Setting up Samba as a Print Server

Revision as of 23:23, 22 September 2010 by Fraz (talk | contribs) (Using printers connected to another Samba or Windows server)




When we take a closer lool to this role, it consists out of the following parts:

  • windows printer driver -> to use the 'point and print' functionality it makes sence to store the windows printer driver in a special share (print$) on the server. Inside of this driver also the default settings of the printer are stored.
  • printer formular -> Every windows printout depends on the formular with his papersizes and so on. If a formular isn't know to the printserver the client could not use this although the printer was able to do it. Think about large formular or special paper like photos.
  • something I have forgotten ...

Printserver software / Using printers connected to the Samba server







to do a upload of the windows printer driver there must be done some steps.

  1. We need a user which is permited to do the job -> a printer admin windows call it 'Printer Operator'
  2. a share have to be prepaired an the printer admin need permission to read and write.

how to configure printer admin


so what is the commandline to get a printer admin?






Directory structure in drivers directory

The normal directory structure for your printer drivers looks like



  mkdir -p $BASEDIR/$X;

Create the share

Please have a look at the smb.conf and change only the necessary lines (user,groups), most of the distributions are well prepaired.

comment = Printer Drivers
path = /var/lib/samba/drivers
browseable = yes
guest ok = no
read only = yes
write list = root, chrisr

Uploading a printer driver (vendor drivers)

Do it like:

Formular / Special settings on printer and faxes

Enabling new papersizes


  1. connect to the server \\<SambaServer>>
  2. printer -> Server Propertes -> Forms
  3. Create new form
A0 With 84,10 cm Height 118,90 cm
A1 With 59,40 cm cm Height 84,10 cm

The Size of the formulars depends on the ppds