Printing from iPad or iPhone via AirPrint and CUPS

Printing on Air

Article from Issue 154/2013
Author(s):

If your home network includes a Linux machine, you have access to everything you need to share your printers on the network as AirPrint-enabled devices.

Version 4.2 of iOS was the first to give the Apple iPad and iPhone the ability to print – but only on printers that support the technology known as AirPrint [1]. AirPrint devices are now available from all major manufacturers in every price and performance class, but many users are still wary of having to buy a new printer just to put something from their iPhone or iPad onto paper.

Luckily, if your home network includes a Linux machine, you have access to all the tools you need to share your printers on the network as AirPrint-enabled devices. AirPrint is based on the zero-configuration (Zeroconf) networking standard [2], which Apple markets under the brand name Bonjour. Linux has its own implementation of Zeroconf known as Avahi [3].

As early as 2011, Till Kamppeter modified the Common Unix Printer System (CUPS) implementation for the Ubuntu "Natty" and "Oneiric" versions so that connected AirPrint printers are directly available [4]. If your distro doesn't support direct configuration, it pays to know how to set up AirPrint support manually. In this article, I take a look at AirPrint with Linux.

[...]

Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • CUPS 1.4.0 with DDK and Improved Bonjour

    The common Unix printing system (CUPS) is now available as version 1.4.0. In addition to a variety of improvements, the free print server now includes the driver development kit (DDK).

  • Make Your Printer Smarter

    Niche hardware from the olden days does not always embrace the network. Attaching a Raspberry Pi or other single board computer can add lots of new functionality.

  • Ubuntu 17.10

    Ubuntu is back to the first letter of the alphabet – and back to the Gnome desktop. But you'll also find lots of new stuff in the latest release.

  • Chrome OS to Print Through Cloud

    Drivers, be gone.

  • Printing in the Shell

    Use shell commands to start and manage print jobs without too much clicking, while easily avoiding problems with specific file formats.

comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News