Printer hardware compatibility - PC-BSD Forums

sardior · #1 07-12-2009, 07:52 PM

Just a newbie here... but it would be helpful to know which printers will work out of the box, not just the computer. I have a couple of almost "paperweights". Fortunately my other computer OS works with the printers or they would be big paperweights.

I have an HP PhotoSmart 8450xi and a Samsung ML-2571N and can't get either to work with PC-BSD. They worked fine with Fedora and Mac. Had problems with Win98 (the last MS OS I will ever have) and the HP, but the Samsung worked fine.

So, any suggestions as to how I can get either of these printers to work would be great, getting both of them to work would be awesome!

Protagonist · #2 07-13-2009, 07:53 PM

RE: The Samsung printer:
Are you trying to hook it up directly or as a network printer? If you want to use it as a network printer try using cups at 127.0.0.1:631 in your browser and step through the process. Use the ipp, (internet printing protocol), which should look something like ipp://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/ipp. You might have to try one of the other forms that are listed when you get to that part, but your printer is listed in the printer list so there is no reason why it shouldn't work.

sardior · #3 07-28-2009, 08:07 PM

It is a network printer and I have yet to see the drivers for the Samsung ML-2571N in the add printers dialogs. The lowest model number is ML-85 then it jumps to ML-4600. 25xx isn't listed anywhere. The ip address of the printer is 192.168.1.20. I am now using PC-BSD 7.1 amd64 on an AMD64 ASUS motherboard.

One more note: I finally got the .ppd file for my HP printer and was able to successfully get it to install. (I had to attempt to install the linux drivers and it expanded the files so I could find the .ppd file.) It too is a network printer so it isn't a networking problem. Also a Mac and a Fedora computer connect without a problem. But the advantage is that Samsung makes the drivers for both of those OS's.

FRANCOIS · #4 10-06-2009, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by sardior

It is a network printer and I have yet to see the drivers for the Samsung ML-2571N in the add printers dialogs. The lowest model number is ML-85 then it jumps to ML-4600. 25xx isn't listed anywhere. The ip address of the printer is 192.168.1.20. I am now using PC-BSD 7.1 amd64 on an AMD64 ASUS motherboard.

One more note: I finally got the .ppd file for my HP printer and was able to successfully get it to install. (I had to attempt to install the linux drivers and it expanded the files so I could find the .ppd file.) It too is a network printer so it isn't a networking problem. Also a Mac and a Fedora computer connect without a problem. But the advantage is that Samsung makes the drivers for both of those OS's.

What about making a tutorial on how you solved your problems so people with the same printer and the same problems can solve them too.

If you allow me too be a little off topic, I find out that netbsd handbook (chapter 11) explain a little better than freebsd ones how to setup a printer, use filters and setup a remote printer.

Cobalt · #5 10-06-2009, 09:44 PM

@sardior: I'm not sure if this'll solve your problem, but there's a SPL (Samsung Printer Language) PBI in on pbidir.com: http://pbidir.com/bt/pbi/246/splix

Oko · #6 10-10-2009, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by sardior

Just a newbie here... but it would be helpful to know which printers will work out of the box

Any printer which speaks Post Script language or LPD internet protocol or is ASCII ready.

TerryP · #7 10-28-2009, 05:14 PM

linuxprinting.org (aka openprinting.org for some stupid reason) can be a good way to check if a certain model printer understands PostScript or direct text input (e.g. ASCII), before you fork over the cash at the store.