Turn Your Ubuntu Server into a Home Print & Scan Hub (With HP ENVY Inspire 7220)

If you’ve ever wanted to free your home or office from cloud-dependent printers and scanners, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through how to turn an Ubuntu server into a fully local print-and-scan hub using the HP ENVY Inspire 7220, with CUPS handling the printing and SANE (plus optional scanservjs) powering network scanning for any device on your LAN.

What You’ll Need

HP ENVY Inspire 7220 (or similar All-in-One printer/scanner)
A running Ubuntu Server (I’m using Ubuntu 22.04)
Local network access (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
Basic command-line comfort
[Optional] Docker installed for a slick web scanning interface

Step 1: Connect Your Printer/Scanner

Connect the HP ENVY to your server:

Via USB, or
Ensure it’s connected to the same Wi-Fi network

Check it’s visible:

lsusb

Step 2: Install Essential Packages

Install the software stack for printing and scanning:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cups hplip sane sane-utils avahi-daemon

CUPS handles printing, HPLIP manages HP-specific features, and SANE is your go-to for scanning.

Step 3: Set Up the Printer with CUPS

Run the HPLIP wizard:

sudo hp-setup

Then configure CUPS:

sudo cupsctl --share-printers
sudo usermod -aG lpadmin $USER

Now head to:

http://<your-server-ip>:631
Go to Administration > Add Printer, and make sure it’s shared.

Boom. Printer’s online for all your devices.

Step 4: Set Up Scanner Access Over the Network

Check if your scanner is recognized:

scanimage -L

Edit the SANE daemon config:

sudo vim /etc/sane.d/saned.conf

Add your network range:

192.168.1.0/24

Now allow saned to run:

sudo nano /etc/default/saned
# Change to:
RUN=yes

Start the service:

sudo systemctl enable saned.socket
sudo systemctl start saned.socket

Now your scanner is network-accessible to Linux clients.

BONUS: Add a Web-Based Scanning UI with scanservjs

If you want a smooth browser interface to scan from any device, here’s how to set up scanservjs.

Make sure Docker is installed, then run:

docker run -d \
  --name=scanservjs \
  --device /dev/bus/usb \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  --privileged \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  sbs20/scanservjs

Now go to: http://<your-server-ip>:8080
You’ll get an intuitive UI where anyone can scan documents and download them.

Step 5: Connect Client Devices

On Linux:

Printer:

Use hp-setup or add the printer via http://<server-ip>:631

Scanner:

Install SANE (sane-utils)
Edit /etc/sane.d/net.conf: php-templateCopyEdit<server-ip>

On Windows:

Use HP’s drivers for printing
Access scans via http://<server-ip>:8080 in browser

Why Bother?

Setting this up means:

🌐 No need for cloud accounts or bloatware
📡 Anyone on your network can print or scan
💾 All documents stay local
🔒 Full control, privacy, and flexibility

Wrap-up

Building this local-first print-and-scan hub was super satisfying. With just a bit of Linux love and a trusty HP ENVY Inspire 7220, I now have a reliable DIY print server that’s cloud-free, clutter-free, and totally Droid Matrix-approved.

Have questions or want me to script it all for you? Drop a comment here!