Printing from VBox

[aimlink]

How would I go about printing to a USB or network printer from the guest OS?

Is printing possible at this time?

[Cogar]

I have not worked with a Mac OS host, but I think it should be the same for a guest running in any host. If it is, you should be able to print to a local printer connected via USB. I do not know about a network printer.

With the VM powered off, select the Details tab in the VirtualBox console. Click on the USB Controller hyperlink. In the window that opens up, select the USB devices check box and then right click on the icon that looks like a USB plug with a plus sign. Select the printer. If the printer does not show up, you may not have had the printer connected and on when you powered up the guest.

Once the USB connection has been configured, you set up the printer in the guest the same way you would when you first install a new printer in a regular (bare metal) installation.

Incidentally, as I understand it, only one machine can use a given USB device at a time. If you enable it for the guest, it will not work for the host until you power down the guest.

[aimlink]

Ok. Network printing is the way I wish to go, namely printing to a printer connected by USB to my Airport Express.

[laughfactory]

Okay, so I'm running XP on a Mac OS X host and I'm trying to print to a network printer (on an IP). I can't seem to figure out how to get it to work. I think it has something to do with the fact that VBox is assigning it's own DHCP IP to XP, which is different than the IP the rest of the network is running on--thus not finding the printer when I try to install it. Any ideas? Anyone?

[macmikeolson]

Can't get it to work either. I'm now on vbox 1.6.4.

I did notice that tracert nor ping works.

It's really confusing because I can access my network printer by entering the IP address into a browser and it works fine.

As you noticed, the assigned IP address of 10.x.x.x is a different network than the network the printer is on 192.168.1.x

No help here, but maybe some information to help someone.

[macmikeolson]

Check out this thread. I tried it (instructions below) and I'm not having any luck at all. It looked like something to go on though. If I can find some log files somewhere it might help me understand what's in the way. I've turned off all firewalls (XP and Mac).

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=1465

If you go to add the printer in Control Panel on the Guest XP OS, you select Network Printer then select the "Connect to a printer on the Internet or on a home or offfice network" option.

In the URL field below that you need to type it in this format.

http://DEFAULTGATEWAY:631/printers/PRINTERNAME

The Default Gateway of my XP OS is 10.0.0.2 and my printer name is Photosmart_2570 so mine looked like this.

http://10.0.2.2:631/printers/Photosmart_2570

Then after you click Next it will ask you to install the driver for it.

Edit: BTW Make sure that the internet firewall has the port open otherwise it MIGHT not work.

[amagine]

There should not be a problem printing from XP guest to USB.

Some things to check for USB SETUP:

1. Guest tools installed. (if unsure, install again, it will not hurt)

2. When your Guest is shut-down make sure that under the USB Settings for your Guest, that USB devices and USB 2.0 devices is checked.

3. When you boot your GUEST OS make sure you have the proper drivers to install for your printer FOR your GUEST OS, and that the Printer is connected via USB.

4. Once you have your GUEST OS printer DRIVERS, while in Windowed Mode, select the little USB icon (bottom right) and select your printer from the list of USB devices there to CONNECT your printer to your GUEST OS.

5. Install drivers.

6. Test Print.

As for Network printing, I have not tried this. If I do in the future or notice success from another user I'll make sure to post it here.

**** EDIT ****

NETWORK PRINTING - GUEST XP ---> Mac OS X PRINTER

Okay, I did a quick little test with Network Printing, with very little problems. Here is what I did:

1. Completed USB Setup. (see above)

2. On Mac OS X HOST make sure Printer Sharing is ON and PRINTER connected to OS X HOST is Selected.

3. CLICK the Open Print & Fax Preferences Button in the Printer Sharing Window (bottom right) or Select Print & Fax Preference in the System Preferences.

4. *Double Click* the Printer you wish to use from the PRINTERS list OR *Click* the Open Print Queue... this will open the printer queue window for your printer.

5. *Click* the Info button and note these TWO things: Location: {probably name of your Mac} and Name: {name of your printer}

6. In your GUEST XP (Sounds like everyone knows this part...) Control Panel --> Printers and Faxes --> Add Printer. Should bring up the Add Printer Wizard.... NEXT...

7. Select - A Network Printer, or a printer attached to another computer - NEXT ->

8. Select - Browse for a printer - NEXT ->

9. Chances are the printer will not show up... so we enter in the Printer: \\Location\Name
(As from Step 5)

10. You may have to log into your Mac OS X Account now if it asks.
After a warning notice, the Add Printer Wizard should pop up where you would select your printer from the list and install the network printer driver. (I think this is where it is important that you have installed the printer firstly via USB... not sure though...)

11. The NetWork Printer should be selected and installed now... PRINT.

note* This worked on my set-up, have not tried on multiple XP guest OS X Host setups.


good luck

[macmikeolson]

I believe the USB will work w/o an issue. I'm trying to get a network printer going.

[amagine]

I'm trying to get a network printer going.

see above...

[jdavidbakr]

There should not be a problem printing from XP guest to USB.

Some things to check for USB SETUP:

1. Guest tools installed. (if unsure, install again, it will not hurt)

2. When your Guest is shut-down make sure that under the USB Settings for your Guest, that USB devices and USB 2.0 devices is checked.

3. When you boot your GUEST OS make sure you have the proper drivers to install for your printer FOR your GUEST OS, and that the Printer is connected via USB.

4. Once you have your GUEST OS printer DRIVERS, while in Windowed Mode, select the little USB icon (bottom right) and select your printer from the list of USB devices there to CONNECT your printer to your GUEST OS.

5. Install drivers.

6. Test Print.

I'm able to see the printer in the list when I click on the USB icon, but it is grayed out and I am unable to select it. Any ideas why this would be the case?

[jdderamos]

Check out this thread. I tried it (instructions below) and I'm not having any luck at all. It looked like something to go on though. If I can find some log files somewhere it might help me understand what's in the way. I've turned off all firewalls (XP and Mac).

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=1465

If you go to add the printer in Control Panel on the Guest XP OS, you select Network Printer then select the "Connect to a printer on the Internet or on a home or offfice network" option.

In the URL field below that you need to type it in this format.

http://DEFAULTGATEWAY:631/printers/PRINTERNAME

The Default Gateway of my XP OS is 10.0.0.2 and my printer name is Photosmart_2570 so mine looked like this.

http://10.0.2.2:631/printers/Photosmart_2570

Then after you click Next it will ask you to install the driver for it.

Edit: BTW Make sure that the internet firewall has the port open otherwise it MIGHT not work.

Thank you very much macmikeolson for this tip. It worked for my Guest XP OS on host Ubuntu 9.04

[jooney]

What printer did you use for your do-it-yourself wedding invites? I want to do my own invitations in an attempt to save money. Did anyone else design their own and print them themselves? If so, what kind of printer (brand, etc.) do you have? I know the printer I have is not good enough quality because it's so old. Would it be cost effective to just buy a new printer and do my invitations myself? Any advice would be appreciated!

[vbox4me2]

Take this to PM or elsewhere, this is totally unrelated to this forum.