Step-by-Step IPP based Print Server using CUPS 

This tutorial describes how to install a Linux print server with CUPS. It also covers the installation and configuration of printer drivers on the print server as well as the printer setup on a Windows 2000 client.

Contents:
   1. IPP Server Setup
   2. Installation/Configuration of printer drivers
   3. IPP Client Setup

1. IPP Server Setup

Step #1 - Installing CUPS Service

# su root
# yum install cups*

 Step #2 - Configuring CUPS

# vi /etc/cups/cupsd.conf

The default CUPS configuration limits administration to the local machine. To open up access, edit the /etc/cups/cupsd.conf  and comment out the lines reading:

The Below lines restricts web administration access to localhost

Comment lines 842, 843, 844  so it should look like this

      Order deny,allow
      Deny from all
      Allow from 127.0.0.1

To disable password authentication you need to edit the  /etc/cups/cupsd.conf file and comment out the lines reading:

The Below lines restricts the printer access to system users

Comment lines 838, 839 so the user can print without authentication

      AuthType Basic
      AuthClass System

 Step #3 - Restart the CUPS server

# service cups restart

 Step #4 - Run the steps described in "IPP_PrintDrivers_Setup" document

 Step #5 - Restart the CUPS Service

# service cups restart

 Step #6 – If required the CUPS can be managed with

    http://localhost:631        - on local system

    or

    http://192.168.6.210:631    - on remote system   (Replace the IP)

 Note: Here IP: 192.168.6.210 is for the example use your own

Step #6 – Run the steps described in “IPP_Client_Setup” document 

Step #7 - Trouble shooting CUPS

If you find the error message in the log file /var/log/cups/error_log:

    print_job: Unsupported format 'application/octet-stream'!
    Hint: Do you have the raw file printing rules enabled?

Soluation: uncomment the line in the /etc/cups/mime.types file:

        application/octet-stream

and in the /etc/cups/mime.convs file:

        application/octet-stream        application/vnd.cups-raw

If the CUPS is installed with public IP, port 631 should be enabled on proxy/squid/router level

If the CUPS is installed with a private IP and wants to print from anywhere, we need to configure port forwarding at router end and router should configured with a public ip so that the print service can be used with http://publicIP:631/printers/printername and router will forward packets to localip:631.