General: How setup multiple CUPS servers

[Kurt Pfeifle]

> I am confused about setting up a tiny network with two CUPS servers.
> With a client I would be able to print on two different CUPS servers.
> As far as I know I would need to set the ServerName in
> /etc/cups/client.conf on the client so that the client finds the
> server.

No!

That's a common misunderstanding.

The client.conf file is not *needed* at all. (It is only meant to be used for specific environments [or "thin clients"] when/where a CUPS daemon running on the local workstation is not feasible [or not desired for whatever reason].)

If you have cupsd running on your local client, configure it with the following parameters (lines with '#' are meant to be commented out!):

  #ServerName
  Browsing On
  #BrowseAddress www.xxx.yyy.zzz
  BrowseAllow All
  BrowseDeny None
  Port 631

This will make your local cupsd automatically pick up all printers whichare shared and published by other CUPS servers in your network neighborhood. (And since it does not use a "BrowseAddress" it will not publish its own printers).

> Since I can only set one ServerName I would need to change that file
> every time the other printer is wanted.

That's right.

> Is there another solution that makes it possible to choose the
> printer?

If you use KDE, you may have a winner here. When the KDEPrint dialog ("kprinter") is up....

  (1) ...make sure the dialog is "expanded" (click "Options >>" on
         lower left corner)
  (2) ...click "System Options", open the "CUPS Server" page
  (3) ...fill in your current CUPS server information (and possibly
         the account information as well, if needed)

This will leave your general CUPS configuration unchanged, and will be valid only for kprinter as a CUPS client. On the surface, it also is not a "change a file" approach, so you may find it more convenient. (And you can use it any time you need to access/use a different CUPS server without you wanting to fiddle with your CUPS configuration).

If you don't use KDE, you can still configure "kprinter" to be your print command for most applications.

> How would I need to proceed for the following setup, so that the
> Notebook can print on both printers without
> changing /etc/cups/client.conf?:
>
> Notebook ---------> CUPS1 -> Printer1
>          ¦
>          ¦
>          ----------> CUPS2 -> Printer2
>
> Thanks for any hint!
> Greets


Cheers,
Kurt

--
Kurt Pfeifle
System & Network Printing Consultant -- Linux/Unix/Windows/Samba/CUPS
Infotec Deutschland GmbH - A RICOH Company ........ Stuttgart/Germany