[cups.general] CUPS 1.3.6, Linksys PSUS4, jobs never complete

Ace ace_rules_bbs at hotmail.com
Thu Apr 17 10:58:51 PDT 2008


Comments inline :)


Johannes Meixner wrote:

> 
> Hello,
> 
> On Apr 16 23:12 Ace wrote (shortened):
>> I still do not understand why IPP hangs, you said Windows clients do not
>> implement IPP/1.1, but the fact remains Windows clients can print
>> normally under IPP protocol, and CUPS cannot.
>> Also, I have noticed while watching CUPS through it's web interface, that
>> CUPS first tries to use IPP/1.1, which fails, then falls back to IPP/1.0,
>> and then the job starts printing, but never finishes.
> 
> I do not understand why you do not understand that the hardware
> is broken because it simply does not correctly implement the
> IPP protocol and why you insist that this is a CUPS problem?

Because there is no visual hint (cracks, dents, magic smoke, fire, odd
smells, etc.) of hardware failure in printer or printserver.
Both function normally, and do not display failure with their status logs
(in the printservers case), lights or (in the printer's case) by LCD
display.
Whether or not IPP was not correctly implemented is none of my business, I
am an end user and should not and do not know about this in advance until
someone tells me it is not correctly implemented.
How did I end up here? because it was CUPS that was showing errors, while
the equipment connected to it was happily accepting jobs from computers not
running CUPS.
CUPS complained, I looked up it's forums, and here I am asking questions.

 
> The fact remains that Windows clients cannot print normally
> under IPP protocol simply because Windows has not a correct
> IPP protocol implementation so that strictly speaking Windows
> cannot do IPP at all - it does something like IPP but not
> full IPP.

Again, whether or not IPP was not correctly implemented is none of my
business, and I will assume for a moment that you know how well willing
Microsoft is when it comes to delivering detailed, human readable
documentation about protocols used in Windows.
I hope you didn't misread my previous message, where I said that Windows
clients CAN print normally. How would I deduct from that that Microsoft's
idea of implementing IPP is flawed, 'something like IPP but not full IPP'?



> I do not understand why you do not ask the manufacturer
> or vendor of those broken hardware for a fix.
> The manufacturer or vendor sold you a piece of hardware
> which claims to support the IPP protocol but seems
> to fail for both IPP/1.1 and IPP/1.0.

Which I might have if the hardware was broken, which it is not.
The printer is rapidly approaching it's 4th birthday, and the last driver
update from HP themselves was in 2006 - the device is considered EOL (End
Of Life), and as far as HP is concerned you buy yourself a new printer.
I do not call that fixing things, I can waste my money in better ways.
As for the Linksys PSUS4, it may date back to 2003 somewhere and the last
firmware was released in 2005.
Having dealt with both HP and Linksys both in business-use context and
home-use context, calling them is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.



> Have a look at
> http://www.cups.org/documentation.php/network.html
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> The AppSocket protocol (sometimes also called the
> JetDirect protocol, owing to its origins with the
> HP JetDirect network interfaces) is the simplest,
> fastest, and generally the most reliable network
> protocol used for printers.
> ...
> IPP is the only protocol that CUPS supports natively
> and is supported by some network printers and print
> servers. However, since many printers do not implement
> IPP properly, only use IPP when the vendor actually
> documents official support for it.
> ...
> LPD is the original network printing protocol and is
> supported by many network printers. Due to limitations
> in the LPD protocol, we do not recommend using it
> if the printer or server supports one of the other
> protocols.
> -----------------------------------------------------------

The above would have been a great FAQ for on the front page of the CUPS
website, but it isn't.
I do however appreciate you pointing that section out to me, because it is
helpful, and I would not have come across it otherwise.



> I do not understand why you seem to insist that you must
> use the most complicated protocol (IPP) to just send
> the prtinting data to the printserver box instead
> of using what is recommended?

I never implied that I was insisting, it was CUPS throwing the errors, not
the devices. Logical next step was to look up the CUPS website to look for
a solution there, first.
Neither the printer, or the printserver, nor CUPS, came with a
recommendation of any sort.
CUPS came preinstalled with my system, end of story - received nothing else.



> Only because an incomplete IPP implementation in Windows
> works by chance with the broken IPP implementation in
> this broken hardware?
> 
> Or perhaps because IPP is "state of the art"?
> Even if in your case the "state of the art" implementation
> is plain broken in this broken piece of hardware crap?

Do I detect a dislike for *insert any of the following here: Microsoft,
Windows, Linksys, Hewlett-Packard, All of the above* ??
Perhaps you are having a bad day. I forgive you, I do tech support as well,
but at least I do not snap at the people asking me questions.

Remember:
There are no stupid questions. only stupid answers.


> 
> By the way:
> 
> Do not assume that you can get device status for your
> HP PhotoSmart 7350 via the HPLIP hp-toolbox program
> when the device is "hidden" behind a non-HP printserver box.
> 
> See
> http://hplip.sourceforge.net/supported_devices/photosmart.html
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Photosmart 7350: Network or JetDirect: No
> 
> Network support indicates built-in ethernet and/or wireless
> networking. Alternatively, many devices may be operated on
> the network using an external JetDirect print server.
> Not all network configurations are supported. Please
> refer to the HPLIP FAQs for more information.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> and the HPLIP FAQ reads:
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Question: Does HPLIP support networked printers?
> Answer: Yes, HPLIP supports printers that are directly network
> connected (via a built-in Ethernet port) or connected to a
> network via a JetDirect.
> 
> Question: What network print servers are supported?
> Answer: Currently we have only tested HP JetDirect devices
> with HPLIP. No other network print servers are supported.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> The reason is that device status query requires a bidirectional
> communication or certain SNMP support which works with a HP
> built-in Ethernet port or certain HP JetDirect printserver boxes
> but does usually not work with other printserver boxes.
> 
> 
> Kind Regards
> Johannes Meixner





More information about the cups mailing list