SuSE Support Database

Title: Printing under S.u.S.E. Linux with plp

Mainpage Searchform History Versions Categories Contents
Deutsch

Printing under S.u.S.E. Linux with plp

Applicable to
S.u.S.E. version: from 4.2 on
Kernel version: irrelevant

In the S.u.S.E. Linux Version 4.2 plp is used as printer server instead of the usual in other systems lpd. The plp programme's name, however, goes accordingly as for lpd.

The reason for this change concerns all security aspects, because the lpd offers some assaulting possibilities for intruders.

The plp behaves differently, particularly in network environment. Basically, there are difficulties when you have given away an IP number for your computer, but this network connection is not active.

Possible error messages in lpr /etc/passwd (in the example the computer is named Thales.suse.de):

Jun 14 11:56:51 Thales lpr lp: lp@thales.suse.de: job spooled, but daemon 
is dea
d; 
                                                  tell operator to start 
daemon.

Jun 14 12:07:34 Thales lpr lp: getport: unknown host 'thales'

getpeername failed: socket operation on non-socket; unknown signal - exiting

The first two are to be repaired as follows through one of the following possibilities. The cause is that it is tried to address the printer daemon with the own computer name (FQN). Certainly an IP number is given away, but the Internet connection does not get through (for a long time).

Andreas Stiasny(ast@xpoint.at) writes about the last message (getpeername):

The message comes from lpd -i. Its appearance is certainly at my system independent of whether the plp works or not.

If the net connection does not work in the own computer, plp cannot start and produces the message.

If plp runs already and it is tried to start it once more, it leads into the same result.

Solution:

One defines an IP connection, through which the own computer can be addressed on the FQN, without having to have an internet connection.

See: Net connection does not work in the own computer

Hint: the full qualified name must be before the nickname in /etc/hosts, otherwise is not detected by plp. Example:

193.141.17.203 Goedel.suse.de Goedel

Installing `lpd` in 4.2

Alternatively, the old lpd can be installed again. First of all the packet plp should be uninstalled and then the packet lprold should be installed. The apsfilter runs together with it too. For this, you must still change /etc/inetd.conf. Comment out either the line:

printer       stream  tcp     nowait  root    /usr/sbin/tcpd  
/usr/bin/lpd -i

printer stream  tcp     nowait  root    /usr/bin/lpd    lpd -i

with a # at the beginning of the line, and call up afterwards the command

killall -HUP inetd.

Now enter in the file /sbin/init.d/inetd before line 31 (the line with the /usr/sbin/inetd) these two lines:

     /usr/sbin/lpd
     sleep 1

Afterwards call directly the /usr/sbin/lpd again.

See also:

The net connection does not work in the own computer

Printer : checklist

PLP: Printing with several symbolic printers

Remote printing with plp

Ghost Script 3.53 - List of supported printers

GhostScript 4.01 - List of supported printers

GhostScript 4.03 - List of supported printers

Keywords: PRINT, PLP, REMOTE PRINT, HOSTS, LPR, LPD, PRINTER

Feedback welcome: Send Mail to kfr@suse.de (Please give the following subject: SDB-kfr_51)