Printing on FI

This article describes the printing options available to FI staff, contractors and PhD students (and others with printing privileges, if applicable). Students can use the Paid SUPO printing in the lobby. For printing outside of FI, please continue to other printers at MU.

For a list of the printers you are allowed to print on, see Fadmin → My Account → Overview → Printers. If you need access to additional printers, email unix@fi.muni.cz.

For instructions on printing from your operating system, please see one of the following sections:

• Windows - you can also print from the Ate server
• macOS
• Linux - you can also print from Aisa and Anxur servers and Nymfe Linux workstations

Running out of toner or paper? Contact the technicians at tech@fi.muni.cz.

List of printers and copiers

Name	Location	Hardware	Notes	CUPS	Samba
copy2a	Block A, 2nd floor, kitchenette	Triumph-Adler 4505ci	multifunctional colour printer/copier	CUPS	Samba
lj2a	Block A, 2nd floor, kitchenette	HP LaserJet 600 M603		CUPS	Samba
copy3a	Block A, 3rd floor, kitchenette	Triumph-Adler 4505ci	multifunctional colour printer/copier	CUPS	Samba
lj3a	Block A, 3rd floor, kitchenette	HP LaserJet 600 M603		CUPS	Samba
lj-a302	Block A, 3rd floor, A302, Lasaris	HP LaserJet 600 M603		CUPS	Samba
copy4a	Block A, 4th floor, kitchenette	Triumph-Adler 4505ci	multifunctional colour printer/copier	CUPS	Samba
lj4a	Block A, 4th floor, kitchenette	HP LaserJet 600 M603		CUPS	Samba
lj-b010	Block B, ground floor, Building Management	OKI C531dn		CUPS	Samba
lj2b	Block B, 2nd floor, kitchenette	HP LaserJet P3015		CUPS	Samba
lj3b	Block B, 3rd floor, kitchenette	HP LaserJet M612		CUPS	Samba
copy4b	Block B, 4th floor, kitchenette	Triumph-Adler 5007ci	multifunctional colour printer/copier (copy4b-a3 = A3, *-g = greyscale)	CUPS	Samba
lj4p	Block B, 4th floor, kitchenette	HP LaserJet M612		CUPS	Samba
copy5b	Block B, 5th floor	Triumph-Adler 5007ci	multifunctional colour printer/copier (copy5b-a3 = A3, *-g = greyscale)	CUPS	Samba
copy2c	Block C, 2nd floor, opposite the kitchen	Develop ineo+ 3350i	multifunctional colour printer/copier	CUPS	Samba
copy4c	Block C, 4th floor	Triumph-Adler 4505ci	multifunctional colour printer/copier (copy4c-a3 = A3 printing)	CUPS	Samba
lj4c	Block C, 4th floor, by the copier	HP LaserJet 600 M603		CUPS	Samba
copy5c	Block C, 5th floor	Triumph-Adler 4505ci	multifunctional colour printer/copier	CUPS	Samba
lj5c	Block C, 5th floor, by the copier	HP LaserJet 600 M603		CUPS	Samba

Copying and scanning

Copiers ( copy*) allow scanning and copying by logging in with a numeric code. To copy, you must obtain a six-digit code, which you can apply for at tajemnice@fi.muni.cz. The code (and with it the right to copy) is (from August 2021) allocated with validity for all copiers.

The general code 0 can also be used for scanning and then the result can be sent to the address you specify. And see also the scanners in the PC hall.

Printing from Windows

You can print in two ways:

• printer sharing via Samba - printing can also be done on WiFi
• CUPS print server - need to have the same login as the faculty on the PC, only when connected by Ethernet cable

Sharing printers via Samba

Download the installer from the printer list, "Samba" column. Running it will add a new printer and install the appropriate drivers.

You can also print to this installed printer from Eduroam or wlan_fi WiFi networks.

• Update: if printing does not work from Windows 11, it should help to run reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcUseNamedPipeProtocol /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f in the command prompt with administrator privileges (this is a bug that we expect to be resolved in a future OS patch, so the installation packages have not been updated yet).

