I need to be able to print from Mac's to a Ricoh mfd in a windows server enviroment

[danlaw777]

I have 3 macs that are new in marketing, i have set them up as IP based printing, but they cant print in color i have followed the instructions on this site Windows hosted print queues and when i add a new printer the print job SHOWS as if it went thru, but nothing is printed on the printer.

i have verified that airprint and bonjour are enabled on the printers, i have downloaded the lastest drivers from ricoh......

OH! these mac's are NOT on the domain (dont ask......)

any suggestions would be great!

thanks

 

[MacInWin]

This macOS Sierra: Add or remove a printer. says that using IP that not all printers are full functioned. But if you have AirPrint enabled, you should be able to print wirelessly, depending on the Macs you have (you didn't say).

 

[ferrarr]

See if this Apple document helps, or maybe one of the links in it, If you can't print from your Mac or iOS device - Apple Support?

 

[gsahli]

Does this suggest anything useful?
Mac's using a Windows Print Server - Apple Community
Mac Printing Through a Windows 2012 Server - Spiceworks

 

[lclev]

I am doing what you want to do. I have a mac pro printing to a Ricoh C6004 copier in a Windows server 2008 environment - and the mac pro is not on the domain. I will tell you it was PAINFUL getting it set up and it still is not perfect. Issues with tray selection.

We use user codes to have the copier perform any function. It took me a bit to find the right drivers that would allow me to input a user code. Our user codes determine what a person can do which for us is mainly printing in color since that is the most costly. The user codes are controlled by the Ricoh browser interface where options - such as color printing, are selected.

I will also tell you nothing I found on the internet worked for me. One thing I will throw out to think about is does your Ricoh include postscript drivers? We had a Canon copier that I found out after I got my MP did not have postscript printing. It cost more to have the postscript feature included so I could not print from my MP. Needless to say when we got the Ricoh it had postscript printing.

If you can be patient I need to be in front of my mac pro to figure out how I got everything to work. Also more specifics would help, like what is your Ricoh model number and any other info you can think of.

Lisa

 

[danlaw777]

we're using windows server 2008 transitioning to 2012, most of our ricoh printers are c4504. i can get the macs to print using the below, but they only print black and white and the macs are in our marketing group so thats a huge hinderance
Select Printer & Scanners
Click "+" to add printer
Choose the IP option
Key in the IP Address
For the Protocol: Choose HP JetDirect Socket
Queue: Remains Blank
Change the Name to a suitable name
Under use: Choose Generic PCL Printer.

Click Add.

 

[lclev]

Wow - I am doing nothing like that. Our copier is installed on our Windows 2008 server which shares it to all and also holds drivers for all versions of Windows - but not Macs. I downloaded the Mac drivers from Ricoh - found here: MP C4504ex/C6004ex series Downloads | Ricoh Global and installed them on the MP. Next I went to System -> Printers & Scanners -> and hit the little plus after inputting my password. I let it find the Ricoh and selected it. Then I selected under USE -> select software. A box pop up box appeared and I scrolled down until I found my copier which in my case is the Ricoh MP C6004ex PS (that PS indicates the driver includes postscript drives that are loved by Adobe.) That should be it except for now setting it up in Adobe - if that is what you are using.

I have included some screen shots. Please feel free to ask questions. I do know Generic PCL Printer under use will not work. You need Ricoh drivers. Also if the printer is not listed on the network as shared with a share name it might cause it not to show up. Make sure print sharing is turned on on the Macs - see picture.

Just an FYI- we do use active directory but the Mac Pro is not joined/bound to Active Directory. I never saw the need. All pictures were captured from my Mac Pro.

Lisa

 

[danlaw777]

im getting a mac today to dig deeper into this and will setup my printers like this, but let me ask, why do you choose "share this printer on the network" does that change a setting on the printer? or on the mac?

