Level 1

30 points

Printer job "On hold (authentication required)"

My set-up:

2 x iMac running 10.6.2 attached to AEBS via ethernet
1 x MacBook running 10.6.2 attached to AEBS via wireless
1 x HP PSC 1600 printer/scanner USB atached to one of the iMacs

Printer sharing is enabled: everyone can print can print from either iMac.

On the MacBook I can add the printer easily enough but, when I try to print, the job is held with the status: On hold (authentication required):

!http://idisk.me.com/charlie.whitfield/Public/Pictures/Skitch/HP PSC_1600_series_%40_bucky_%281Job%29-20100120-122550.jpg!

What's happening here. I've found the same problem in networks involving Windows machines, but I'm all OSX.

iMac: 2 GHz Core 2 Duo, 4 GB RAM. MacBook: 2.13 GHz Core 2 Duo, 4 GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 20, 2010 4:26 AM

Top-ranking reply

Hen3ry

Level 3

505 points

Posted on Jul 10, 2010 2:47 PM

Hello,

Trying to print from an iMac running 10.6.x to a shared Canon Pixma iP4500 printer USB-connected on another local iMac running 10.5.x, I encountered the "printing on hold (authentication required)" blockage.

I fixed it. At least for one test case.

Here is what I did:

After checking all the usual issues in the Sharing and Print-Fax Control panels without any improvement, and verifying that local printing functioned normally, I went to the local machine, opened a browser window, and entered this URL:

http://localhost:631

This is the control interface for the CUPS printing subsystem on that machine. (CUPS stands for "Common UNIX Printing System" and appears be the mechanism that makes printing work on MacOS X.) Then I chose the Administration tab. This revealed a button "Edit Configuration File". I clicked on that and got a editable window containing the configuration file. I located the following text sequence:

...
<Location />
Allow From None
Allow From @LOCAL
....

Interpretation: No printing request from a remote machine would be accepted. (Note: I neglected to write down the text I found there. I am fairly certain of the word "None" -- it was either that or something synonymous.)

I changed this to

...
<Location />
Allow From All
Allow From @LOCAL
....

and saved the edit. At that point I was informed of a printing subsystem reset.

I walked over to the "remote" machine and attempted to print on the Canon. It now worked.

Note 1: The configuration file is available on the local 10.5.x machines that I checked, but it doesn't seem to be accessible on my 10.6.4 machine. Clicking on "Edit Configuration File" has no effect. Why? I think it may be a permissions issue. Security has been tightened on 10.6.4, I think.

Note 2: There's an option to use the default configuration. But the default doesn't seem to say "Allow from None" or anything similar in the Location section.

Here's my interpretation of what I'm seeing:

Most, maybe all, adjustments that affect local printing end up modifying this configuration file. It accumulates changes over time, and gets progressively harder to read, and perhaps the printing subsystem becomes a bit confused. Maybe for that reason, or some completely different one, the text denying all remote accesses was inserted on the 10.5.x machine. Changes to GUI printing setup in the Print&FAX control panel or elsewhere may not be able to undo the damage, so a manual modification was required.

hen3ry

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109 replies

Ber121b

Level 1

0 points

Mar 12, 2014 2:05 AM in response to dricom

I just groan at all of this. Basically Mavericks is being marketed as offering seamless working with Windows and that is demonstrably untrue. Apple are aware of that and in legal terms that should make the situation untenable for them. I do hope some lawyer takes out a class action suit, takes a few depositions from Apple execs and has the situation fully covered in the media. If he still worked for the WSJ I would contact Walt Mossberg.

Incidentally the latest version on Ubuntu took me less than 3 minutes to link up with my Windows network.

I had the same difficulties using Windows 8.1 and Parallels on my Mac.

Nor will the Mac easily sign in to my BT Internet network as a computer in the network.

Incidentally Crossover as a Windows emulator seems to work exceedingly well. Bearing in mind the OSX printer problems might be just as well to install Ubuntu, Crossover and any Windows programs I want. Security much better than OSX.

