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Print from your own computer (Mac) - B&W & Color Printers

Instructions for printing from your own personal Mac to campus lab printers
HP Printer Drivers Table
To connect and print, your computer must be connected to the Rice Owls Wireless or Wired Networks. If you are off-campus, start by logging in to VPN.

Also, you should install the printer drivers before configuring the printers. See list of printers and drivers below.

HP Printer Drivers

If you want to add the Mudd Lab plotters to your Mac, refer to the KnowledgeBase [link pending].

Common Printers on the OWLPRINTING server

For color printing, use:

Color Printing
Printer  URL  Driver
Fondren Color

smb://owlprinting.ad.rice.edu/fondrencolor

HP Laserjet M750 

For black and white printing, use:

Black Ink Only Printing
Printer  URL  Driver
Mudd Lab 101   smb://owlprinting.ad.rice.edu/md101ps  HP LaserJet 4250dn
Fondren B&W smb://owlprinting.ad.rice.edu/

There are two methods for adding the Mudd printer queues to your Macintosh device: the GUI method or if you are an administrator on your computer, you can use the IPadmin command in the Terminal window. (Note: The command line method is easier than it sounds - you just cut and paste the commands listed at the bottom of this page to add the desired printers.)


 METHOD 1: Using the MacOS Graphical User Interface (GUI):

1. Click on the Apple logo in the top left corner. From the menu, select Systems Preferences.

The apple menu showing options like Systems Preferences


2. In System Preferences, select Printers & Scanners.

Systems Preferences

3. In the Printers & Scanners preference pane, select the plus button (+) to add the printer.

The Printers & Scanners preference pane

4. On the pop-up screen, right-click or CTRL-click the banner and select Customize Toolbar.

A pop-up screen showing Customize Toolbar

5. You can drag and place the Advanced icon on the top banner of your window.

drag and place the Advanced icon to the top banner of your window

6. After the "Advanced" option has been added, select the icon and fill in the appropriate settings as follows:

See tables at the bottom of the page for printer information, like names and drivers. 

  1. Type: Windows / Windows printer via spoolss
  2. Device: Another Device
  3. URL: smb://owlprinting.ad.rice.edu/printername
  4. Name: Rename printer if necessary
  5. Location: Nothing is needed in this field
  6. Use: Using the dropdown menu, choose:
    1. Select Software
    2. In the query window, upper right corner, type the manufacturer name and model of the printer you are trying to set up. Choose the correct printer and hit OK. The correct driver will populate at the bottom of the window as illustrated below.
    3. If the printer driver is unlisted, refer to the instructions at the top of this page and install the relevant driver(s).The window to add printer

7. Next please visit the Printer and Plotter Locations & Rates page to find out if the printer you are installing has a duplex available. If so, then be sure to install the option to print dual-sided.

Installable options

8. Your printer should be added now.

Printer Added

9. Next time you choose to print from the newly installed printer you will be prompted to enter your NetID and password to print.

  1. Login as ADRICE\yournetID and select OK.

Login as ADRICE\yournetID

If the job does not reach the printer due to an authentication error in the computer's print queue, delete the print job and try again. It should work successively thereafter.

 METHOD 2: Unix Terminal Method

  1. STEP 1: Open the Terminal. app program found in the /Applications/Utilities/ directory on your Macintosh (you need to be an administrator on your computer to do this)
    Accessign Terminal window on Macintosh
  2. STEP 2: At the prompt, cut and paste the command string for the printer(s) you want to configure.
    • To add the MD101PS (The main lab printer in Mudd), use this command:


lpadmin -p "it_md101ps" -v "smb://owlprinting.ad.rice.edu/md101ps" -D "IT-MD101PS" -L "Mudd Operations Desk B & W" -P "/Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/HP LaserJet 4250.gz" -E -o HPOption_Tray3=True -o HPOption_Duplexer=True -o printer-is-shared=false

  1. STEP 3: When you print to these queues because they require your Rice NetID authentication to proceed, you may need to click on the "retry" button to get the authentication prompt.
For more information and support, please contact the OIT Help Desk


KeywordsMac, plotter, owlprinting, add printer, printing, print, gplotter   Doc ID71272
OwnerEnrique H.GroupRice U
Created2017-03-02 16:31:29Updated2023-08-29 17:30:29
SitesRice University
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