Additional Mac print server/papercut for iPad printing

[Nick_Parker]

Good morning all

 

We currently have a Windows 2008 R2 based Print Server sharing all the print queues running PaperCut MF 15.0.

This works perfectly however there is huge pressure to allow iPads to print.

I tried FingerPrint (which is now Presto but we haven't upgraded) which kinda of works, sometimes the printer shows up, sometimes it doesn't.

I was thinking maybe it's time I give in and buy a mac mini, configure it as a print server and installed PaperCut as a secondary server?

 

Has anybody done this? Is it simple enough to configure? Will there be any clashes running 2 print servers on the same network?

 

Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

[stodge1000]

Yes we have done this, very easy to setup with no problems at all.

[psydii]

It's been Presto for quite a while. I'd give the new version a go before writing it off.

[Nick_Parker]

So what do you guys reckon, invest in a Mac Mini Server and setup a secondary PaperCut server or $340.00/yr for a Presto license?

[sparkeh]

I am in the same position and am going to use the mac mini method.

[Big_Ted]

You can get a trial of Presto - maybe go that route first.

[Ant]

I've set up a Mac Mini as a secondary print server and I have used FingerPrint.

 

With FingerPrint, I too found it a bit unreliable at times, however a restart of the FingerPrint service always resolved the issue. Could a scheduled task to regularly restart the service solve your problems?

 

I'm hoping to use the Mac server as a secondary server in order to use virtual print queues (aka FollowMe printing) on our iPads but have yet to get this side working properly. Basic set up of the server however is pretty straight forward and printing directly to the printers has worked well in conjunction with the PaperCut App. PaperCut's online guides have been very helpful.

[MatthewL]

If you are already using PaperCut you are licensed for a secondary server.

 

Get the Mac Mini, which you could probably pick up second hand for the price of the Presto license. Install your printer queues on it with PaperCut and away you go, could not be any simpler and no having to restart services when FingerPrint dies! That way you have one system for all your printing.

[Nick_Parker]

You can get a trial of Presto - maybe go that route first.

 

That is an excellent idea!

[mikkydoos]

I've done this recently. Its a bit of a b*gger to set up but works well with Papercut

[mikkydoos]

So what do you guys reckon, invest in a Mac Mini Server and setup a secondary PaperCut server or $340.00/yr for a Presto license?

 

Like the other guy said, you are already licensed for 2 PaperCut servers. Mine runs on a Mac Mini. Only downside is the Follow me printing. Users have to print to a specific device, then collect their jobs from that device (if you're using print accounting that is)

 

...and turn off the Mac printing function (whats it called again? AirPrint?) on your copiers/printers. Otherwise both the PaperCut printers and the devices themselves show up on the Ipad.

Edited April 13, 2015 by mikkydoos

[Tim_at_PaperCut]

Just to echo what's been said above - looks like everyone has covered the main points - we have customers who use both methods (3rd party tool to broadcast the Windows print queues, or instead use a Mac secondary server). Some go the mac-mini route since they have a spare Mac lying around, so they can just re-use it for a secondary server (nice situation to be in!) and others are Windows-only environments, so they prefer the simplicity of Presto.

 

I haven't heard of the issue with Presto needing to be restarted, but if you are using the free trial and you come across that, I'd definitely bring that up with the Presto support team, it's not something I've heard of from other customers - but I imagine they'd want to hear about it!

 

It should also be possible to get the find-me/follow-me queues working with the Mac secondary - there's a few more details about it here: PaperCut KB | Setup Find-Me Printing on Multiple Operating Systems - but in short, since you can't re-direct jobs cross-platform, you'd have to set up the find-me Mac queue, and create the target queues on the Mac too, so that the jobs can go Workstation/iPad -> Mac find me queue -> Mac target queue. With that setup, you can keep all your find-me functionality of your current queues.

 

If you're seeing issues with that setup though, definitely worth sending in an email to PaperCut, and we'll help out with your specific scenario if you prefer!

[mikkydoos]

Like the other guy said, you are already licensed for 2 PaperCut servers. Mine runs on a Mac Mini. Only downside is the Follow me printing. Users have to print to a specific device, then collect their jobs from that device (if you're using print accounting that is)

 

...and turn off the Mac printing function (whats it called again? AirPrint?) on your copiers/printers. Otherwise both the PaperCut printers and the devices themselves show up on the Ipad.

 

 

Oh... and when you do it, when users print, double sided doesn't work most of the time when printing from a 'pad. We have to turn it off each time or it won't print !