Module 10: Printers
Ink, Toner, and More
1 Purpose
This module covers the essential knowledge required to install, maintain, and troubleshoot common printers. We will explore the five major printer types, dive deep into the six-step laser printing process, and cover both legacy and modern standards for printer installation, including driverless printing with IPP Everywhere. The hands-on exercises will give you practical experience managing a modern print server and print queues using the Common Unix Printing System (CUPS).
2 What You’ll Learn
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Differentiate between laser, inkjet, thermal, impact, and 3D printers.
- Describe the six steps of the laser printing process.
- Describe how modern printers use IPP and Bonjour for driverless, zero-configuration setup.
- Contrast the modern printing workflow with the legacy driver-based model.
- Identify common consumables for laser and inkjet printers.
- Use CUPS and command-line tools to manage a printer in Linux.
This module maps to the following program and course learning outcomes:
- Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs):
- 1. Identify hardware and basic network components: This module focuses on the function, components, and software of a critical hardware peripheral.
- 3. Troubleshoot hardware and basic network components: This module provides a basis for diagnosing and resolving common issues with printers and print services.
This module will help you develop the following skills and knowledge, which align with the O*NET SOC Code 15-1232.00 for Computer User Support Specialists.
| Learning Objective | O*NET KSAs | Technologies Used |
|---|---|---|
| Differentiate printer technologies. | Knowledge: Computers & Electronics Abilities: Category Flexibility, Information Ordering |
Laser, Inkjet, Thermal |
| Describe the laser printing process. | Knowledge: Engineering and Technology Abilities: Information Ordering |
EP Process, Fuser, Drum |
| Install and manage printers in Linux. | Knowledge: Computers & Electronics Skills: Installation, Troubleshooting, Systems Analysis |
CUPS, IPP, lp, lpstat |
3 Module Content
This module is divided into the following sections, which cover the theory of operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
Printer Types and Operation: Details the operation, advantages, and disadvantages of Laser, Inkjet, Thermal, Impact, and 3D printers.
The Six Steps of Laser Printing: A deep dive into the highly-tested A+ concept of the laser printing process: Cleaning, Conditioning, Exposing, Developing, Transferring, and Fusing.
Printer Installation and Drivers: Discusses physical connections, legacy drivers, and modern driverless standards like IPP Everywhere and automatic discovery with Bonjour.
Consumables and Maintenance Kits: Identifies key consumables like toner, ink, drums, and fusers, and explains the purpose of preventive maintenance.
Common Printer Troubleshooting: Covers general printer problems like garbled text, ghosting, paper jams, and network issues.
4 Hands-On Activities
This module includes several hands-on exercises to be completed in your Fedora VM, allowing you to install and manage a virtual printer using modern, standard CUPS tools.
- Exercise 10.0: CUPS Service Check and Access: Verify the CUPS service is running and access the web-based administration interface.
- Exercise 10.1: Create a Persistent Virtual IPP Printer: Create a modern, driverless IPP printer that runs as a persistent background service.
- Exercise 10.2: Print Queue Management (CLI): Use
lp,lpstat, andcancelto submit, view, and manage print jobs from the command line. - Exercise 10.3: Network Share Configuration: Examine how CUPS automatically shares printers discovered on the network.
- Exercise 10.4: Driver and PPD File Exploration: Locate and examine a legacy PPD file to understand how older printers define their capabilities.
- Exercise 10.5: Simulating Troubleshooting: Pause the virtual printer to simulate an offline condition and observe how the print spooler holds the job.