ippfind
Discover Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) printers
TLDR
List IPP printers registered on the network with their status
Send a specific PostScript document to every PostScript printer on the network
Send a PostScript test document to every PostScript printer on the network
Send a PostScript test document to every PostScript printer on the network, whose name matches a regular expression
SYNOPSIS
ippfind [options] [resource-uri-scheme ...]
PARAMETERS
-T seconds
Specifies a timeout in seconds for the multicast discovery request. The default is typically 30 seconds.
-V version
Specifies the IPP version number to use for the multicast discovery request. Valid values are 1.0, 1.1, and 2.0.
-a attribute=value
Adds an attribute to the Get-Printer-Attributes request. This allows you to filter printers based on specific attributes.
-d number
Sets the debug level. Higher values produce more verbose output.
-h hostname[:port]
Specifies the hostname and optional port number to use for the multicast discovery request. This option is generally not needed, as ippfind uses the default IPP multicast address and port.
-g group-name
Specifies an IPP multicast group name.
-k
Keep trying the multicast discovery requests until a printer is found.
DESCRIPTION
ippfind is a command-line utility used to discover IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) printers on a network. It sends IPP multicast requests to the network and listens for responses from printers advertising their services. This allows users to easily locate available printers without needing to know their specific IP addresses or hostnames.
ippfind can filter printers based on various criteria, such as printer URI schemes (e.g., ipp, ipps), version numbers, and specific attributes. It can also be used to test basic IPP connectivity. This command is invaluable for network administrators and users who need to quickly identify and connect to IPP printers in a networked environment. It typically forms part of larger printing systems like CUPS, offering a simple and reliable method for printer discovery.
CAVEATS
ippfind relies on printers properly advertising themselves using IPP multicast. If a printer is not configured to do so, or if multicast traffic is blocked on the network, ippfind will not be able to find it. Furthermore, it does not provide detailed information about the printer; it only provides the printer's URI.
RESOURCE URI SCHEMES
Resource URI schemes specify the type of URI to search for. Common schemes include 'ipp' and 'ipps'. Specifying multiple schemes will search for printers that support any of the listed schemes. For example, `ippfind ipp ipps` will look for both IPP and IPPS printers.