Regional University Computing Center Kaiserslautern-Landau

Setting up printers under Linux

The RHRZ operates a CUPS print server in the university network, which can be accessed under Linux. After setup, you can select the various RHRZ printers in the print dialog of your applications, as you are used to with other printers.

To set up the printers of the RHRZ-Druckausgabe (Kaiserslautern: A4_SW, A4_Farbe, A3_SW, A3_Farbe and Landau: LD-PC-Pool-Printer) or the multifunctional devices(FollowMe) on a device with Linux, please proceed as described in the following instructions(Debian, RPM).

However, it is not always necessary to set up the printers:

All available printers are already pre-installed on the computers in the two terminal pools/PC pools of the RHRZ in Kaiserslautern and Landau and on the remote stop servers (terminal servers) of the RHRZ.

In addition to using the printers via the printer queues described here, you can also send print jobs to the multifunction devicesby e-mail. If you want to print on the devices in the PC pool in Landau, you can alternatively use the online print function at druckausgabe.uni-kl.de.

To print posters up to a format of DIN A0 via the Druckausgabe, please upload them in the web portal under the menu item "Large format". Follow the instructions on large format printing.

Prerequisite: There must be a connection to the university network(LAN, WLAN, VPN).

The following commands must be executed in a terminal window!

Setup on Debian-based distributions

(Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, ...)

Install the "cups-client" package

The "cups-client" package is required, which is usually already installed.

This can be checked using the following command:

dpkg -s cups-client

 

Contains the output

Status: install ok installed

the package is already installed.

 

Otherwise, the package can be installed with the following command:

sudo apt install -y cups-client

 

Specify the CUPS server in "client.conf"

For single-user systems, the file

~/.cups/client.conf

must be created in the home directory.

For multi-user systems, the file "/etc/cups/client.conf" can be used to define the CUPS server for all users.

 

For single-user systems:

First, the directory is created in the home directory, if it does not already exist:

mkdir -p ~/.cups

 

The existing configuration file or the configuration file to be created is then opened in an editor:

nano ~/.cups/client.conf

 

The following content must be inserted into this file. "RPTU account name" must be replaced with yourRPTU account name:

ServerName cups.rptu.de

User RPTU-Accountname

 

For multi-user systems:

First open the existing configuration file or the configuration file to be created in an editor:

nano /etc/cups/client.conf

 

The CUPS server of the RHRZ is then defined in this file with the following content:

ServerName cups.rptu.de

 

The nano editor is exited using the key combination "Ctrl + X". Saving must be confirmed with the "j" or "y" key.

Printer selection

The printers should now be displayed in the printer management.

 

The RHRZ Druckausgabe printers are called A4_SW, A4_Farbe, A3_SW and A3_Farbe.

Use the FollowMe printer for campus-wide printing on the multifunctional devices (subject to a charge).

For the printers in the PC pool at the RHRZ in Landau, select LD-PC-Pool-Printer.

Printing

When submitting a print job, you will be asked for your RPTU password.

For multi-user systems, the field for the user name is still prefilled with the local user and must be changed to the RPTU account name!

Setup on RPM-based distributions

(RHEL, CentOS, Fedora, ...)

Install the "cups-client" package

The "cups-client" package is required, which is usually already installed.

This can be checked using the following command:

yum list installed cups-client

 

If the output lists the package, it is already installed.

 

Otherwise, the package can be installed with the following command:

sudo yum -y install cups-client

 

Specify the CUPS server in "client.conf"

For single-user systems, the file

~/.cups/client.conf

must be created in the home directory.

For multi-user systems, the file "/etc/cups/client.conf" can be used to define the CUPS server for all users.

 

For single-user systems:

First, the directory is created in the home directory, if it does not already exist:

mkdir -p ~/.cups

 

The existing configuration file or the configuration file to be created is then opened in an editor:

vi ~/.cups/client.conf

 

The following content must be inserted into this file. "RPTU account name" must be replaced with your RPTU account name:

ServerName cups.rptu.de

User RPTU-Accountname

 

You can switch to insert mode by pressing the "i" key. The vi editor can be exited by pressing "ESC" and entering ":wq".

 

For multi-user systems:

First, the existing configuration file or the configuration file to be created is opened in an editor:

vi /etc/cups/client.conf

 

The CUPS server of the RHRZ is then defined in this file with the following content:

ServerName cups.rptu.de

 

You can switch to insert mode by pressing the "i" key. The vi editor can be exited by pressing "ESC" and entering ":wq".

Printer selection

The printers should now be displayed in the printer management.

 

The RHRZ Druckausgabe printers are called A4_SW, A4_Farbe, A3_SW and A3_Farbe.

Use the FollowMe printer for campus-wide printing on the multifunctional devices (subject to a charge).

For the printers in the PC pool at the RHRZ in Landau, select LD-PC-Pool-Printer.

Printing

When submitting a print job, you will be asked for your RPTU password.

For multi-user systems, the field for the user name is still prefilled with the local user and must be changed to the RPTU account name!

You have further questions?

Perhaps we have already answered your question in our FAQ or our step-by-step instructions can help you.

For all other questions, please contact the Service Point or e-mail the support.