Here's how to share a Win2K HP DeskJet with Knoppix, running from the live CD. Hopefully this will help you configure yours.
  1. As you said, make sure you have "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" enabled. Also, go into your list of printers and make sure the printer is shared (as Admin, go to the Printers Control Panel, bring up a context menu, and click Properties > Sharing tab). You'll want to give your printer a Linux-friendly name -- something like "HPDJ1120C" rather than "HP DeskJet 1120C." (The CUPS manual, I believe it was, suggested creating a user account on Windows specifically for the printer, because the username and password will be sent in the clear over your LAN.)
  2. In Knoppix, turn on the Samba server (KNOPPIX > Services > Start Samba Server)
  3. In Knoppix, go to the printer configuration dialog (KNOPPIX > Configure > Configure printers(s)
  4. Click on "Add Printer/Class..." to start the wizard. In "Backend Selection," choose "SMB shared printer (Windows)." I'm using a "normal account" that I created specifically for printer use, so I click on "Normal account" and enter the username and password.
  5. In "SMB Printer Settings," enter the name of your Windows workgroup, the name of the computer the printer's connected to, and the name you gave your printer when you shared it.
  6. Everything from here on should be self-explanatory (selection of printer make & model; selection of driver; etc.)


As you've noticed, if it doesn't work, it doesn't give you an error message; it just doesn't print anything. This is normal. (It would show an error if you used CUPS' web interface, but you don't get a pop-up dialog box in any case.)

Remember that your Windows username and password are case-sensitive.

When you're finished, the URI (on the wizard's confirmation page) should look like:

smb://[email protected]