Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2000 00:14:38 -0500 From: Chris Hill <chris@monochrome.org> To: ccba <ccba@mindspring.com> Cc: FreeBSD Questions list <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: Recognizing LAN printers Message-ID: <v03007800b4d387b8aa25@[192.168.1.3]> In-Reply-To: <38ADC423.814D584@mindspring.com>
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ccba <ccba@mindspring.com> qrote, > I have a FreeBSD machine connected to a hub, there is a postscript >printer also connected to the hub, along with 2 macs, and a pc running >win95. > The printer is a NEC Silentwriter II Model 90 (again) configured to >LocalTalk, and there is a localtalk cable connecting the printer to an >"Asante Localtalk to Ethernet Bridge". The bridge is connected to the > hub. > Two other Macs connected to the hub print fine, another PC running >Win95 also print fine to this printer. > >Problem: > The FreeBSD machine is not seeing the printer. In order for FreeBSD to see the printer on the network, the printer needs to have an IP address. I'm not sufficiently familiar with the Asante box to know whether or not it performs this function. If it claims to be a "print server," then this can probably be made to work. Did the Asante box come with any software to let you configure it? The Macs and the WinBlows box work because they are speaking their native protocols, which the printer evidently understands. >Question: >1. What do I need to do in order for the FreeBSD machine to print to >this LAN printer ? The simplest thing would probably be to connect the printer to the FreeBSD box via the parallel port (assuming the printer has one). Then run netatalk to make it available to the Macs, and samba to make it available to WinDoze. NB - In my experience, netatalk is a piece of cake to get working, but samba can be quite involved. Both are in the ports collection. It *may* be possible to have one of the other computers act as a print server for the FreeBSD box, but I'm not sure how you would do that. Finally, you could buy a "print server" box, or a new printer that has useful interface(s). >2. A parallel printer is call lpt0, lpt1, etc. What is the device >name for the LAN printer ? There isn't one. If the printer has a "print server" - either the Asante box or an internal interface - then it appears to FreeBSD like a remote host with an attached printer, and needs to be configured as such in /etc/printcap. HTH -- Chris Hill chris@monochrome.org [place witty saying here] To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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