SUMMARY: Unix, Macs, and Windows: accessing the same printers

From: John R Mudd (jrm@pgroup.com)
Date: Fri Sep 27 1996 - 18:39:06 CDT


The question was about getting Macs, Unixen, and NT machines to use
the same printers. The printers exist on an Mac/EtherTalk network
and the Unix systems use CAP. What did I need to do to get some new
NT systems to print properly?

This answer was the best. Most of the other replies missed the point
about the printers not being hosted from a Unix system. One person
suggested Personal MacLan Connect from Miramar Software from a Win95
box.

This was a relatively painless task, thank goodness.

---------------------------

To: John R Mudd <jrm@pgroup.com>
Subject: Re: Unix, Macs, and Windows: accessing the same printers
Reply-to: jhsieh@soemail.ucsd.edu (James Hsieh)
Date: Fri, 27 Sep 1996 14:23:06 -0700
From: James Hsieh <jhsieh@soemail.ucsd.edu>
 
> I run a small site that has printers that are accessible from both Unix
> and Macs. I accomplish this, as many other sites have, by putting the
> printers on a LocalTalk network and running CAP on one of my Unix hosts
> to direct the Unix printing requests.
>
> Recently we've added a couple of NT boxes and I'd like to share these
> printers as well. I'm afraid I simply don't have enough knowledge about
> configuring NT to do this.
>
> One possibility is to use HP' JetDirect software on all the machines
> possible and let it handle the printing. Of course, to my knowledge,
> JetDirect doesn't work on all the platforms that I need it to (mainly
> it doesn't work on Linux or Solaris86)
>
> What are my other alternatives?
 
If your Unix hosts can talk to the printers via CAP, then you must be running
EtherTalk -- the ethernet version of LocalTalk and not the old-fashioned
phone-cable version of LocalTalk. If this is the case, NT has AppleTalk
Protocol support which you can use to access your printers.
 
You don't specify if you're using NT 3.51 or NT 4.0. I assume 3.51 since I
think I'm one of the few lucky ones with NT 4.0?
 
For 3.51, in your Network Control Panel, do an "Add Software" for the Network
Package "Services for Macintosh". This should install AppleTalk capability
on your machine. Configure your printer via the "Print Manager" -- you'll
need to "Create Port" and choose "Appletalk Printer" (or something like that).
It should give you a Zone listing, and then the printers within the Zone when
you double-click the Zone (assuming you have Zones). I think it's pretty
point and click from there. Whatever you do DO NOT CAPTURE THE PRINTER!!!!!!
Otherwise, all your print jobs will end up taking an extra hop through your
NT machine (and you DO NOT WANT THIS!)
 
If you're using 4.0, you go into the Network Control Panel, click on the
Protocols tab, and Add the AppleTalk Protocol. Configure your printer in
the same manner as above.
 
I can't give you nitty gritty details for 3.51 since I don't have any of
those left, but I hope these instructions are enough to get you through the
right door? I can be of more help on 4.0 since I have that sitting in front
of me (unfortunately).
 
There's another alternative to doing AppleTalk printing which is to assign
IP numbers to the HP printers (I assume they are HP printers since you mention
JetDirect software and that they have ethernet/JetDirect cards). Then, use
lpd printing from NT to talk to the printers (you'll have to add some other
Service in the Network Control Panel which escapes me what the name is
under 3.51, but it's called Microsoft TCP/IP Printing under Services in 4.0).
 
In any case, good luck.
 
--James Hsieh

--
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[ UC San Diego             --+--            Office of Engineering Computing ]
[ 9500 Gilman Dr 0405        |                       email: jhsieh@ucsd.edu ]
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