The difference between OSX and Windows appears to be OSX is easier to use until you get into problems, then Windows seems much better. The detail and content of this thread seems to show OSX is a bit of a joke when surely Apple must reads it. Presumably they consider connecting to a Windows network printer not that important.

Ber121b

Level 1

0 points

Apr 6, 2014 2:53 PM in response to Ber121b

I have just returned the macbook Pro for a full refund. Does not work as advertised. What I would say about windows is that eventually you can find a way to make it work. Not at least this aspect of Mavericks OSX 10.9.

Mar 21, 2015 8:39 PM in response to caw35slr

Solved by assuring the services were set up correctly.

My setup is:

One wired Mac (to the router) with HP Color Jet 5600

One wireless mac

One wireless iPad

Two wireless iPhones

Three wireless Android Tablets

One wireless server running Win Server 2008 R2

One wireless server running Win Server 2008 with an ethernet HP Color Laser 4600 printer

Printing to the HP 4600 has been problematic, being down more than up. It came down to going to the Win Server 2008 computer and assuring both Remote Procedure Call Services were set to Automatic. One was set to manual. Also assured DCOM Service Process Launcher was set to automatic. These services are dependencies of the Print Spooler Service.

infias

Level 1

4 points

Jan 4, 2016 9:00 AM in response to caw35slr

I just want to point out how absurd it is that 3+ years later, this is still an issue that I have to go through archaic methods to fix every time my network password at work changes. It even says "authentication required" so why not actually prompt for authentication instead of just hanging indefinitely?

Klaus1

Level 9

52,873 points

Apr 7, 2016 10:45 AM in response to sheriffrompefferlaw

Your problem, hardware or software, may not be exactly the same as that of the original poster of this older thread (already marked Solved), and it can be very confusing for everybody if we try to answer more than one question in each thread, which can also result in you applying the wrong advice to your particular problem.

In order for us to give your problem our proper attention to try to solve it, would you kindly start your own thread, describing the trouble you are having in the fullest detail, including completing your details to show what Mac or iDevice you are using, what operating system, and what version of the application in question. Please remember to post in the forum relevant to your hardware or version of OS X. A full list of all the support forums is here:

http://discussions.apple.com/index.jspa

Mar 30, 2017 9:39 AM in response to tomkludy

This is what worked for me, so thank you! I have macOS Sierra and was trying to connect to a Windows 10 PC connected via USB to a printer over my home network. HomeGroup was turned on.

What I struggled with is finding the other logon name. I found it via System Properties>Advanced>User Profiles>Settings under the Name column.

caw35slr Author

Level 1

30 points

Feb 9, 2010 6:54 AM in response to caw35slr

This is fixed although I'm sorry to reiterate that I'm not exactly sure what did it. If you have the same problem, persist! Good luck.

Apr 29, 2010 4:00 AM in response to Paula Galland1

Help! I am getting the same error with an Olympus P-10 connected directly via USB. The uninstall-reinstall didn't help at all.

Apr 29, 2010 5:12 PM in response to nucleon2000

And to make it weirder, the printer works on my son's MacBook, and I can access it via his computer without difficulty!!!!

Sep 7, 2010 1:32 PM in response to Hen3ry

Thank you!!! It worked when I changed Deny from all to allow from all.

FelipeV

Level 6

12,041 points

Mar 12, 2011 6:44 AM in response to Hen3ry

This worked for me. Thanks

Jan 21, 2012 10:06 AM in response to b-dogg

This solved my problem. Thanks

RGS89

Level 1

0 points

Jan 21, 2012 3:33 PM in response to alan263

THANK YOU ALAN263!!! Took me like 4 hours to finally find this solution thanks to you! I believe this is the solution for anyone running Lion. Thanks again, great news!

PlutoM

Level 1

0 points

Sep 4, 2012 6:50 AM in response to matthewdebeyer

Thank you... mine is now working...

Sep 10, 2012 9:01 PM in response to Macounette

Macounette...This solved my printer authentication problem, thanks!

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Printer job "On hold (authentication required)"