How to Configure Network Printing with Cinnamon Desktop on Linux Mint

Linux Mint is one of the most user-friendly Linux distributions, and its Cinnamon desktop environment provides an intuitive and familiar experience for users coming from Windows or other graphical environments. One of the essential tasks in an office or home setting is configuring network printing, allowing multiple devices to share a single printer efficiently.

This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of setting up network printing on Linux Mint with the Cinnamon desktop environment. We will cover everything from enabling network printer sharing, adding a printer, troubleshooting issues, and optimizing printing performance.

1. Understanding Network Printing on Linux Mint

Before configuring a network printer, it’s important to understand how printing works on Linux Mint.

1.1 What Is Network Printing?

Network printing allows multiple computers to connect to a printer over a local area network (LAN). The printer can be directly connected to the network (via Wi-Fi or Ethernet) or shared through another computer acting as a print server.

1.2 Printing System on Linux Mint

Linux Mint uses the Common Unix Printing System (CUPS) to manage printing. CUPS provides drivers, manages print jobs, and enables network printing functionality.

2. Preparing for Printer Configuration

Before adding a network printer, ensure you have the following:

✅ A network-connected printer (via Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
✅ Linux Mint installed with the Cinnamon desktop.
✅ The printer’s IP address or hostname (if directly connected to the network).
✅ Necessary printer drivers (if required).

3. Enabling Network Printer Support on Linux Mint

By default, Linux Mint supports network printing via CUPS, but you might need to install some packages and enable certain settings.

3.1 Installing CUPS (if not installed)

Open a terminal and run the following command to ensure CUPS is installed:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cups

After installation, start and enable the CUPS service:

sudo systemctl start cups
sudo systemctl enable cups

3.2 Enabling Printer Discovery

CUPS needs to be accessible over the network. Run the following command to allow printer sharing:

sudo cupsctl --remote-admin --remote-any --share-printers

This command ensures that your computer can discover and communicate with network printers.

4. Adding a Network Printer in Cinnamon Desktop

Now that network printing is enabled, follow these steps to add a printer:

4.1 Open Printer Settings

1. Click on Menu (bottom-left corner) → System Settings.
2. Scroll down to Printers and open it.

4.2 Add a New Printer

1. Click Add (+) to start searching for network printers.
2. If your printer is discovered automatically, select it and click Forward.
3. If the printer is not detected, manually add it using the Network Printer option.

4.3 Manually Add a Network Printer

1. Select Network Printer → Find Network Printer.
2. Enter the printer’s IP address or hostname and click Find.
3. Once found, select the appropriate driver (or install a PPD file if required).
4. Click Apply and set the printer as the default if needed.

5. Configuring Printer Drivers

Most printers work with built-in drivers, but some require additional installation.

5.1 Checking for Drivers

1. Run the following command to check if Linux Mint recognizes the printer model:

   lpinfo -v
   

2. If the printer is listed but does not work, install the appropriate drivers.

5.2 Installing Manufacturer-Specific Drivers

Some manufacturers provide Linux drivers. Check their website or install drivers via:

sudo apt install printer-driver-<manufacturer>

For example, for HP printers:

sudo apt install hplip

6. Testing the Printer Configuration

After adding the printer, test it by printing a sample page.

6.1 Print a Test Page

1. Go to Printers in System Settings.
2. Right-click the newly added printer and select Properties.
3. Click Print Test Page to confirm it works.

6.2 Print from Applications

Open an application (e.g., LibreOffice, Firefox) and print a document to verify functionality.

7. Sharing a Printer Over the Network

If your printer is connected to another Linux Mint machine, you can share it with other computers on the network.

7.1 Enable Printer Sharing

1. Open Printers from System Settings.
2. Right-click the printer and choose Server Settings.
3. Enable Share printers connected to this system and Allow printing from the Internet.
4. Click Apply.

7.2 Access the Shared Printer from Another Linux Machine

1. Open Printers on the client computer.
2. Click Add and select the shared printer.
3. Install the necessary drivers and set it as default if required.

8. Troubleshooting Common Issues

If your printer does not work as expected, try the following fixes.

8.1 Printer Not Detected on Network

✔️ Check if the printer is powered on and connected to the network.
✔️ Run ping <printer-ip> to check connectivity.
✔️ Restart CUPS with:

sudo systemctl restart cups

8.2 Printer Jobs Stuck or Not Printing

✔️ Run lpq to check the print queue.
✔️ Clear stuck jobs using:

cancel -a

✔️ Restart the printer and CUPS service.

8.3 Wrong or No Output from Printer

✔️ Ensure the correct driver is installed.
✔️ Try printing a different file type (PDF, DOC, etc.).
✔️ Test printing with:

echo "Test Print" | lp

9. Optimizing Network Printing Performance

To improve efficiency, consider these optimizations:

✔️ Use a Static IP: Assign a fixed IP to the printer to prevent connection issues.
✔️ Enable Printer Caching: Use CUPS settings to reduce network load.
✔️ Install Print Management Tools: GUI tools like system-config-printer can help manage printers.

10. Conclusion

Setting up network printing on Linux Mint with Cinnamon is straightforward with the right steps. By enabling CUPS, adding the printer, installing drivers, and troubleshooting common issues, you can achieve seamless printing in a home or office network.

With network printing properly configured, you can print from multiple devices efficiently, making Linux Mint a great choice for productivity.

Would you like assistance with any specific printer model? Let me know! 🚀