UofC Printer Setup for Self-Managed Linux Clients

TL;DR:

Make sure CUPS is enabled. Download this PPD provided by openprinting. The filename should be Ricoh-MP_C4504-PDF-Ricoh.ppd. Then execute the following:

sudo lpadmin \
  -p 'UofC_Staff' \
  -E \
  -L "UofC" \
  -D "Follow Me Printing (Staff)" \
  -v "smb://uc/itctsequitrac02.uc.ucalgary.ca/Staff" \
  -P Ricoh-MP_C4504-PDF-Ricoh.ppd \
  -o OptionTray=2Cassette \
  -o LargeCapacityTray=Installed \
  -o Finisher=FinRUBICONB \
  -o Duplex=DuplexNoTumple \
  -o ColorModel-default=CMYK \
  -o StapleLocation=UpperLeft

You can then manage the printer through the CUPS web interface, http://localhost:631. You may want to adjust some of the default options that I have chosen above.

To print from the command line, use lpr -P UofC_Staff <filename>.

Authentication

Printing requires authentication, and how to authenticate depends on your system. E.g., KDE does not automatically ask for a password. Instead, you have to open the printer queue (settings -> Printers -> select printer -> Open Print Queue), click on the job, and then “authenticate”. (If you know a better way, let me know.)

Another option is to add <username>:<password>@ after smb:// to the print queue, like so:

smb://philipp:myRandomPassword@uc/itctsequitrac02.uc.ucalgary.ca/Staff

But if you do that, your username and password will be stored (unencrypted) in /etc/cups/printers.conf.

Printer Queues

For other available printer queues, see https://ucalgary.service-now.com/it?id=kb_article&sys_id=1a31bc65db43a704d1b63ccb7c9619eb

To print to a follow-me queue, simply replace Staff in the URI (option -v) with one of the other queue names, e.g.,CS_Research or Student.

The two Ricoh printers in the mailroom (ICT602D) allow direct printing (no need to slide your card) via queues

  • smb://uc/itctsequitrac05.uc.ucalgary.ca/ict602d$
  • smb://uc/itctsequitrac05.uc.ucalgary.ca/ict602d-a$

Notes

  • One of the instructional websites posted by IT provides a different driver (PPD file). I do not recommend using this, as it uses scripts and is considered insecure.
  • The IT documentation states that the CS_Research queue can be used for printing in ICT 602. For me, this did not work.
  • Some of the default printer options (set with lpadmin -o or through the CUPS web interface) are overridden by $HOME/.config/lpdoptions.