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Printers

(Quick question?...Printer FAQ)

There are several printers available for your use, from any of our various networks.

Our high-volume printers are the wired network printers in the computer lab & the third floor. All printers are HP Laser printers.

  • The wireless network printers are set to print single-sided by default, but double-sided is available.
  • The library UCB network printer is set to print double-sided by default.
  • The wired network printers are set to print double-sided by default from the Linux desktop systems.
A color printer is available, however this printer is made available to members by way of a computing staff member only. Typically, this printer is used to print transparencies for talks that are given during workshop periods. If you have other needs, please contact a member of the computing staff.

We currently use the Common Unix Printing System (CUPS) to control all network printing on our wired network. For more information, please see the CUPS Printing & Options Help pages. You may also use the CUPS web interface to look up printers, their statuses, and print queues.

 

Where Output Goes

Every system in MSRI's Chern Hall is set to print to a particular printer by default. Which printer this will be depends on the location of the system from which you are sending the print request. For instance, if you are on a Linux machine in the computer lab, the name of the printer will default to 2ndFloorHP and the output will be found in the HP LaserJet 8150 in that room. Use the table below to help you determine where to send and pick up your output.

 

Printer Location
Network
Printer Name
Printer Model
Library
near terminals
wired - MSRI network
LibHP
HP LaserJet 5200dttn
wireless
UCB network
ucbprinter
HP LaserJet 4250dtn
Computer Lab
Room 205-locked after 5pm,
please print to another printer
wired - MSRI network
2ndFloorHP
HP LaserJet 9040DN
wireless
Third Floor, north side
wired - MSRI network
3rdFloorHP
HP LaserJet 9040DN
wireless

Printing a file from a Linux System

Unix command usage: lpr -Pprinter_name filename, where filename can be any text, PostScript, PDF, or DVI file.

Under Linux, several setup scripts and initialization files are run on your behalf at login, which allows you to conveniently access computing facilities and applications. Your environment includes the setting of a variable, $PRINTER. By default, this variable is set to the printer on the floor on which your office resides. If your office is on the 2nd floor, by default your output will go to the printer named 2ndFloorHP in the computer lab, located in room 205. Location of all printers is given in the table above. If for any reason you wish to redirect your output to a different printer, you may do so using the lpr command. Specifically, lpr -Pprinter_name will override any default printer setting you might have.

 

Printing a file from a Windows System

On Windows systems, most printing occurs from within applications. The only information needed is the name of the printer (see the table above). If you have a file in a format for which there is no application available to read it, please contact a member of the computing staff for help.

Printing on the wireless network

Please see our Wireless printing guide.

 

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