CUPS print server

• The machine you are printing from must have the same login as your faculty login.
• The machine must be connected to the network with an Ethernet cable and be allowed to print from it. If you wish to allow printing from your machine, email unix@fi.muni.cz.
• Download the installer from the printer list, column "CUPS". Running it will add a new printer and install the appropriate drivers.

Note: Do not confuse the login with the so-called display name, which is displayed e.g. in the menu of Start. You can leave this unchanged.

To change the login name (login), follow these steps + restart the PC:

• Tento Počítač | My Computer | This PC → spravovat | manage → Lokální uživatelé a skupiny | Local Users and Groups → Uživatelé | Users →Via the GUI. Přejmenovat | Rename
• Through the command prompt with admin rights: wmic useraccount where name='AktuálníLogin' rename NovýLogin

Manually add the printer

When installing, you need to install the printer drivers yourself, depending on the specific printer type, see the Printer List section.

Start → Devices and Printers → Add a Printer → Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer → The printer that I want isn't listed → Select a shared printer by name (location and naming may vary slightly in different versions of Windows). And in the printer name field, type http://print.fi.muni.cz:631/printers/ and the printer name, e.g. lj4b or lj5c. The resulting string might look like this, for example: http://print.fi.muni.cz:631/printers/lj3b.

Printing from macOS

There are two ways to print:

• printing via Samba - you can also print over WiFi
• using IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) - need to have the same login as the faculty on the PC, only when connected by Ethernet cable

Printing via Samba

1. Disconnect the system from the network, both wired (Ethernet) and wireless (WiFi).
2. System Preferences → Printers → Add Printer ( +) → Advanced (need to right click between the icons on the toolbar - for example between the options IP and Windows, select upravit panel nástrojů and drag Pokročilé there)
3. The printer settings are as follows:
   • Type: Windows printer via spoolss
   • Device: jiné zařízení
   • URL: smb://print.fi.muni.cz/lj3b ( lj3b adjust according to the printer where you want to print)
   • Name and Location fill in separately
   • Download the appropriate driver according to the printer hardware, or try selecting Generic Postscript Printer, this should also usually work.
4. Then just add the printer. If you want to print duplex, you need to select Duplex Printing Unit after entering and confirming this information.
5. You can now reconnect to the network.
6. The first time you print, an authentication dialog should pop up, where you need to enter the faculty login and faculty password. These can be saved to a keychain, then authentication will no longer be required each time you print.

Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) printing

• The machine you are printing from must have the same login as your faculty login.
• The machine must be connected to the network with an Ethernet cable and be allowed to print from it. If you wish to allow printing from your machine, email unix@fi.muni.cz.

You can add a new printer via System Preferences → Print & Scanand create another printer using the plus button in the window displayed below the list of existing printers. You then need to fill in the configuration in the IP tab, for example for lj3b-duplex:

• Address: print.fi.muni.cz
• Protocol.
• Queue: printers/lj3b-duplex
• Name: Print lj3b duplex
• Use: Generic PostScript Printer

If this is a duplex queue, you must select Duplex Printing Unit after entering and confirming this information.

Printing from Linux

You can print in the following ways:

• using pure IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) - need to have the same login on the PC as the faculty, only when connected by Ethernet cable.
• IPP + Kerberos - need to set up Kerberos and use kinit; can also print on WiFi
• printing via Samba - can also print on WiFi

Printing using IPP (Internet Printing Protocol)

• The machine you print from must have the same login as your faculty login.
• The machine must be connected to the network with an Ethernet cable and be allowed to print from it. If you wish to allow printing from your machine, email unix@fi.muni.cz.

It is essential to have the CUPS printing system installed. Once CUPS is installed, you need to add (or edit the existing) entry ServerName to the /etc/cups/client.conf file on a separate line:

ServerName print.fi.muni.cz

Print jobs must be sent from a user account whose login is the same as your faculty login. Therefore, we generally recommend working under an account with a faculty login.

