# Buying a laser Printer

## Sunnz

This is the laser print I wanted to buy: http://km-en.mooball.net/au/product/colour/2400w/kmproduct_specs

It says that is uses USB and works on Windows... I don't have much experience with printers on Linux... can anyone tell me about it? Would CUPS be able to handle a USB Laser Printer?

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## _loki_

have a look at

http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Minolta-magicolor_2400W

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## at240

 *Sunnz wrote:*   

> Would CUPS be able to handle a USB Laser Printer?

 

Yes, as long as you can find a driver... looks like loki has already located it for you.   :Cool: 

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## mark_alec

_loki_ beat me to the link, but read Gentoo Printing Guide

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## Sunnz

So... there are drivers for it and it SHOULD work on Gentoo running GNOME??

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## mark_alec

 *Sunnz wrote:*   

> So... there are drivers for it and it SHOULD work on Gentoo running GNOME??

 Yes  :Very Happy: 

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## Sunnz

Thanks!

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## Sunnz

Just wondering, would it be any easier if I purchase a printer that uses a parallel port instead? Would I need any drivers then?

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## sevo

The interface is quite irrelevant - as far as the interface protocol is concerned, nearly all printers use the generic system-supplied drivers. Far more relevant is the page description language used. If you buy a GDI printer (i.e. a printer whose control language is supposed to be interpreted at the Windows host side), you will need printer- or at least manufacturer-specific drivers, and might be SOL whenever that driver is not supported any more. 

Postscript and to a lesser degree PCL5 are the only currently relevant printer control/page description languages which are fully generic, do not depend on reverse engineering, and are built into Linux (respectively a generic Linux driver), so that you will only need a small description of the printers capabilities.  

Sevo

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## Sunnz

So when I goto the shop how can I know if a printer will work with Linux or not?

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## at240

 *Sunnz wrote:*   

> So when I goto the shop how can I know if a printer will work with Linux or not?

 

You should certainly ask them... I know you'll probably get a blank look, but it's always worth making the point that there are alternatives to the most-used desktop OS.

Anyway, to echo sevo... parallel, USB.... this is not the issue. The issue will most probably be whether or not you need a driver to use it in linux. The website you were pointed to by loki can easily tell you this for a large range of commonly found printers.

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## Sunnz

Well I did asked them today, they didn't give me a blank look and had a somewhat professional answer "you may be able to find drivers on the net."

The one I am looking at today is this one: http://h50025.www5.hp.com/hpcom/au_en/10_35_88_4112_Q6455A.html

2600n

Well... it is not listed under http://hpinkjet.sourceforge.net/productslj.php

Would 2500 driver work on it?

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## at240

 *Sunnz wrote:*   

> Well I did asked them today, they didn't give me a blank look and had a somewhat professional answer "you may be able to find drivers on the net." 

 

You have a better computer store than I do!   :Razz:   I can't see the 2600n on linuxprinting.org; no idea whether the 2500 driver would work. Google might throw up some suggestions. I definitely wouldn't buy it until I knew for sure there is a compatible driver.

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## sevo

The 2500 series are PCL and/or Postscript capable, and need no driver beyond the Linux-internal ones, but only a printer capabilities description file (PPD), so their "driver" positively won't work with the 2600n, which is a GDI printer. With no support listed either on the HP Linux information pages nor on linuxprinting.org, it is very unlikely that the 2600n is supported.

Sevo

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## Sunnz

So if I look for a PCL and/or Postscript printer it should work with linux without drivers?

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## e-ipi

 *Sunnz wrote:*   

> So if I look for a PCL and/or Postscript printer it should work with linux without drivers?

 

Not completely without drivers of course, but with the generic, free drivers available on Linux.   You'll still need to enable CONFIG_USB_PRINTER or whatever in the kernel.  But yes, look for PCL or Postscript.  Many do both, but one is enough.

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## DaGr8Gatzby

Instead of making a new post, I will ask here. I was wondering if it matters whether a certain printer needs to support a certain version of PCL. I see many printers that support PCL5 and PCL6. Will this affect the ability of a printer to function as intended in gentoo or any linux?

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## Sunnz

If a laser printer supports ethernet, does that mean it will have an IP if I connect it to my router??? Will I be able to print stuff from a computer that is connected to the router??? Will it require special driver to do so??? Sorry I never used ethernet for printers so I don't know anything about how it works out...

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## Darknight

 *Sunnz wrote:*   

> If a laser printer supports ethernet, does that mean it will have an IP if I connect it to my router??? Will I be able to print stuff from a computer that is connected to the router??? Will it require special driver to do so??? Sorry I never used ethernet for printers so I don't know anything about how it works out...

 

I think it's a yes to all questions, all network printers I installed worked exactly that way.

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## Sunnz

Ok... so how will a computer know how to send the file to the print to print it??? Does the driver does it for you or???

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## Darknight

You should look for information on cups, that will cover the basics of setting up a printer. Then you will have to setup your desktop environment (eg: kprint) and tell it you have a cups server on your box, or on another box. Some applications may need some more work but cups is already 90% of what you need to print with any application.

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## sundialsvc4

I suggest that any printer that you buy:   Should support a direct network-connection.  You should be able to plug it into your network as a stand-alone device.  Should support at least PostScript(R) Level 2.  Ideally should also support HP-PCL.  Such a printer is going to be a little-bit more expensive, but much more versatile and probably much better-built.

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## golding

 *sundialsvc4 wrote:*   

> I suggest that any printer that you buy:   Should support a direct network-connection.  You should be able to plug it into your network as a stand-alone device.  Should support at least PostScript(R) Level 2.  Ideally should also support HP-PCL.  Such a printer is going to be a little-bit more expensive, but much more versatile and probably much better-built.

 

In other words, a HP   :Smile: 

Generally, go to www.linuxprinting.org and check the driver listings if you already own the printer, or the printer listings if you're looking for one to buy.  There is a new list, 'Suggested Printers'

Each listing has user comments on availability for drivers/printers and how well they worked.

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## Headrush

I just picked up a Dell 3100cn color laser and have been extremely pleased with it.

Although it isn't listed at www.linuxprinting.org, it does work 100%.

Network ready, Postscript 3, PCL6, huge paper trays, and excellent output.

I debated the Color HP 2600L, but the price was right and the reviews were good so I grabbed this one.

I love the ram disk support, so when I need another copy of my resume, or my business invoices, I can just recall it without even touching the computer.

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