I’m trying to keep old hardware alive and useful…I have a couple of perfectly functional HP 1012 LaserJet printers, and I would like to share them on my network. Since we have a bunch of Macs and iOS devices, AirPrint is basically required. Has anyone has any success getting their OpenWrt router to serve as an AirPrint server for older USB based LaserPrinters? My AD7200 has two USB 3 ports, so I was thinking even if I had to use CUPS, I could attach external storage for the spooling…but CUPS isn’t an option in the repository. Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping these old, yet fully functional, devices out of the landfill? I don’t mind getting techie. I had Gemini AI working with me all morning to try to get it to work. It was actually helpful parsing the error logs and such. Long story short, the current software in the repositories doesn’t support what I want to do. The logical argument being you don’t want CUPS on a router because it would wear out the memory too quickly.
Any thoughts/suggestions or should I explore other options. I’m trying to avoid additional hardware - my 7200 should have more than enough horsepower to work.
Thanks in advance!
-Greg
Apple can print to appsocket p910nd, pcl ps pdf.
I should have added that I am looking to not share it from a computer, but from the Router for a few reasons. I am considering a RasperryPi, but it would be better if I could hang the printer off my router. Thanks again.
OpenWrt does not provide CUPS packages. It's either p910nd or no printing.
No CUPS, I saw that - it’s too bad since the hardware I have is capable. p910nd does not support AirPrint (Apple’s zero-config networking/printing), has anyone considered a workaround or adding support for the newer network client devices?
I used to run a very old printer via OpenWrt with p910nd... you can install mdns for autodiscovery on Macs (obviously much easier than manual config), but that will not work for AirPrint.
AFAIK, AirPrint only works with printers that have native networking and the appropriate APIs... I don't know of any way with p910nd or CUPS or similar to get a non-AirPrint printer to work with iOS.
One can manually add appsocket or lpd printer, drivers are client side then.
Correct - but AirPrint (or something compatible) is the ultimate goal.
Ok, make it sing airprint ble beacon¡ without ble capability.