Baslinux mailing list

["Anthony Albert" <albert AT umpi.maine.edu>]

On 1 Dec 2005 at 20:05, sindi keesan wrote:
>We were given two postscript-capable network printers, the older one 
>(working) an HP with parport, BNC and RJ45 connectors (probably 10Mbit) 
>and the newer one (not yet working - gets a checksum error when I load the 
>printer software to the hard drive we put into it) a color laser printer 
>with parport and RJ45 that is 10 or 100MBit (the printer came with 
>either option, post 1998).  Even 10MBit would be faster than parport.
>
>I could download a 32MB network management program to send files to the 
>printer over a network, but I think I can also ftp them over a crossover 
>cable if I can assign an IP number to the printer - how can I do that with 
>BL?  The manual assumes an ethernet hub, which I also have but have not 
>used.  ftp 192.168.1.x, bin, put filename.ps, bye.  Presumably I could 
>also set up a plip connection - does ftp work via plip?  There is even a 
>serial port.  The thing has a 133MHz cpu and 4 SIMM slots and a scsi 
>controller.  But no keyboard (just a few menu type buttons) and a very 
>minimal screen.

The "network management program" likely isn't just the drivers - those 
you can usually get separately, but also a setup/configuration program 
(DOS/Windows only, sorry) which is quite handy, if you're going to set 
the printer up in a networked mode.  If you're going to use the 
parallel port, you probably don't need to do any config, though you can 
go through the menus if need be.

Typically, HP network-capable printers (and other brands) can be 
configured to work via TCP/IP printing to support either direct 
printing to the printer ( with an lpd-like daemon), or to connect to 
Netware or Windows servers of some kind.   TCP/IP settings can be set 
using DHCP, or staticly. (Usually static settings can be done through 
the printer menus.)  You may want to set up a server, but you more 
likely can set up the printer as a stand-alone, with static addressing.

You should be able to do this entirely through the menus on the 
printer, but you will likely want to dig around on the HP web site for 
manuals.

>The printers can do postscript 2 and pcl 5 (HP?).  Can I simply cat 
>filename.ps > /dev/lp0?  And with netpbm:  jpegtopnm filename.ps|pnmtops 
>[options for resolution] > /dev/lp0?  (or pbmtolj for monochrome files). 
>I don't think I need ghostscript, which is for printing ps or pdf on a 
>non-ps printer.

Once you set up the printer with a static IP, and set up Linux to 
connect to it to print, you shuld be able to just redirect to the 
printer port, yes.

>How would I write a printcap for a ps printer on lp0?  If I use the 
>ethernet connection do I replace /dev/lp0 with /dev/eth0 (and for serial 
>with ttyS0) and ifconfig eth0 and what else needs changing?
>
>A friend got these from a warehouse that was going to dump them and they 
>are huge (2' cubes) so he gave them to us, knowing we have a bit of floor 
>space left.

The laser printer I currently use is a early office model Panasonic 
that I rescued from the dumpster.  It's not fast ( 2-4 ppm ) but works 
well within its limits.  Keep using it until it can't be used any more, 
is my motto!

Anthony Albert
===========================================================
Anthony J. Albert                     albert AT umpi.maine.edu
Systems and Software Support Specialist          Postmaster
Computer Services - University of Maine, Presque Isle
        "This is only temporary, unless it works."
                        --- Red Green