Cheap colour laser

[aidanjt]

Ok, if you plan to hookup your future printer to your Ubuntu computer to share over a network, it will need to support CUPS, the Common UNIX Printing System, Samba is the Windows network file sharing service for UNIX systems, when Samba recieves a printing job from a Windows client over the network, it passes the job onto CUPS, which needs its own driver to communicate with the printer.. However, the Windows client requires the Windows printer driver as well so it knows how the printer works, Samba's printer share can store these drivers so you can install the drivers on the Windows clients easily over the network..

Dell and HP have virtually no Linux support at all, which is why I recommend Samsung apart from the price.. you can also check the CUPS website to check which printers it has written drivers for as well, they have drivers for a lot of printers that aren't supported by manufacters.

[nvening]

It does indeed have the driver for the dell (the 3100 is the same as the 3100 just it has less tonet and a paper bay extention thing)

So does this mean i can use the dell on the linux? (sorry im listening to kerrang radio, and im tired lol)

[aidanjt]

Sure, if thats the one you want to go for.

[nvening]

So for me the Dell is the best, and it will work on LINUX?

Sorry, im asking again because dell seem so sure that to use it with Linux or MAC you need a Multi-Protocol card, Whats all this about then?

[dave87]

The Photosmart printers work with Windows & Mac, so i presume there would be little problems getting it to work with Linux. Otherwise share it through one of your Windows PCs. With the photosmart you need to install the software on each PC you want to print/scan/copy through it, though you can still use Windows Printer Sharing if your not wishing to control the scanner on that PC.

[aidanjt]

So for me the Dell is the best, and it will work on LINUX?

Sorry, im asking again because dell seem so sure that to use it with Linux or MAC you need a Multi-Protocol card, Whats all this about then?

Thats nonsense, as long as the printer uses TCP/IP for communication then it'll work.. Samba supports printer sharing, and CUPS has the drivers, what else would it need? It's probibly a Dell ploy to penalise non-Windows customers.

[peterb]

Could we translate that into english please? Do you mean i need to have linux drivers? Why can the the dell not be used on linux, it says it needs an Multi-Protocol card, whats that?

Well when you read up CUPS and printing under Linux in one of the Linux books you bought (recommended in one of the many Linux threads you have started) you will see how it works!

[nvening]

Ok, ill trust you guys judgement, but what is the card thing all about, out of intrest?

EDIT: I was just lookign at the dell wibsite, at the toner, and when i select toner for the cn3000 it only has 2000 page toners, where as the 3100cn has 4000 page as well, this is just dell being stupid right? They are the same printer?

Also, is there some sort of device i can plug in the enthernet port on the printer to make it wifi?

[dave87]

tbh - your best off with the photosmart, as it has everything you want (including wifi) inbuilt. The colour lasers I've used at work I wasn't that impressed with, and plus the fact that the scanner is included for the same price - makes the HP a winner imo.

Dave

[nvening]

It looks ok but looking at the reviews it still does not look great, hmmmmmm

What good inkjets are there for £200, how would the ink costs compair to the dell laser?

Then i could get scanner with film scanning.