At 06:41 -0800 01/15/2005, jack law wrote:
into a HP Laserjet 5MP through the serial port. I would like to allow all the computers on the network to print to the 5MP. Is it possible? Is there an ethernet box or card that would accomodate the 5MP?
The 5MP already has network capabilities. It's just that the nomenclature doesn't make that very clear. According to the "Interface and Network Information" section here: <http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bpl02556&locale=en_US#N107AF> the 5MP is a LocalTalk/AppleTalk printer, not a serial port printer.
Apple's serial ports on the Macintosh are actually dual function. Used in some ways they are serial ports. Used with AppleTalk pointed at one, that "serial" port becomes a LocalTalk port and LocalTalk is a type of network media.
So in addition to your ethernet network you also have a LocalTalk network with just two nodes, the computer who's serial port you're using and the 5 MP. The trick is to interface your LocalTalk network to your ethernet network.
Asante, Farallon and Dyna make or made equipment to do exactly that. I'm most familiar with Asante, so I'll only discuss their products. The most recent is the AsanteTalk. It's about the size of a pack of cards and connects to your ethernet network on one side and to your LocalTalk network on the other side. So, in practice, you would connect the AsanteTalk to your router with an Ethernet patch cable and connect the Asantetalk to your 5 MP with a "serial" cable or a pair of PhoneNet connectors and telephone cable. The AsanteTalk automatically bridges between the two network media. You can also use it to get your older non-ethernet equipped Macs on the network if you have any.
Asante's earlier version of the AsanteTalk was the MicroAsantePrint. This is virtually identical except that it has more network management capabilities (mostly useless to a home user) and comes stock with fewer cables included.
Dyna and Farallon offered similar products.
At our house, I use a MicroAsantePrint to link our ethernet network to a LocalTalk segment that includes our old TI Microlaser Printer PS35 and a LocalTalk equipped ImageWriter II. Because I have the MAP connected to a LocalTalk hub (not necessary) in our wiring closet, it's easy to patch any jack in the house into the LocalTalk segment. This is handy if I need to load some software on the IIci and don't want to go looking for my Nubus Ethernet cards.
Jeff Walther
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