How to connect to a network printer in ubuntu via samba

This tutorial would help you connect your ubuntu to a network printer via samba.Since its via samba, the network printer maybe connected to a windows machine or a linux machine.So here's how you go about doing it:

Step 1 : Go to System->Administration->Printing

Step 2 : You would see a page similar to this

Step 3 : Now click on NEW PRINTER on the top left corner of the window

Step 4 : Ubuntu would now be searching for available printers

Step 5 : Now in the left hand column select "Windows Printer via SAMBA"

Step 6 : Then click on the BROWSE button and search for your network printer from the given tree

Step 7 : If you are unable to find it, you can give its direct link like x.x.x.x/printername where x.x.x.x is the ip address of the machine to which the network printer is connected to , and printername is the name of the network printer

Step 8 : Then SELECT "Authentication Required" and enter the samba username and password, the same username and password you use to access shared(network) folders of the pc which contains the printer.
NOTE:The username and password would typically be the user account present in the machine connected to the printer

Step 9 : Next click on FORWARD, now Ubuntu would search for drivers either present on the network machine or by itself automatically.If found then you could proceed,if NOT then you would get an option to choose the printer driver manually, i.e. by looking for the printer's manufacturer in the list and the corresponding model no of the printer.

Step 10 : Once done, click on FORWARD and enter any Printer Name you wish and click on APPLY.

Step 11 : You should now have your network printer correctly installed!!