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If your network includes systems that run UNIX or Linux,
it’s likely that you need to allow these clients to print to printers hosted by
Windows 2000 Server. With these clients, an application can use the Line
Printer Remote (LPR) service to send a document to a print spooler.

While Windows 2000 and Windows XP clients don’t need the LPR
service to print to a TCP/IP-based printer, UNIX and Linux clients still
require the service. The first step in enabling these clients to print to a
printer hosted by Windows 2000 Server is to add Print Services for UNIX, which
is included with Windows 2000 Server.

You can add this service via the Add/Remove Programs applet
in Control Panel. Follow these steps:

  1. Go to
    Control Panel, and open the Add/Remove Programs applet.
  2. Click
    the Add/Remove Windows Components button, and select the Other Network
    File And Print Services group.
  3. Click
    Details, choose Print Services For UNIX, click OK, and click Next to
    follow through the rest of the wizard.

Then, verify that you’ve configured the service to start
automatically. Open the Services console, locate the TCP/IP Print Server
service, and configure it for automatic startup. Start the service if it hasn’t
already done so.

Next, configure the target printer for LPR. Open the
properties for an existing printer in the Printers folder, or add a new
printer. If you’re adding a new printer, choose the Create A New Port option in
the Add Printer wizard, and add the LPR port type. If you’re modifying an
existing printer, add the LPR port from the Ports tab of the printer’s
properties.

After you add the LPR service to the printer, UNIX and Linux
hosts will be able to print to it across the network.