[ale] CUPS or LPR?

[Alex Carver]

Sorry Ron, can't use a standalone print server, not for the label 
printer (which is a serial port device) because this is for work and 
those things are considered unsecured devices and banned from the 
network (work makes a minor exception for things like HP JetDirect but 
they are on an isolated network.)

Most of the code to generate the labels is going to sit on the eventual 
server which will also happen to have print duties though it's not the 
primary function (the primary function is a massive data storage system 
plus database back end for some web applications that I've written.) 
Occasionally it will be asked to print from Windows-only software but 
most of the time it's my own code.  I only need CUPS/lpr for any of the 
remote computers that may print to it.  The local code will write 
directly to the port (maybe later I'll have it write to a queue.)

On 9/6/2013 11:15, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:
> Hi Alex,
>
> This isn't a direct answer to your question, but potentially relevant.  I've been using a stand alone print server on my network for years.  It's a Linksys PSUS4.  That model number may be obsolete.  I'm sure similar devices are still available.  It's just a very small box and it connects to a lan port on one side and a usb port on another and has a 4 port lan switch.  I just program the router to always give it the same ip address and connect it to the lan and the laser printer.  I have direct raw access to the print queue and both windows and linux machines can print to it.  I can send any kind of data I want to the printer.  When I set it up as an available printer in the client, I select it by ip address and load the drivers appropriate to that printer.  I love it and I don't have to dedicate a machine to running the printer.
>
> Just an option you could consider in addition to what you described.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ron
>