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Mattscreative edited this page Dec 5, 2025 · 2 revisions

CachyOS Printer Configuration Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to setting up and configuring printers on CachyOS, including CUPS, network printers, and troubleshooting.

Table of Contents

  1. Understanding Linux Printing
  2. CUPS Installation
  3. Adding Printers
  4. Network Printers
  5. Printer Configuration
  6. Troubleshooting

Understanding Linux Printing

Printing System

CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) is the printing system on Linux.

What it does:

  • Manages printers: Handles printer communication
  • Print queues: Manages print jobs
  • Driver support: Provides printer drivers
  • Network printing: Supports network printers

Printer Types

Supported printers:

  • USB printers: Direct USB connection
  • Network printers: Ethernet/Wi-Fi printers
  • IPP printers: Internet Printing Protocol
  • Samba printers: Windows network printers

CUPS Installation

Installing CUPS

Install CUPS:

sudo pacman -S cups cups-pdf

What this does:

  • cups: Main printing system
  • cups-pdf: PDF printing support

Start CUPS:

sudo systemctl enable --now cups.service

What this does:

  • Enables CUPS at boot
  • Starts CUPS immediately
  • Makes printing available

CUPS Web Interface

Access CUPS:

  • Open browser
  • Go to: http://localhost:631
  • Or: http://127.0.0.1:631

What you can do:

  • Add printers
  • Manage print jobs
  • Configure printers
  • View printer status

Adding Printers

USB Printers

Connect printer:

  1. Plug USB cable into computer
  2. Plug into printer
  3. Turn on printer

CUPS should detect automatically

Add via CUPS web interface:

  1. Go to http://localhost:631
  2. Click "Administration"
  3. Click "Add Printer"
  4. Select USB printer
  5. Choose driver
  6. Complete setup

Or via command line:

lpinfo -v

What this does:

  • Lists available printers
  • Shows detected printers
  • Helps identify printer

Network Printers

Add network printer:

  1. Go to CUPS web interface
  2. Click "Add Printer"
  3. Select "Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)"
  4. Enter printer IP address
  5. Complete setup

Find printer IP:

  • Check printer display
  • Check router admin page
  • Use network scanner

Network Printers

IPP Printers

IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) is modern network printing.

Add IPP printer:

ipp://printer-ip:631/ipp/print

What this does:

  • Connects to IPP printer
  • Uses IP address
  • Port 631 (default)

Samba Printers

Samba allows access to Windows network printers.

Install Samba:

sudo pacman -S samba

Add Samba printer:

smb://server/printer-name

What this does:

  • Connects to Windows printer
  • Requires Samba credentials
  • Network printer access

Printer Configuration

Printer Settings

Access printer settings:

  1. Go to CUPS web interface
  2. Click "Printers"
  3. Click printer name
  4. Click "Set Default Options"

Common settings:

  • Paper size: A4, Letter, etc.
  • Print quality: Draft, Normal, Best
  • Color mode: Color, Grayscale
  • Duplex: Single-sided, Double-sided

Default Printer

Set default printer:

lpoptions -d printer-name

What this does:

  • Sets default printer
  • All print jobs use this printer
  • Can change anytime

Or via CUPS:

  • Click printer
  • Click "Set As Server Default"

Troubleshooting

Printer Not Detected

Check USB connection:

lsusb

What this does:

  • Lists USB devices
  • Shows if printer is detected
  • Helps identify connection

Check printer status:

lpstat -p -d

What this does:

  • Lists printers
  • Shows printer status
  • Shows default printer

Print Jobs Stuck

View print queue:

lpq

What this does:

  • Shows print queue
  • Lists pending jobs
  • Shows job status

Cancel print job:

cancel job-id

What this does:

  • Cancels specific job
  • Removes from queue
  • Frees printer

Cancel all jobs:

cancel -a

What this does:

  • Cancels all jobs
  • Clears print queue
  • Resets printer

Driver Issues

Install printer drivers:

sudo pacman -S cups-filters ghostscript gsfonts

What this does:

  • Installs printer drivers
  • Provides printer support
  • May fix driver issues

Check available drivers:

lpinfo -m | grep printer-model

What this does:

  • Lists available drivers
  • Searches for printer model
  • Helps find correct driver

Additional Resources

Summary

This guide covered:

  1. Understanding Linux printing - CUPS printing system
  2. CUPS installation - Installing and starting CUPS
  3. Adding printers - USB and network printers
  4. Network printers - IPP and Samba printers
  5. Printer configuration - Settings and defaults
  6. Troubleshooting - Common printer issues

Key Takeaways:

  • CUPS is the printing system on Linux
  • Access CUPS via web interface (localhost:631)
  • USB printers usually auto-detect
  • Network printers need IP address
  • Use lpstat and lpq to check status
  • Install drivers if printer not working
  • Cancel stuck jobs with cancel command

This guide is based on the CachyOS Wiki and Arch Linux Wiki and expanded with detailed explanations for beginners. For the most up-to-date printer information, always refer to the official documentation.

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