HP printers and scanners are widely used, but getting them to work seamlessly on Ubuntu can sometimes be challenging. The good news is that HP provides an open-source software called HPLIP (HP Linux Imaging and Printing) to help you set up and manage your HP devices on Ubuntu.
HPLIP is an open-source project developed by HP to allow Linux users to print, scan, and fax using HP hardware. It supports a wide range of HP printers and multifunction devices.
In this article, we’ll walk you through installing the latest version of HPLIP on your Ubuntu system to ensure full support for your HP printer and scanner.
Installing HPLIP in Ubuntu
Before we begin, it’s important to update your Ubuntu system to ensure you have the latest packages and security updates.
sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade
If the HPLIP version in the Ubuntu repository meets the minimum requirements for your HP device, you can install it using the following command.
sudo apt install hplip hplip-gui
If the HPLIP version in the Ubuntu repository is lower than the minimum required version, you’ll need to install the latest HPLIP manually by downloading the latest HPLIP source code at the HPLIP Download Page.
Alternatively, you can use the following wget command to download the latest version. At the time of writing, the latest version is 3.24.4, make sure to replace the version number with the latest one available if it has been updated.
wget https://sourceforge.net/projects/hplip/files/hplip/3.24.4/hplip-3.24.4.run/download -O hplip-3.24.4.run
Once the download is complete, navigate to the directory where the file is downloaded and make the file executable.
chmod +x hplip-3.24.4.run
Run the installer.
./hplip-3.24.4.run
During installation, the installer may notify you of missing dependencies. Follow the prompts to install these dependencies. If any dependencies fail to install, you can manually install them using.
sudo apt-get install -f
Configuring HP Printer/Scanner in Ubuntu
After installing HPLIP, you need to configure your HP device by using either the HPLIP GUI or the command-line interface.
Using the HPLIP GUI:
- Open the HPLIP Toolbox from the applications menu.
- Click on “Setup Device” to start the device setup wizard.
- Follow the prompts to select your printer/scanner and configure it.
Using the Command-Line Interface:
Open a terminal and run the following command to configure your printer/scanner:
hp-setup
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup. You will need to select the connection type (USB, Network, etc.) and provide the necessary details.
HPLIP also provides a set of command-line tools that you can use to interact with your HP devices.
Some useful commands include:
-
- hp-probe: Scan for connected HP devices.
- hp-setup: Launch the HPLIP GUI.
- hp-check: Diagnose and troubleshoot HPLIP issues.
- hp-toolbox: Provides access to most HPLIP features from the command line.
You can find more information about these tools in the HPLIP documentation.
Verifying HPLIP Installation in Ubuntu
To ensure that HPLIP and your HP device are correctly installed and configured, you can perform a few simple checks.
hp-check
This command checks the status of your HPLIP installation and device configuration. Look for any error messages or warnings and address them accordingly.
Printing a Page in Ubuntu
You can print a test page to verify that your printer is working correctly by using the HPLIP GUI or run the following command:
hp-testpage
Scanning a Document in Ubuntu
To verify scanner functionality, use the HPLIP GUI or run:
hp-scan
Keeping HPLIP Updated in Ubuntu
HP regularly releases updates to HPLIP, adding support for new devices and fixing bugs. To keep your HPLIP installation up-to-date, you can periodically check for updates and install them.
sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade hplip
Alternatively, download and install the latest version from the HPLIP website as described earlier.
Conclusion
Installing and configuring HPLIP on Ubuntu ensures that your HP printer and scanner work seamlessly with your Linux system.
By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can take full advantage of your HP devices’ features and capabilities. Regularly updating HPLIP will help maintain compatibility with new hardware and software updates, ensuring a smooth and efficient printing and scanning experience.