 

[lclev]

I check the share just to be sure. I guess you can leave it unchecked and see if it makes a difference. I brought my Macbook Pro in from home and set it up to use our Ricoh just like I have described and had no issues. I do use Printer Management on the Windows Server and set up accesses there as well as shares. I also have setup user codes for the purpose of controlling color printing. We are a church and have a lot of teachers who would have a blast printing all kinds of color handouts never realizing the huge cost difference per page.

Lisa

 

[danlaw777]

I check the share just to be sure. I guess you can leave it unchecked and see if it makes a difference. I brought my Macbook Pro in from home and set it up to use our Ricoh just like I have described and had no issues. I do use Printer Management on the Windows Server and set up accesses there as well as shares. I also have setup user codes for the purpose of controlling color printing. We are a church and have a lot of teachers who would have a blast printing all kinds of color handouts never realizing the huge cost difference per page.

Lisa

Our printers dont't even show up, we have to add them manually. when we add them using the PS drivers, they only print B&W, any other way they dont print at all

 

[MacInWin]

First, a confession. I don't have, and have never worked in, a mixed server environment, so the next comment may be totally off base. With that said, here goes.

What about inverting the situation? Put the printers on the Macs you have and then network from the Windows environment to them. A Mac can be a print server through sharing. What I would do is test it out and if it works, then get a Mini and run it as the print server headless.

 

[danlaw777]

sorry, thats not really a feasible option. we have a minimal amount of mac's in the enviroment, 4 including mine. that number could grow, but no where near what we would need to use a mac as a server.

 

[MacInWin]

Why is it not feasible? Don't let numbers define the topology. You have Macs that need color printing. You have not been able to print to the Windows server in color from the Macs, which makes the Macs useless (or severely limited). If you move the printer to one of the Macs and then print from the Macs directly to that printer server, you get color. You should then be able print from the Windows environment to that same server. That solves your problem, or could. It's a shift in thinking, but it accomplishes the goal.

 

[danlaw777]

im not saying it wont work, but we already have print servers that do this job.


as a side note, we have found a printer that shows up in the window when adding printers, and its 1 of the 1's that are most common and spread over the fottprint. now all we have to do is determine which configuration changes we need to make on the others so they all work with macs, or at least where the macs are located

 

[lclev]

So even if you search, either when using the IP or Windows option, when you open Printers & Scanners in System Preferences for the printer it does not show up? Are your Macs are on your wired or wireless network? Can your Windows computers "see" the Ricoh? If so, what does a Windows computer identify the Ricoh's name as and if not - how did you get it to work on them?

This is so weird. The only other thing I can think of is some sort of block at the server level that would cause devices - like the macs - not listed in Active Directory to be unable to "see" networked printers. You could try binding one of the macs to active directory and see if that changes anything. Undoing it is no big deal - if you can access the server.

Let me know what you find out.

Lisa

 

[danlaw777]

final update...

so trying to answer all of your questions.... no, the printers dont show up. when trying to add them in ANY way there was a wide assortment of issues that ranged from cant find printer to print job cancelled. i swear there were more errors but this thing took so much of my time i just wanna let it go

the end result was this. the printer that i WAS able to print to had the post script chip already installed, and we now have a resolution, temporarily using paper-cut web submission, until we get those chips installed.

thanks everyone for all of your input....until next time!

 

[lclev]

Yeah - I believe I mentioned the copier must have a postscript chip or software installed. I went through all that mess when we had a Canon copier. The cost for the chip was not worth it since the lease was almost up on it. But I was put in charge of finding a new copier when the lease was up and believe me postscript printing was required.

Glad you figured it out.

Lisa

 

[gsahli]

Sorry to come late to the party! I think you just needed to install the Ricoh PCL-XL color printer drivers, available here:
Printer: Ricoh MP C6004 | OpenPrinting - The Linux Foundation

info about PPD files (often called driver files):
macos - How can I list all the installed printer drivers on Mac OS 10.6? - Ask Different