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Drivers for hardware installation

This is potentially a problem area. In many cases you won't need one as ubuntu handles installation well. For example it installed my HP laserjet, which sits on a wired Jetdirect print server, with no difficulty. After setting up a connection with the print server, it connected me with gutenprint to download a driver and it worked perfectly.

Some manufacturers are including linux drivers with such as printers, scanners, network switches and so on. These are probably not available for the very newest devices. Before you buy a new device it is worth visiting the maker's site or asking on the ubuntu forum if a driver is available. As ubuntu gains users we can expect that manufacturers will realise they must offer the drivers.

TP-Link, which makes a variety of network devices, has a GPL Code Center on its website from which GNU source code can be downloaded.

Here is a list of makers whose devices I have used, and are either handled within ubuntu or for which GNU drivers are available:

Within ubuntu

Hewlett Packard printers

Canon printers and scanners

GNU drivers

TP-Link routers

Please let me know of your experience with drivers and installation so I can add it here

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(C) Peter Scott 2013

Last edit 26 December 2015