Alternatively, in other cases, printing can be done by creating an auxiliary account with a faculty login and then running the programs to be printed from from the command line, either via gksudo:

mujlogin$ gksudo -u xlogin libreoffice &

or, if you have an SSH server installed and running on your machine, using ssh:

mujlogin$ ssh -CY xlogin@localhost
xlogin$ libreoffice &

Printing with IPP + Kerberos

With Kerberos authentication, you do not need to have the same login on the machine as the faculty login.

It is essential to have the CUPS printing system installed. Once CUPS is installed, you need to add (or edit the existing) entry ServerName to the /etc/cups/client.conf file on a separate line:

ServerName print.fi.muni.cz

If you have previously used printing using pure IPP, you must unenable printing from your machine or Kerberos will not try to use it at all. Send the request to unix@fi.muni.cz.

Next, set up Kerberos. Install basic support, on Ubuntu:

# apt install krb5-user

or on Fedora/CentOS:

# yum install krb5-workstation

and configure the faculty domain (or realm):

$ cat /etc/krb5.conf
[libdefaults]
        default_realm = FI.MUNI.CZ
…
[realms]
…
        FI.MUNI.CZ = {
                kdc = krb.fi.muni.cz
                kdc = krb1.fi.muni.cz
                default_domain = fi.muni.cz
        }
…
[domain_realm]
…
        .fi.muni.cz = FI.MUNI.CZ
        fi.muni.cz = FI.MUNI.CZ

Before accessing the print system, you must obtain a Kerberos ticket at the command line by typing kinit. You authenticate with your faculty login (in our example, xlogin) and faculty password:

$ kinit xlogin
Password for xlogin@FI.MUNI.CZ: 

A ticket obtained in this way will last for about 24 hours, then you must re-authenticate.

By now, printing should work from both graphical applications and the command line.

Printing with Samba

For this procedure, you do not need to have printing enabled from the machine, nor do you need to have a login on the machine that matches the faculty login.

However, the disadvantage of this procedure (especially with respect to printing from Linux via Kerbero) is that the faculty login credentials are stored on disk unencrypted, although they are only readable by the user root.

It is also necessary to install printers, or print queues, individually, and we do not support this method of printing for multiple printers.

See the FI printers over Samba on Linux repository for installation instructions.

Printing from the command line

Basic commands:

• Print: lpr -Pqueue_name file1 file2 ...
• List the contents of the print queue: lpq -Pqueue_name
• Cancel print job: lprm -Pqueue_name job_id

Example:

anxur$ lpr -Plj2b file.pdf
anxur$ lpq -Plj2b
lj2b is ready and printing
Rank    Owner   Job     File(s)                         Total Size
active  xlogin  224     file.pdf                        1024 bytes
anxur$ lprm -Plj2b 224

Details about lpr (individual parameters of lpr can usually be entered at once in a single command):

• Enforce paper format (see also tips below): lpr -o media=a5 file
• Force duplex printing (rotate over the longer side of the sheet): lpr -o sides=two-sided-long-edge file
• Force duplex printing (rotate over the shorter side of the sheet): lpr -o sides=two-sided-short-edge file
• Multiple (reduced) document pages per page: lpr -o number-up=4 file
• Printing in triplicate: lpr -#3 file
• ... for a full list of generally applicable options, click here

Printers also provide model-specific parameters. A list of these can be found using the following command:

$ lpoptions -p copy2b -l
OptionName/Option Description: *Default AnotherValue YetAnotherOne

and then use:

lpr -o LPOptionName=AnotherValue file.pdf

Tips for printing from Linux

Printing from Aisa or Anxur

If printing does not work (because your Kerberos ticket has expired, or you logged in with a key and not a password), you need to enter the command kinit and enter your password.

Automatic stapling of sheets when printing

The corresponding parameter lpr is for the Triumph-Adler 4505ci

-o KCStaple=Upperleft   # lowercase l
-o KCStaple=UpperRight  # actually results in LowerLeft
-o KCStaple=Center

and for Triumph-Adler 5007ci

-o Stpl=Rear            # means UpperLeft
-o Stpl=Front           # actually results in LowerLeft
-o Stpl=Center

If you print multiple copies using the -#n parameter , you also need to add the -o Collate=true parameter.

