Installing Your Printer on Other Distributions

Most distributions have a utility, similar to the Fedora utility, that allows you to install a printer. You must use the root account to install a printer.

Mandrake provides a printer management utility called Printerdrake, provided in the Mandrake Control Center. Be sure your printer is connected and turned on. Open the main menu. Select Configure your computer->Hardware->Printer.

When the printer utility starts, it scans the hardware to detect any connected printers. If a printer is detected that hasn't been installed yet, it asks whether you want to install it now. If you say yes, the installation procedure runs. Mandrake may need to install software. For instance, it may need to update the CUPS software. You may be requested to insert a CD from the installation CDs.

When the utility window opens, it lists all the installed printers, as shown in Figure 14-4.

Figure 14-4. Mandrake Printer Management window.

From this window, you can add, edit, or delete a printer. Or set a printer as the default.

Printers on SuSE are installed using YaST. Click Hardware. Click Printer. The utility will autodetect a list of printers found. Select the printer to install and click Configure. If your printer was not detected, select Other and click Configure to start a manual configuration procedure for installing and testing the printer.