Install network printer when `add printer' finds nothing

[Peter Flynn]

On 04/12/2021 00:49, hput via ubuntu-users wrote:
> Attempting to install network printer since upgrading to 21.10 from
> 21.04 (I had both installed under 21.04).  But neither are now.
> 
> (One printer is epson artisan 835 - The other is Canon TS9120
> 
> Using nothing but the printer tool both installed on previous the version.

Printer installation should have been solved two decades ago, but
unfortunately it lumbers on, becoming more and more arcane as
manufacturers make it more and more difficult to communicate with their
devices.

> On 21.10:
> Using settings => printers  add-a-printer. All I get is
> `CUPS-BRF-Printer'.
> 
> I haven't tried adding the network address because I've been unable to
> locate them.  Maybe someone will know how that might be done.

ASSUMING you have a local area network in your house or office to which
both your printers AND your laptop/desktop are connected in the same
subnet (ie the first three numbers of all IP addresses are the same, eg
192.168.42.* or whatever):

1. Open the web control panel of your local network router.
   This is usually .1 of your subnet (eg mine is 192.168.0.1)
   and log in with your admin password.

2. Navigate to the list of currently-attached devices.
   There may be two of these: one for hard-wired Ethernet connections,
   and one for wireless connections.

3. If you're lucky, your printers will have names so you can see
   what they are and what their IP addresses are.

4. If not, you'll have to start deducing what each one is. Phones,
   for example, often use their names (eg "Peter's Android"), so
   one by one, eliminate those which are not printers.

5. Don't forget to log out of the admin interface.

If that fails, use nmap, eg

$ nmap -p 192.168.0.1/24

(replacing the subnet 192.168.0 with your own subnet).

Peter