CUPS & unauthorized error msgs

I'm new to cups... thought I had it setup but when I tried to create a new printer (-usr-local-cups-sbin-lpadmin -p Belk406 -E -v socket:--123.321.123.321:9100 -m laserjet.ppd), my daemon appears to go into a loop. The error log then contains (debug2 level of debugging):

d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 CloseClient: Removing fd 5 from InputSet and OutputSet... d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 AcceptClient(lis=5fae0) 0 NumClients = 0 D 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 AcceptClient: 5 from localhost:631. d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 AcceptClient: Adding fd 5 to InputSet... d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 ReadClient: 5, used=0, file=-1 D 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 ReadClient: 5 POSTadminHTTP-1.1 d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 decodeauth(6acf0): Authorization string = "Local E18D65F6B942722D0068 plus 1AC2EC02F5D03" d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 decodeauth: 5 username= d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 FindBest: uri = "-admin-"... d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 FindBest: Location Limit 7f d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 FindBest: Locationadmin Limit 7f d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 FindBest: best = "-admin" d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 IsAuthorized: auth = 0, satisfy=0... d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 IsAuthorized: username = pbuttword = 0 chars d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 ReadClient: Unauthorized request foradmin-... D 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 SendError: 5 code=401 (Unauthorized) d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 FindBest: uri = "-admin-"... d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 FindBest: Location Limit 7f d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 FindBest: Locationadmin Limit 7f d 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 FindBest: best = "-admin" D 16-Mar-2005:14:02:07 +0500 CloseClient: 5

I'm dumbfuzzled - why am I getting an unauthorized??

tia pj