of the printers asteroid and luna.

$ lpstat -p "asteroid luna" -D
printer asteroid faulted. enabled since Feb 18 16:07 1997. available.
	unable to print: paper misfeed jam
 
	Description: Printer by break room.
printer luna is idle. enabled since Feb 18 16:07 1997. available.
	Description: Printer by server room.

In the following example, the command requests the characteristics of the printer luna.

$ lpstat -p luna -l
printer luna is idle. enabled since Thu May  2 09:20:17 MDT 1996. 
available.
	Content types: any
	Printer types: unknown
	Description: Printer by server room.
	Users allowed:
		(all)
	Forms allowed:
		(none)
	Banner not required
	Character sets:
		(none)
	Default pitch:
	Default page size: