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My users want to use an iPad to print to our network printers. The printers are shared using a Windows 2008 R2 Server. I've looked into getting AirPrint to work but haven't had any success.

I would consider a Mac OS X VM or maybe a mac mini on the network.

SLY
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  • Just one hint: You can run an OS X VM legally only on a Mac with MacOS, so this isn't an option. – Sven Sep 08 '11 at 21:17
  • @SvenW ESXi 5 can run OS X VMs, but still only allowed on Apple hardware. – Shane Madden Sep 08 '11 at 21:20
  • yeah...I'm thinking the $999 mac mini with lion server would be a nice legal fit. I'm still a bit confused about the implementation and how to get it to work with windows. – SLY Sep 08 '11 at 21:23
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    This description seems to cover how to set it up on Linux. That may be cheaper then buying Apple hardware. You can easily run linux in a VM. http://www.finnie.org/2010/11/13/airprint-and-linux/ – Zoredache Sep 08 '11 at 21:27
  • @Shane Madden: Does ESXi run on Apple hardware? Especially on the XServe? – Sven Sep 08 '11 at 21:40
  • @SvenW XServe rev `3,1`, apparently - see [here](http://blogs.vmware.com/guestosguide/2011/08/apple-mac-os-x-server.html). – Shane Madden Sep 08 '11 at 21:43
  • I'm going to try the Ubuntu 11.10 beta which apparently has AirPrint Support http://digitizor.com/2011/06/29/ubuntu-apple-airprint/ – SLY Sep 08 '11 at 22:42

2 Answers2

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There are AirPrint home-made daemons you can use (same as there are home-made AirPlay daemons as well), but I think you'll have trouble getting a sysadmin agreeing to install and support them on your print servers.

These solutions all involve installing iTunes and then using its Bonjour service to share the printer. I haven't actually had success on getting it to work (at home, not at work), but others have.

Mark Henderson
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OK. I was successfully able to use AirPrint on my corporate network (I am the sysadmin). I was unable to print to severs shared using SMB Shares. I was only able to successully print to printers with print servers built into them, using their IP Address on port 9100.

1) Install a VM with Ubuntu 11.11 beta Oneiric Ocelot. Update your packages. 

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

2) Add the printer using these instructions

  1. On your computer start system-config-printer via System -> Administration -> Printing (GNOME Classic) or via Turn-off-button at the upper right -> System Settings -> Hardware -> Printing (Unity Natty) or via the command line (all systems including Unity Oneiric).

  2. In system-config-printer choose Server -> Settings and activate "Published shared printers connected to this system". Click OK and then right-click on the icon of your print queue and choose Properties in the pop-up menu. In the Policies section of the dialog make sure that "Shared" is activated.

YOU MUST ADD THE PRINTER USING HP/APP SOCKET.

3) Get the AirPrint Generate script from github here. (More info)

./airprint-generate.py

This will generate PRINTER.servicefiles.

cp PRINTER.service /etc/avahi/services/

4) edit /etc/cups/cups.conf add a line

ServerAlias * under the line Port 631

5) Restart avahi and cups

NOTE: To debug use avahi-browse.

avahi-browse --terminate --resolve _ipp._tcp

Sources:

http://digitizor.com/2011/06/29/ubuntu-apple-airprint/

http://www.atxconsulting.com/blog/tjfontaine/2010/11/21/automatically-generate-airprint-avahi-service-files-cups-printers/

http://www.finnie.org/2010/11/13/airprint-and-linux/

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2011-June/033611.html

SLY
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