Symptoms
Setting Up a Network Printer
Cause
Resolution
PREPARATION:
Before installing a network printer in a guest OS make sure that your primary OS and the virtual machine meet the following requirements:
- In Mac OS, open System Preferences - Sharing - Services and enable the Printer Sharing service.
- Go to System Preferences - Print & Fax - Sharing and make sure that your printer is chosen in the "Share these printers with other computers" list.
- Make sure that your printer is able to print from the Mac side (print some test page).
- Virtual machine configuration includes a network adapter. Bridged Ethernet (Default Adapter) option should be selected. Make sure that the Enabled and the Connect at startup options are checked.
- User account from which you will setup the printer has permission to access the network printer.
In a Linux or FreeBSD Guest Operating System:
Make sure that the following components are installed in your guest Linux or FreeBSD system:
1. Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS). Installation instructions can be found at CUPS site cups.org/documentation.php;
2. Samba service. Installation instructions can be found at Samba site us4.samba.org/samba/docs/man/Samba-HOWTO-Collection/install.html
3. A Web browser, since we consider controlling CUPS via web interface;
4. Also you have to know the root password.
Connect to a shared printer:
In a Windows Guest Operating System
To add a network printer in a Windows guest OS:
- Start the Windows guest operating system and log in the proper account.
- Open Windows Start menu, select Settings and then the Printers and Faxes (or simply Printers) item.
- Open the Add Printer Wizard
In the Add Printer Wizard:
- Click Next in the wizard's first screen, in the Local or Network Printer screen
- Click Local Printer, on next step create a new 'Standard TCP/IP' port
- Type in first field correct IP of your printer.
- Continue an ordinary network printer installation.
To add a network printer in a Linux or FreeBSD guest OS:
- Start your Linux or FreeBSD guest operating system.
Start Common UNIX Printing System. In the Terminal, issue the command:
/etc/init.d/cups start
Start a Web browser and open either the IP address of your virtual machine or
https://127.0.0.1:631
- Select Printers in menu. Click the Add printer button below the list of available printers (if any).
- You are asked for the root password. Enter it to be able to proceed.
- In the Add New Printer screen, enter the information for easy identification of the printer: an informative printer name, location, and description.
- In the Device for screen window, select the Windows Printer via Samba.
In the Device URI for screen window, specify the path to the network printer in the following format:
smb://
- In the Model/Driver for screen window, select the model of your printer.
- CUPS performs installation. If installation is successful, the "Printer has been added successfully" message is displayed.