--- Gretchen Summers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I am new to this list, but not new to computing. > > I would like to share printers between my iMac > (OSX.3.2) and a PC > running XP. I have spent countless hours trying to > figure out how to > make this work. I have a Brother HL-1440 hooked up > to my iMac, and a Canon i560 attached to the PC.
This site <http://products.consumerguide.com/cp/electronics/review/index.cfm/id/22655> mentions that there was a network adapter for the Brother, and I found several mentions that the Canon works with ethernet print servers that have parallel ports for the printer to plug into, like this one. <http://www.file.cc/Netgear_PS101_Mini_Pocket_Print_Server_B00006B9HK.html> If you do eBay you can find used HP JetDirect external printservers going cheap. Make sure you research the model at hp.com before bidding. You don't want a Token Ring interface and the oldest models you'd want to consider are the EX Plus series. Previous ones didn't have built in flash ROM for upgrades and the Flash SIMMs for the older ones are pure unobtanium these days. Make sure to get a power supply with the server! HP uses weird connectors and it's hard to find the right sort of "wall wart". I lucked out on finding a Sony camcorder supply that works fine with my JetDirect EX Plus 3. Had to trim back the plastic on the plug a bit but other than that it was perfect. One big reason why I like the HP JetDirects is HP has a free network printer setup wizard that makes setting up a printer very easy. HP also has a free program to update the firmware in their print servers that have flash ROM. Newer JetDirects have a built in web server so that with the right network setup you can access them (and your printers) from anywhere in the world you can get on the net. For older ones without built in web support there is the free Web JetAdmin. WJA runs on a PC on your network and acts as a gateway between the net and your webserver-less print servers. I have a LaserJet 4 with a JetDirect in its MIO slot. It has a PostScript Level 2 SIMM and fortunately HP got over their anti-Mac fit they had with the LJ III series and provided Mac drivers for the 4, 5 and 6 series. My other LaserJet is a IIID with a PostScript Level 1 cartridge, attached to the JetDirect EX Plus 3, which has three parallel ports so I could connect two more printers. Unfortunately I still haven't found a solution to having the IIID on the LAN _and_ accessible to both Mac and PC. I can remove the PostScript cartridge and connect it direct to a Mac with PowerPrint, but then since it doesn't have PostScript it can't be shared with DAVE or PC MacLAN. There just aren't any "native" Mac drivers for the LaserJet III series. A PC running Linux with the IIID connected _might_ be a solution, but then I'd have to have a PC up and running whenever I'd want to print from any computer to the IIID. The "perfect" solution is PowerPrint for network, but that's also the EXPENSIVE solution since it comes with a print server similar to a JetDirect. For that kind of money I could just go buy a newer LaserJet with a duplexer, PostScript and Mac support that'll work with the JetDirect I already have, or with its own internal server like the LJ4. ===== Say hello to Juror #49. Yep, I'm on jury duty until the end of March. Gotta call in each weekend. Fun. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/ -- Mac-N-DOS is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... / Buy books, CDs, videos, and more from Amazon.com \ / <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/lowendmac> \ Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Mac-N-DOS list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/mac-n-dos.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/mac-n-dos%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
