Chromebook Printing to network printers made simple

Chromebook printing has always been an issue especially in a network.   As of ChromeOS version 59 Google has implemented direct IP printing, which eliminates the need to use Google Cloud Print and eliminated the need to have a windows service running on a print server.

Here is how you can set it up on your network.

1. Start by enabling ipp printing on your networked printers.   Each printer will be different.  Some offer authentication which you want to shut off.  Below are the settings from two of my printers.  The below instructions are for non-SSL setups.  If you need SSL you will have to make the necessary adjustments to the protocol and port number when adding a printer.

2. Next jump into the gSuite admin dashboard, and navigate to the "Device Management > Chrome > User Settings".   Then select the Org that you want to deploy the printer to.  Lastly locate the "Native Chrome OS Printing" setting and click "Manage".

3. This window shows the printers you have added and allows you to add either a single or multiple printers at once.   For this post I am only going to focus on adding a single printer.  So click "Add A Printer".

4.  Provide the printer with a Name and the driver you want to use.  If you are lucky enough to have one of the listed printers, go buy a lottery ticket, if not then I suggest selecting "Generic" under the Manufacturer heading and then "Generic PostScript Printer" for the Model.

The next part may be different per printer, or if you enabled SSL, but I would start with the below settings and tweak if they don't work.

• Protocol: Ipp ~ This stands for Internet Printing Protocol and a pretty standard protocol that the majority of printers have built-in.
• Host: Enter the ip address of the network printer
• Port: 631 ~ You can probably leave this blank, but 631 us the default port for Ipp
• Path: /ipp ~ This appears to be a standard path needed for most printers.  

5. Lastly, make sure that the Chromebook is at least Version 59 or else you will not see the printers under the "Local Destinations".

This window is accessed by going to the Google Print Window 

and clicking "Change" under the destination.