is there an easy way to add a printer without having to setup cups or install hplip like it works on debian? I have hp printers and always had more difficulties with manjaro in respect to debian while seting up my printers. Right now for example I have a hp 3786 online on my network, but unable to scan using simple-scan unless connected via USB.
Hi @fch,
While I don’t know if you’ve been here, I can point you here: Printer List | OpenPrinting - The Linux Foundation
If that doesn’t help, I’m going to point you here: [HowTo] Provide System Information and, if applicable, here: [HowTo] post screenshots and links
Hope you manage!
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Wow thanks for that link of open printing, I did not know that website. For my printers is hplip indeed recommended. I also would like to learn the whys of different approach of how to deal with printers on different distros. So much to learn…
You’re welcome!
I also only discovered the website by accident, but I’m keeping it handy. It’ll be the next way I decide which printer to get.
Already bookmarked it!
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As far as I know, any GNU/Linux distro supports the printing system CUPS since it’s already a printing system standard for a long time in the UNIX world.
Any manufaturer that provides their printer product compliant to CUPS can be used in any GNU/Linux distro. The link provided by @Mirdarthos is good to see if a printer is CUPS compliant (I also didn’t know this site before).
On how to set up CUPS in a GNU/Linux distro, it’s up to the distributor itself on how they decide to package their distro with CUPS support. For example, in terms of the user-friendliness accessing the CUPS interface, if they choose to integrate the CUPS print server interface in some sort of “setting” or if they choose not to provide it and let the interfacing by “localhost:631” (from Firefox for example). There’s some support of this in Manjaro; you can configure printer in settings.
Another example is if the distributor decides to package the basic CUPS server along with the distro. Or if the distributor decides to package the whole CUPS capabilities (like PPD file) along with the distro.
So using your question on driverless printer, it’s up to the printer manufacturer if the printer model they provide supports CUPS driverless printer. If it is, I believe you can add the driverless printer via “localhost:631” without having to install a driver (I don’t know if you can do this in Manjaro printer settings though, but you can give a try). I don’t know the printer settings in Debian, so I can only say that “localhost:631” is still the universal way to configure connected CUPS compliant printer in any GNU/Linux distro.
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