Chapter 11. Printing with Fedora

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Overview of Fedora Printing

• Configuring and Managing Print Services

• Creating and Configuring Local Printers

• Reference

Fedora supports more than 600 printers from more than 40 manufacturers, and it is possible to mix and match printing hardware with newer computers. In this chapter, you learn about printing services offered in Fedora. Here, you also learn about the many different programs, files, and directories that are integral to supporting printing under Fedora. The chapter also shows you simple techniques for configuring new printers. You learn a variety of methods for making printers available for use quickly and easily, and you learn some important workarounds for connecting printer and system hardware with differing port configurations.

Fedora uses the Common Unix Printing System (CUPS). Other printing systems, such as LPRng, can be used as the printing system, but you might not be able to use some of the graphical print management utilities included with Fedora. For information on avoiding printer headaches refer to "Avoiding Printer-Support Problems" in Chapter 21, "File and Print."

The Internet Printing Protocol

CUPS supports the Internet Printing Protocol, known as IPP, and offers a number of unique features, such as network printer directory (printer browsing) services, support for encryption, and support for PostScript Printer Description (.ppd) files.

According to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), IPP grew out of a 1996 proposal by Novell to create a printing protocol for use over the Internet. Since then, the system has been developed and has matured into a stable print system for use on a variety of Linux and Unix-like operating platforms.