Finding and configuring printer connection URIs
Use the printer discovery wizard
directprint.io can automatically configure printers. The following pre-requisites must be met:
- IP connectivity is available to the printer
- You are running on a Chrome OS device
- You are able to manually install or admin push install the directprint.io client to the Chrome OS device
If the printer is successfully detected the system will offer to add the printer to the printer map.
If you're already logged into the admin interface you can launch the printer discovery wizard directly
Supported protocols
directprint.io supports three widely-used print protocols
- IPP (Internet printing protocol)
- Socket (also know as RAW, DIPRINT or Jetdirect)
- LPD (Line print daemon)
Each protocol has it's own URI format.
Here are three common examples, using 10.4.5.6 as the IP of the printer:
- ipp://10.4.5.6:631/ipp/print
- socket://10.4.5.6:9100
- lpd://10.4.5.6:515/raw
Consult the printer's admin page or the printer's manual to determine the correct format, according to the capability of the printer.
Enable IPP, Socket or LPD on the printer
To ensure that one or more of IPP, Socket or LPD protocols are enabled on your printer:
- Log into the printer admin console (typically on port 80 on the printer's IP). You will need the username and password to log into the printer's admin console.
- Look for a section that details 'services' or 'protocols', on copier machines this is typically under the 'Print' function.
- Ensure that either IPP (port 631), Socket (port 9100) or LPD (port 515) is enabled.
- Try running the 'Add printer wizard' within the directprint.io admin console.
Check connectivity by running the directprint.io printer connection test.
If this fails, proceed to the instructions below.
Manually configuring direct IPP printing
Any printer supporting the Internet Printing Protocol presents an HTTP-like service allowing clients to send print jobs directly to the printer. The HTTP service typically is running on port 80 or 631 of the printer IP address.
Most printers also have a named printer queue which acts as the receiving point for print jobs on pot 80 or 631. This looks like a regular URL path.
If the printer or manual doesn't specify an IPP URI try the following, replace 10.4.5.6 with the IP or hostname of your printer.
ipp://10.4.5.6:631/ipp/print
Manually configuring direct socket printing
Use the 'Add manual' option in the directprint.io 'Add printer wizard' to automatically construct unidirectional socket printing URIs.
Consult your printer's specifications to determine which PDL/Emulation/Languages the printer supports.
You should look for one or more of the following:
- PCL5e (PCL5 mono)
- PCL5c (PCL5 color)
- PCL6
- PCL5 GUI
- PostScript3
- PWG
- Airprint
Manually configuring direct LPD printing
directprint.io supports the LPD protocol for direct printing to printers and to Windows LPD services.
LPD URIs may be manually specified in the admin console.
Direct Printing Example: lpd://10.4.5.6:515/raw
directprint.io will automatically send the required headers to identify the PDL (language).
The 'raw' queue is the most common LPD queue that is capable of receiving jobs that specify their own language. Please consult the printer's admin console or manual for more queue name options.
Using a windows print server with LPD
Important: Append ?spool=true to an LPD URI to ensure interoperability with windows queues.
LPD Windows Server Example: lpd://10.4.5.6:515/followme?spool=true
Using a CUPS print server
- Using CUPS: Go to the CUPS admin page on your CUPS server (typically http://your_address:631/)
- Select 'Printers', then the link to the printer you want to use. Your browser address bar should now contain the IPP address, which should look something like this: http://192.168.1.101:631/printers/Dell_C1765nfw_Color_MFP_
- Paste this address into the server address area, and give the printer a friendly name (e.g. Office 103 printer).
CUPS printer queue