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)
Ohad Habusha
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  • Welcome to AskUbuntu! Please help us help you by [edit]ing 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 http://askubuntu.com/help/how-to-ask – Elder Geek Mar 31 '17 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 – Ohad Habusha Apr 01 '17 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. – Sahil Arora Apr 01 '17 at 21:30
  • sudo service cups restart- no output. localhost:631- not working – Ohad Habusha Apr 02 '17 at 09:04
  • Please [edit] in the output of dpkg -l cups – Elder Geek Apr 03 '17 at 13:29
  • I went here and installed a new CUPS ... worked like a charm https://linuxhint.com/cups_print_server_ubuntu/ – Hank Jul 18 '21 at 19:57

4 Answers4

15

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

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

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

sudo apt-get install smbclient

refer_link

yifan
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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.

Max
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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

pdc
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