Why is comms so f***ing hard?

[Freamon]

Indeed. Installing a printer locally is a piece of piss for any user to boast about.

Well it's connected via a network. I assigned an IP to the printer using the control panel on the front of it, and then installed it as a network printer on Ubuntu.

Now network it.

It's also used by a couple of windows machines, which also connect to it via the same local network.

Onto a different operating system.

Ah. Are you trying to set up a print server using CUPS and Samba? I have done this in the past, for a printer connected to a Debian machine via USB. It was, indeed, a bitch. The biggest confusion arose from the fact that, for some reason unknown to anyone, windows isn't able to see the printer if you try to install it as a network printer. Even though it is accessing it via the network. The way I got around this was:

- Set up CUPS and Samba on Linux machine as per various tutorials / manpages in the standard way, so you have a share on the network called \\<linux-machine-ip-address>\printer
- Install the printer in the normal way on windows machine, using a LOCAL port rather than a network port
- Once installed, go into settings and change the text in the port name field to the samba share address e.g. \\<linux-machine-ip-address>\printer

Seems to fool windows into actually working properly.

Edit: This seems to be the closest KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314073

The phrase "Create a local printer, and then redirect the port to the network server" sounds like typical Microsoft speak for "we did a piss poor job of designing our print services, sorry".

[doodab]

When will semi-autistic Unix geeks learn that normal people don't have photographic memories to remember hordes of fussy command line options and config file names?! !

They won't, any more than pilots will learn that "normal people" can't fly jumbo jets.

[Paddy]

Another example of why I hate comms. All the assumptions are wrong. Link1, the cable. Link2, the how-to.

I can get way beyond that and have the Linux box verify the printer connection is available, then get a CIFS or CUPS error when I try to print. I can get a share working one way, yet the other way the box is invisible.

Fairy nuffski.

Hardly just a cable linking two PCs (it has a contoller), but thanks for the info.

[kandr]

I love the way you can switch between pretending to be a naïve newbie and an experienced CUK sockpuppet.

But you did it once too often for me with your reference to "growing some stones" or some such in an aggressive post a day or two ago. And then you forgot you are not supposed to have a 100% grasp of spelling and grammar, for example your post above.

Your posts have been 90%+ offensive to other posters and of no positive value to CUK at all. You have contributed nothing other than jibes and snipes.

F**k off and die, you vacuous tissue of an entity. Seriously.

If I'm not allowed to use sockpuppets any more - which I am not - then I fail to see why you should continue to exist.

More displays of your amazing wit and intellect, calling someone a sockie, which is the default insult of the slow of thinking. This can be quickly checked by asking admin. Next some insults generated from some insult generator web page, again not relevant to the discussion, and again displaying your overall lack of originality and debating skills.

Next time don't post a thread asking for peoples opinions, the hurl abuse when you don't like the answers.

Good luck with your plight with computer comms, and using windows me.

[Clippy]

More displays of your amazing wit and intellect, calling someone a sockie, which is the default insult of the slow of thinking. This can be quickly checked by asking admin. Next some insults generated from some insult generator web page, again not relevant to the discussion, and again displaying your overall lack of originality and debating skills.

Next time don't post a thread asking for peoples opinions, the hurl abuse when you don't like the answers.

Good luck with your plight with computer comms, and using windows me.

Pot. Kettle.

[d000hg]

Can't be bothered to read the thread.

You are all tulip. Any half decent contractor will get any computer to talk to any other computer in a matter of minutes. That is (one of the reasons) why we are paid what we are paid.

I'm paid to write software, not muck about with cables or do system administration.

I really can't understand anyone using WindowsME though... if you want something old use 98SE which was viewed as quite decent.

[minestrone]

My Vista laptop took a hissy fit with my XP desktop becuse the workgroup was called 'the flat' and not 'THE FLAT'

[kandr]

Pot. Kettle.

I think that was more, I asked a question then got abuse off a few, who regretted it after I dished out some kandrslaps.

[Clippy]

I think that was when everyone realised what I am really like, which I regretted, especially after the continual verbal slaps. I've been bending over ever since.

More like it.

[RichardCranium]

Ditch Ubuntu and use Linux Mint, make sure you understand how Samba works (there are plenty of tools out there to help config).

Well, that was amusing. Downloaded he ISO, cut the CD, played with it ... the only difference in the print setup is that Mint does not even have an option for connecting to a Windows printer via Samba.