[TriLUG] printer configurations

[M. Mueller/bhu5nji]

Thanks for all the replies.  I went off to samba.org and did some reading at 
the introductory level.

Option B  gives me the last nudge I needed to dig into Samba.  I've been 
swapping files between machines on the LAN with ftp like I was running circa 
1978 Unix.  Samba will pull me into modern times of print and file serving.

I liked the print server idea but I feel I really must try to make use of 
idle parallel ports I have and save $$$$.  In researching available boxes I 
found the Linksys Gigadrive 20 that uses RH Linux inside and it supports 
Samba.  It's a NAS for $600.  I found another Linksys box that did print 
serving only for about $169.  The HP box was about $249.

Mike M.


On Wednesday 23 January 2002 10:37 pm, you wrote:
> > > B. printer connected by Parallel port to linux box; w98 prints to linux
> > > box acting as print server
> >
> > You'd need to get an "LPD" driver for the win98 boxes, but this should
> > work fine.  You might have problems supporting the advanced features of
> > the printer, however... A or C would be better if you need the advanced
> > features.
>
> There is no need for an LPD driver under this option.  Just share the
> printer under Samba, and Windows and set it up just fine.  I'm using
> this configuration in my own home network, and got it set up just
> beautifully with an HP LaserJet 6P.  This is not that hard to set up,
> and so long as you have the correct printer files, it works like a
> charm.  Those come with ghostscript, so make sure that is installed, and
> look into www.linuxprinting.org for more info on your particular
> printer.
>
> > > C. get Ethernet card for printer; still need to choose a print server?
> > > both W98 and linux box?
> >
> > You wouldn't really need either box to be a print server; assuming the
> > Ethernet card for the printer is "JetDirect" compatible, the printer gets
> > its own IP address, and each client connects directly to it.  Plain
> > vanilla Win98 doesn't include a driver to do this, but there are scads
> > available (and one will come with the printer's Ethernet card for sure).
> >
> > I'd vote for this solution.  We use it in my department and it works
> > fine. I can print from several Linux boxes, from win98 within Win4Lin,
> > and my co-workers print from Win98 native with no problems.  The win98
> > clients can access all the advanced features, too.  (Our specific
> > printer is a Lexmark, however.)
> >
> > > D. Keep W98 and Linux separate; move printer from w98 to Linux box when
> > > necessary
>
> Allow me to propose an option E:  Buy a digital parallel port switch and
> use that.  That way you install the printer as local on both machines,
> yet both can print to the device just the same.  Only snafu is that (I
> believe) you'd get 'device busy' errors if the other machine is printing
> when you try to print.  I could be wrong.  Any thoughts anyone?
>
> Regards,
> Ben Pitzer