Chapter 13. Printing with GNOME
In This Chapter
Connecting your printer to your Ubuntu computer
Connecting remote network printers
Ubuntu and GNOME provide a printer configuration utility that's easy to use. This chapter describes how to configure your Ubuntu computer to use a printer.
I tell you about using both
Local printers that plug directly into your Ubuntu computer
Network printers that are connected through your LAN
Connecting Printers
The steps for connecting a printer in Ubuntu depend on whether you're using a local printer that's directly connected through a dedicated cable or a networked printer that's accessed through your network connection.
Setting up local printers
Locally connected printers connect directly to your Ubuntu computer using a dedicated cable. After you connect the cable, you set up the printer through Ubuntu.
Cables
Two types of cables (parallel and USB) are used to connect a computer to a printer. Ubuntu is compatible with either type, if your computer and printer have the necessary connectors.
Parallel
These bulky cables have been used for decades. They're called parallel because within the outer cable housing, they contain over two dozen wires. Each wire provides a data signal to the printer. Parallel cables are limited in length to not much more than 10 to 13 feet (3 or 4 meters) because the electrical signals interfere with each other and degrade quickly with distance.
USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) cables are slim, fast, and used for many different applications. ...
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