First off, thank-you for this wonderful group! This is my first post, but LinuxQuestions.org has been indispensable in getting my file server up and running.

Next, a description of my problem. I have an Intel machine running Ubuntu Server version 18.04.1 LTS, with CUPS 2.2.7 and Samba 4.7.6. The file shares on Samba are working great, no problems there. But I'm having troubles getting the printers to work when they're shared through Samba.

So here's what I've got so far. I have three printers, all of which are connected to the network wirelessly. I was able to install all three into CUPS with no problems, and the Linux machine prints to all with no problems. Sharing those printers through CUPS, my Windows machines can print to all three printers with no problems as well. By the way, the printers are installed in CUPS as Internet Printing Protocol (http) (http://192.168.0.xxx).

But, when I create printer shares in smb.conf, the shares show up on my Windows machines, I can add them to the Windows machines, but they show persistently offline. Plus, whenever I try to make any changes to those printers on the Windows machines, I am met with the Windows error: "The server print spooler service is not running. Please restart the spooler on the server or restart the server machine." This happens whether I install them by double-clicking the printer share in Windows, or I install them by adding them through Control Panel > Devices and Printers > Add a new printer > The printer that I want isn't listed > Select a shared printer by name.

So, of course, I did lots of restarting the smbd and nmbd services as I was trying to get this to work, and lots of reboots. Made sure that the printer name in smb.conf matched the printer name in CUPS. Lots of restarting the Print Spooler on the Windows machines as well. I purged CUPS and reinstalled, copying over the cupsd.conf.defualt file for a fresh start. I also attempted to change the Samba spool directory to a directory in home, as well as change its permissions to 777, in case it was a permissions problem. Finally, I found a site that mentioned activating Samba's built-in spooler by adding "rpc_daemon:spoolssd = fork" and "rpc_server:spoolss = external" to the [global] part of smb.conf, but that didn't work either. Tried installing the printers as IPP instead, with no change.

Any ideas of what I should try next, or what kind of setting I might have wrong? I'll include the dump of my smb.conf from testparm in case any of you might spot something there.

Thanks in advance for your help!

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# Global parameters

[global]
dns proxy = No
log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
map to guest = Bad User
max log size = 1000
obey pam restrictions = Yes
pam password change = Yes
panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d
passwd chat = *Enter\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *password\supdated\ssuccessfully* .
passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
server role = standalone server
server string = %h server (Samba, Ubuntu)
syslog = 0
unix password sync = Yes
usershare allow guests = Yes
workgroup = LBCNWORKGROUP
rpc_daemon:spoolssd = fork
rpc_server:spoolss = external
idmap config * : backend = tdb

[printers]
browseable = No
comment = All Printers
force user = jeremy
guest ok = Yes
path = /var/spool/samba/
printable = Yes
read only = No

[print$]
comment = Printer Drivers
guest ok = Yes
path = /var/lib/samba/printers

[LBCN]
force user = jeremy
path = /home/jeremy/LBCN
read only = No
valid users = jeremy pasto

[Backup Drive]
force user = jeremy
path = /media/jeremy/TOSHIBAEXT
read only = No
valid users = jeremy pasto

[Brother Color LaserJet (Office)]
force user = jeremy
path = /var/spool/samba/
printable = Yes
printer name = HL3170CDW

[Brother Color InkJet (Home)]
force user = jeremy
path = /var/spool/samba/
printable = Yes
printer name = MFCJ470DW

[Brother B&W LaserJet (Office)]
force user = jeremy
path = /var/spool/samba/
printable = Yes
printer name = MFC7860DW

Welcome to LinuxQuesions.org. A question to start with - Since these are network-attached printers, why not configure the Windows hosts to reach them directly, rather than via the Linux machines using samba?

I was hoping to centralize them into one server that could handle all the printing tasks. Though Windows is more often than not reliable in reaching the printers directly, I still have problems connecting from time to time, having to reinstall printers, etc. I was hoping Samba would be much more reliable.

I agree with ferrari. If the printers are already connected to the network, then each desktop should connect to them directly rather than try to route jobs through a central server.
Doing the latter just adds an unnecessary level of complexity (if it's even possible) IMO.

Bummer, I thought Samba could handle this. I guess I was wrong. Thanks anyways.

It's not impossible, but it's not necessary.

While it may not be of much use in a home environment central print servers are a necessity in the work environment. Although as probably many can a test to my print jobs have become stuck in a queue. cups via samba can be a central print server but it might of been easier to configure in the past...

If your Windows computers are directly connected to cups via its ipp port then you are indeed using it as a print server (at least as far as I know). The printers section is special because if you add the following lines in the global section samba will automatically create a share for all printers that are connected by cups. I do have special "printers" with their own share section but it is not required in your case.


I can't say I've had any problems with Windows connecting to network printers. While it should not be necessary I always assign them a static IP via DHCP reservation.

1 members found this post helpful.

You don't say what version of Windows you are using. There are many documented issues with Windows 10 & samba printing. I gave up trying to use samba to get printers working for my wife's computer off my server. After awhile I just stuck with straight cups using the address Works flawlessly now. This admittedly doesn't have the convenience of keeping printer drivers available from the server though, which can be an issue.

1 members found this post helpful.

OK, so I'm seeing that there's a couple of lines that my config doesn't have: "printcap" and "create mask". I'll try including them and see if that makes a difference. Thanks!

Yow, you're right! I didn't mention what Windows I'm using. 4 of my machines are running Windows 10, while one of them is running Windows 7. But it's been just two of the Windows 10 machines I've been using to test the printer setup, so that problem between 10 & Samba might be the core of my troubles.

Funny you mentioned about going through CUPS, because I was able to get them to work reliably through cups by using that same address format. Like you said, they won't be able to pull drivers from the server, but these printers are common enough that it looks like Windows won't have any troubles, driver-wise. That might just be the solution I land on.