8

I'm new to Ubuntu, using Ubuntu 16.04.

In System Settings > Hardware > Printers it says

Printing service not available. Start the service on this computer or connect to another server.

The start service button is locked. When I press connect it opens a window where I only have one option: CUPS server: localhost

When I try to connect I get a dialog:

CUPS server error
there was an error during the CUPS operation:'failed to connect to server'.

Edit1:

the printer is samsung scx ,via network. the printer is working, i can even print from the windows dualboot in the same laptop.

Edit 2:

sudo service cups restart- no output. localhost:631- not working

Edit 3:

dpkg -l cups

output

ohad@ohad-X556UAK:~$ dpkg -l cups
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-
aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name           Version      Architecture Description
+++-==============-============-============-
=================================
un  cups           <none>       <none>       (no description available)
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6
  • Welcome to AskUbuntu! Please help us help you by editing your post to provide further detail. What printer are you trying to connect to? How is it connected? Networked? USB? LPT? For further tips on how to get the best results, please review askubuntu.com/help/how-to-ask Commented Mar 31, 2017 at 17:36
  • the printer is samsung scx ,via network. the printer is working, i can even print from the windows dualboot in the same laptop Commented Apr 1, 2017 at 20:25
  • In your browser go to localhost:631. What do you see? If you do not see the cups page, try restarting cups using sudo service cups restart. Commented Apr 1, 2017 at 21:30
  • sudo service cups restart- no output. localhost:631- not working Commented Apr 2, 2017 at 9:04
  • Please edit in the output of dpkg -l cups Commented Apr 3, 2017 at 13:29

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
15

I had exactly the same problem and this worked for me:

sudo apt-get install cups --reinstall
sudo service cups restart
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6

I met similar situation today and found this solution to be useful:

sudo apt-get install smbclient

refer_link

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1
  • worked for me on 19.10 Commented Mar 29, 2020 at 10:29
1

I had the same issue with my Canon MG8250 on a fresh Ubuntu 18.04

Using the cups web-interface enabled me to add the printer.

  1. open a browser and got to http://localhost:631/ . You will get a website Home - CUPS x.x.x
  2. Select "Adding Printers and Classes"
  3. Button "Add Printer"

At one point you will be asked for your user and password.

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1
  • "Add Printer" is under the "Administration" tab but it doesn't work. Commented Aug 7, 2022 at 15:50
0

so for some reason, you don't have cups installed; if you open your software centre, and type in cups; and right-click to select INSTALL, it should install cups and the associated programmes it needs; then try to add a printer after doing that

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1
  • was loking for "CUPS" and it find "printers". I removed it and reinstall. but the problem remaining... Commented Apr 8, 2017 at 15:51

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