Default printer settings

To avoid having to constantly enter the -Pqueue-name parameter , you can set up a default printer using the lpoptions -d queue-name command. For example, the lpoptions -d lj4p-duplex command sets the default printer to lj4p-duplex.

Direct (raw) printing

Each printer has a virtual queue through which jobs are sent directly to the printer without intermediate processing by the print server. The name of this queue is derived from the system name of the printer, just add the suffix -raw. Alternatively, use the -o raw parameter for lpr. E.g. lpr -Plj2b -o raw file.ps or lpr -Plj2b-raw file.ps.

Locales and printing text files

For correct output of text files with accented characters, it is necessary to have the locales set adequately, namely the environment variables LANG and LC_MESSAGES (depending on the CUPS version, the correct setting of both variables is a certainty). For example, for a file containing Czech characters in ISO-8859-2 encoding, the correct setting is:

LANG=cs_CZ.ISO8859-2
LC_MESSAGES=cs_CZ.ISO8859-2

or

LANG=en_US.ISO8859-2
LC_MESSAGES=en_US.ISO8859-2

etc.

Printing from Mozilla/Firefox browsers does not work; documents intended for "letter" paper format

Especially the printers on the 4th floor of Building B tend not to print a job correctly from Mozilla or Firefox unless you explicitly select the paper size as A4 in the printer settings (Properties) in the print dialog (Ctrl+P). This action can also help with non-functional printing of documents that are written in "letter" format. If you are entering a job from the shell, add the -o media=a4 parameter after the lpr command.

Problems with psutils

If you want to print multiple pages on a single page, do not use psnup, but use the -o number-up=COUNT parameter. The psnup program does not generate correct Postscript and you may run into problems with subsequent duplex printing. If for some reason you already have a Postscript that has passed psnup, you can try converting it with ps2ps (available e.g. on aise in the gs module) to a correct Postscript or ps2pdf to PDF.

If the conversion with ps2ps generates a document that is unsightly compared to the original, you can try to correct the original Postscript with the following command (replace the file names original.ps and processed.pswith the corresponding names):

$ sed 's/^%%BeginProcSet/%%Page: 1/;/^%%EndProcSet/d' original.ps >
processed.ps

Print A3 to copy4b

When printing A3 documents on the general queues of the listed printers, the printer may be left waiting for the correct paper tray to be selected on the display, as the listed printers cannot automatically select/change the tray to A3 according to the dimensions of the document being printed.

This problem can be solved in several ways: you can use the -a3 queue of the printer where the correct tray is set, or manually set the print dialog to use the "Cassette 2" tray in addition to the A3 paper size. In the case of printing, you can use the A3 queue in analogy or specify the following switches:

-o media=a3 -o InputSlot=PF730B

Problems with duplex Landscape printing

On some printers (e.g. copy5c, copy2a), when printing some Landscape PDF/PS documents (e.g. ISu attendance sheets), the double-sided printing of all pages starting from the second page is rotated ninety degrees to the paper media, which also results in print clipping. The problem can be circumvented by modifying the PS document with the Perl script psmangle.pl. If you want to print a PDF document, you need to apply a tool like pdf2ps to it first.

This problem does not affect single-sided prints or double-sided Portrait prints. It also does not apply to printing via IS, where the correction is applied automatically.

Booklet printing

Due to the presence of a finisher, the copy4b and copy5b printers are best suited for this task. Example:

anxur$ lpr -Pcopy4b -o PageSize=a4 -o Duplex=DuplexNoTumble \
    -o Collate=true -o KCBooklet=Left -o Fold=True -o Stpl=Center \
    brochure.pdf

If the PDF pages are A5, A4 sheets are used for printing (and by analogy for A4). If you need to print multiple copies, we do not recommend using the -#n switch, but to send multiple identical print runs sequentially.