How to Set Up a Print Server on Raspberry Pi Using CUPS and Ubuntu 20.04

What You Need

1. Raspberry Pi with Wi-Fi and an 8GB+ micro SD.
2. Raspberry Pi Imager. Get it from https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/
3. An old printer. I have an old HP Officejet 5610 All-in-One Printer from 2001

Steps

1. Install

• Open Raspberry Pi Imager and install Ubuntu on the SD Card

• Connect the keyboard and the monitor to the Raspberry Pi and start it.

Default username: ubuntu, password: ubuntu. It worked after multiple (5 or 6) failed attempts.

2. Setup WiFi

• Open config file

# find the wireless network interface (e.g. wlan0)
ls /sys/class/net
# find the config file (e.g. 50-cloud-init.yaml)
ls /etc/netplan/
# open config file
sudo nano /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml

• Add the wifi config (using 4 spaces not tabs)

• Save and exit
• Reboot or apply

sudo netplan apply

3. Update and enable SSH

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install -y wireless-tools net-tools
sudo service ssh enable
sudo service ssh start
ifconfig
landscape-sysinfo

• Get the wlan0 ip
• SHH should be installed, but if not, can be configured from here https://pimylifeup.com/ubuntu-server-raspberry-pi/

4. SSH into the Raspberry

ssh ubuntu@192.168.10.50

5. Install CUPS

• Paste in the terminal

sudo apt install -y cups hplip printer-driver-gutenprint && \
sudo systemctl start cups && \
sudo systemctl enable cups && \
sudo usermod -a -G lpadmin ubuntu && \
systemctl status cups && \
sudo nano /etc/cups/cupsd.conf

• Add or modify

this

Browsing Off
Listen localhost:631
....
<Location />
  Order allow,deny
</Location>
....
<Location />
  Order allow,deny
</Location>

to

Browsing On
Port 631
....
<Location />
  Order allow,deny
  Allow @LOCAL
</Location>
....
<Location /admin>
  Order allow,deny
  Allow @LOCAL
</Location>

• Save and exit
• Connect the printer to the USB port of the Raspberry Pi
• Restart service and allow clients in firewall. My private network is using the 192.168.10.0 ~192.168.10.255 network range

sudo systemctl restart cups
sudo ufw allow in from 192.168.10.0/24 to any port 631

6. Add printer

• Go to https://192.168.10.50:631/admin
• Use the ubuntu username and the new password configured for Raspberry Pi
• Add the printer by selecting the model
• Check the Printers tab

7. Testing the printer

Printer now should be available on the network.

AirPrint is Apple’s wireless printing technology, letting you print from any Apple device to a machine that is AirPrint compatible.