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Operating Systems => Linux and UNIX => Topic started by: Stryker on 22 August 2002, 04:07

Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: Stryker on 22 August 2002, 04:07
I have had a Lexmark X83 multifunction printer for about a year now. I'm now moving all of my computers over to linux. I've checked the lexmark site and they supply no linux drivers for it. I'd like to be able to install it onto RedHat 7.3, any suggestions?
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: voidmain on 22 August 2002, 04:50
Lexmark has generally been pretty proprietary about their printer languages and drivers.  However, I just did a search on their web site and came up with some stuff you might want to look at. I haven't looked closely at it as I don't have a Lexmark printer.  HP printers are supported very well.

Lexmark Linux link:
Lexmark  linux (http://search.lexmark.com/query.html?ht=0&ws=0&qm=0&st=1&nh=10&lk=1&rf=0&oq=&rq=0&qp=&qs=&si=1&ht=0&pw=&lxk0=1&qt=linux&lxk1=1&col=us&search.x=13&search.y=13)

[ August 22, 2002: Message edited by: Ex Eleven / b0b ]

Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: Stryker on 22 August 2002, 04:56
http://drivers.lexmark.com/drivers.nsf/SelectPrinter?OpenForm&Lexmark+X83 (http://drivers.lexmark.com/drivers.nsf/SelectPrinter?OpenForm&Lexmark+X83)

they say it shows a complete list. It include most versions of windows and most macs. But nothing linux wise. Is there a general driver or anything that will work?
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: voidmain on 22 August 2002, 05:01
Whoops, checking.....

[ August 21, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]

Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: dbl221 on 22 August 2002, 05:01
I have a Lexmark z52...no driver is available yet for my Redhat 7.3 system.

As a general rule stick with Epson or HP for Linux printing.  Check out

http://www.linuxprinting.org/database.html (http://www.linuxprinting.org/database.html)
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: voidmain on 22 August 2002, 05:04
As I mentioned earlier, I knew that Lexmark has had a history of being proprietary which is why I use HP printers...
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: Stryker on 22 August 2002, 05:22
Well I bought it about a year ago when I was only using windows. (I've learned a lot of linux since though) But I cannot afford to just throw away $180 printer. Is there anything I can do?
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: voidmain on 22 August 2002, 06:18
You could sell it on EBay, HP makes some really nice inexpensive printers, less than $180.
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: choasforages on 22 August 2002, 06:23
hmmm, talking about printers, my canon just died, and my lexmark hasn't worked in a while, how do i use dad windows printer with cups, like a smb printer, ive down it with lpr, but i like cups more then lpr. and i need cups for *my* network.
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: choasforages on 22 August 2002, 06:24
if it helps it is a hp deskjet 3820
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: voidmain on 22 August 2002, 07:39
I assume you have already shared it on your Windows machine.  If you have Samba configured properly (so you can connect to your Windows machine using smbclient) then you can use smbspool command.  It can be used with CUPS.  Search the google for info on "smbspool" and "CUPS".  You might also find info on http://www.samba.org/ (http://www.samba.org/) or http://www.cups.org/ (http://www.cups.org/)

I use JetDirect print servers on my home network so I can print directly to the printer from any box (although I spool most everything through a Linux server which in turn sends the output to the JetDirect).
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: Stryker on 22 August 2002, 08:20
The thing is, I want to get rid of the windows machine and have it run linux. Getting samba to print to it through windows shares isn't going to help me. I had it running from a windows printer share before, wasn't all that difficult. But I need to get rid of windows.
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: choasforages on 22 August 2002, 08:27
then as voidmain said, sell it and buy a new one on ebay. hell, do you really need very high end solutions, cuase for about $200 on ebya, i could probably have a decent printer, and a scanner supported by xsane.
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: voidmain on 22 August 2002, 08:36
Sorry for the confusion Stryker, the smbspool/CUPS reply was to chaosforages.  My reply to you was to sell the printer and get a compatible one, otherwise, don't think I can help you any further.  Can't even offer to write a driver for it since it is a proprietary printer language.
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: Stryker on 22 August 2002, 08:45
I suppose I could slap together some old parts and make a windows 3.1 machine to serve it, I dont really scan things so it should work fine. I just thought there might be some way to get it in linux... The source code for drivers should always be public, so that we can fix our own if necessary. (I've had bad luck with ebay)
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: voidmain on 22 August 2002, 21:41
Didn't you say it was a USB printer?  Win3x doesn't support USB. And even if it did are you going to find Win3x drivers for it?   But even if you do, you still will not be able to print to it because there is no driver for Linux.  What format will you send to the Windows machine?  You have to send the print output in the proprietary format which requires the Windows driver. In order to print to a Windows shared printer you still need to be able to send the print data in the language of the printer (PCL, Postscript, etc).  Lexmark's printer language is proprietary, non-standard.
Title: USB Printer Help
Post by: Stryker on 22 August 2002, 10:40
I have usb drivers for 3.1. And I was able to share my printer to linux, I'm not exactly sure what I did, but I did. If I can't do it again I could see about installing the windows drivers on wine and then sending it through wine to windows to the printer, but then my chances of that isn't reat either. I haven't wiped out windows yet. I have to split, be back later. thanks for the responses also.