Printer Issue

[Kevin Brown]

>>> ---- out of the box - cups will not allow other computers to
>>> print to it. Samba gets around that because when you print via
>>> samba, the print job is transferred to the computer via Samba and
>>> it then becomes a local print job and cups likes local print
>>> jobs.
>>> 
>>> Generally, all you need to do is to edit /etc/cups/cupsd.conf to
>>> allow from your subnet (and of course any firewall rules must be
>>> adjusted accordingly).

>> I can confirm that Windows XP both Home and Pro support IPP/Cups
>> once it's setup right. You can even use it as a proxy of sorts as I
>> do printing to an old LaserJet with ethernet expansion (this allows
>> the users to spool the jobs to the server quickly, then close their
>> laptops and be on their way to the printer.) What's more, I found
>> getting Samba and SHARE security-level permissions to be way more
>> work than was worth it - I found other ways to avoid it.

> The 2 issues that I have found that are a cups network killer are the
>  ones I pointed out above - you must manually tell cups to allow
> other network users to print to your cups queue and you must have an
> opening in your firewall to permit others to talk to the cups print
> queue.

Those don't sound like killers for the app, but good default security 
policies.  I would not want my printer automatically made available over 
the network as that opens it up to abuse right away (think Cox cable or 
a large network like ASU's).  So forcing me to manually allow it to 
accept remote hosts and open a hole in the firewall to allow others to 
print hopefully means I understand what I'm doing.