CUPS Print Server Configuration

Each system that use CUPS can be both a print server and a print client. The system acts as the server for any printer that is physically connected to it and for any print queues that are created on that system.

CUPS Local Server Configuration

To configure a local server by using CUPS, start the CUPS Print Manager GUI, then choose Server -> Settings. For instructions on starting the CUPS Print Manager, see Getting Started With the CUPS Print Manager GUI.

In the Basic Server Settings dialog you can configure the following settings:

• Show printers that are shared by other systems – Enables other CUPS print queues to be visible to the local system.

• Publish shared printers connected to this system – Publishes a list of print queues that are configured on a system to other systems on a local area network (LAN).

• Allow printing from the Internet – Allows published print queues to be accessible beyond the LAN. This option is only available if the Publish Shared Printers Connected to This System setting has been selected.

• Allow remote printer administration – Allows remote administration of the print queue. Note that setting this option to true enables you to administer the print queue from a remote system, by using either the CUPS Print Manager or the CUPS web browser interface.

• Allow users to cancel any jobs (not just their own) – Allows users to cancel any print jobs.

• Save debugging information – Enables the logging of debugging information for troubleshooting purposes.

CUPS Advanced Server Configuration

To configure advanced settings and options for a local CUPS server, start CUPS Print Manager, then choose Server -> Settings. In the Basic Server Settings dialog, click the Advanced button. The following table describes the advanced server settings and options that can be viewed or configured.

Configuring CUPS to Administer Remote Print Queues

CUPS server configuration is managed from the CUPS Print Manager GUI's Server menu. To configure CUPS to administer print queues on a remote print server, start CUPS Print Manager, then choose Server -> Settings to display the Settings dialog. To administer remote printer queues, appropriate authorizations are required.

To administer print queues on a remote server, you must configure the following two options under the Print Manager's Server menu:

• Connect

  This option enables you to access a list of the CUPS servers on a network that are reachable by your local system. By default, you are connected to your local system (localhost) or the /var/run/cups-socket path (for the local system) is displayed. You can connect to a remote server by changing this option. Typically, CUPS lists servers that are within the same local area network (LAN). Each remote server controls whether its configured print queues can be shared or remotely modified. This feature is controlled in the Settings dialog for the specified printer.

  Connecting to a remote server requires authentication. After you connect to the remote server, a list of print queues that are available on that remote system are displayed in the CUPS Print Manager window. This list includes all published shared printers. Note that only those print queues that are owned by the remote print server can be modified.

• Settings

  This option contains the settings for your local CUPS server. To configure the settings that control print queue administration on a remote server, select this option, which open the Basic Server Settings dialog.

  From here, you can configure CUPS to administer remote print queues by enabling the following two options:

  • Publish Shared Printers Connected to This System

    You can administer remote print queues without setting this option. However, some printers might not be displayed in the list of available printers when you connect to the remote server.

    Published printers are printers that are publicly announced by the server on the LAN, based on how the cupsd.conf has been configured for browsing. A shared or published printer can be detected by remote print clients. Unshared or unpublished printers are not announced on the network.

  • Allow Remote Administration

    When this option is selected, you can connect to a remote server by choosing the Connect option from the drop-down list of the Server menu.

    The list of available servers might contain IP addresses or host names that include the domain. For example:

    • 129.156.226.23

    • dhcp-226-38.domain

    • localhost

How to Configure CUPS to Administer Remote Print Queues

This procedure describes how to a configure the advanced server options for a CUPS server, so that you can administer remote print queues.

1. Start the CUPS Print Manager GUI.

   See Getting Started With the CUPS Print Manager GUI.

2. From the Server menu, choose Settings.

   If prompted, type the root password on the localhost.

   The Basic Server Settings dialog opens.

3. In the Basic Server Settings dialog, select the following options:

   • Publish Shared Printers Connected to This System

   • Allow Remote Administration

4. Click OK.
5. From the Server menu, choose the Connect option.
6. From the drop down-list, select a CUPS server.

   If encryption is required, click the Require Encryption check box.

7. Click the Connect button.
8. Type the root password for the remote system.

   After you have typed the root password for the remote system, you can remotely administer print queues that are on that system the same way that you administer local print queues.