Warning: multiple buzzwords ahead! I don’t call this category X-Geek for nothing! 🙂
I finally got my NSLU2 running CUPS with Openslug!
I had to install the CUPS packages from the Unslung distribution. Then the battle was the SSL-fu needed to generate a certificate, since CUPS likes to use HTTPS connections for doing admin stuff.
The final hurdle, which just was overcome this morning, was adding a USB printer kernel module. I downloaded the Openslug sources last night and compiled the kernel module. Adding it this morning to my NSLU2 was all CUPS needed to see the printer.
The very, very last hurdle (actually) was adding the printer’s PPD file, so CUPS knew how to print to it. I dug that out of the printer’s install CD and installed it with little effort.
I’ve now turned my $80 Linksys NSLU2 network-attached-storage (NAS) device into not just an NAS but also a USB print server. Plus I learned a little about embedded Linux in the process, which is the best part of all. I’ve discovered you really can have a full-featured Linux server for less than 100 bucks.
Now to decide how else I can add to its usefullness. I’ve heard of an iTunes-compatible server running on the NSLU2, so maybe I need to explore that next.