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Printer setup

Thanks to CUPS, we can print any document we want.

Note

These instructions apply to any printer; this guide uses an HP printer as an example. For this reason, it may be necessary to install HPLIP (which provides also the necessary drivers for the printer) with this command:

sudo apt install hplip -y

Install CUPS

It should already be installed on ParrotOS, but if not, open a terminal window and run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install cups

Install Cups

After installation, it may be necessary to add your user to the lpadmin group in order to perform administrative tasks via the web interface. For this reason, it is necessary to authenticate to the lpadmin group. Otherwise CUPS will not authenticate a user without a password:

sudo adduser user lpadmin
Note

Change the user user name in the command to match your system's user name.

Add user to lpadmin

Learn more about what lpadmin is here

Start CUPS service:

sudo service cups start

Start CUPS daemon

Open CUPS Web Interface

Now that the CUPS services are up and running, it is time for access to its interface.

CUPS is accessible from your favorite browser at http://localhost:631/admin

This is what you will see:

CUPS home interface

Adding new printer

From the CUPS web interface, click Add Printer. You will be prompted for your username and password.

Add new printer

The service searches for all network and local printers.

The new printer should appear under Discovered Network Printers. Select it and click on Continue.

Add new printer

The next page allows you to customize printer details such as Name and Description.

Select the Share This Printer check box so that other clients can use the printer, and then click Continue.

Add new printer

The next page allows you to make the final settings for the printer.

Select printer Manufacturer and Model from the Make and Model sections or, if necessary, it is possible to provide printer drivers from PPD file.

Add new printer

Then click on Add Printer.

If everything has been done correctly, you will see this page:

Add new printer

Verify printer installation

Let's check if the printer is set up correctly. From the CUPS web interface, click the Printers tab at the top right of the page. The printer should appear.

Click on the selected name.

Verify printer installation

From this page, you can perform many operations (such as printing a test page) and manage the print queue.

Verify printer installation

That's all you need to set up a printer under ParrotOS.