Subj : Looking for some printer ideas.
To   : All
From : Peter Knapper
Date : Sat May 14 2005 11:46 am

Hi Folks,

How does one get a Print Server working with OS/2 Warp 4 FP15 (or later)? I 
have asked about this before but never was able to get things working so I gave 
up. I now have updated criteria so need to ask again......;-)

My current setup -
All current machines on my Home LAN are OS/2 Warp 4 FP15 based and a Linux box 
_MAY_ eventually be added. I have an older Epson Photo Stylus printer with both 
Paralllel and USB ports, connected via Parallel interface to 1 machine, and 
that printer is shared to all my other OS/2 machines on the Home LAN. This 
works fine.

Among other things, the Epson is now over 6 years old and although 1440 x 720 
produces reasonable results it is getting a bit dated). A quick check using the 
USB port showed that while the W4 FP15 PC can see and identify the printer ok 
(it even gives printer Firmware revisions!), nothing ever prints via USB. The 
Job simply disappears from the Spooler and goes.. somewhere... I put this down 
to the early level of USB support in base W4 FP15 so went back to Parallel and 
its worked fine ever since. 

The future. 
Any decent NEW printer these days usually only has a USB port, so I have been 
toying with the idea of using a Print Server and therefore bypassing the USB 
issue with Warp 4 (I also have ECS 1.2 that can do USB but I would rather move 
the printer onto a standalone solution).

Solution.
Install a LAN connected Print Server that has both parallel and USB ports and 
this will also remove Host dependency for the printer. Simple..... or so it 
seems...

Actions so far.
I have picked up an old Intel NetportExpress Pro/100 Print Server (PS) to try, 
but so far have been unable to get the damned thing working. I am able to 
configure the PS with an IP address and can access its HTTP management 
interface ok. The Print Server also recognies and prints a Print Server 
Configuration and Status Report (in plain text) locally to the Epson no 
problem, however I cannot seem to get any OS/2 machine to print to the printer. 


When I print to the PrintServer, the printer object on the source machine shows 
that it captures the print job ok, then shortly after that the job disappears 
as it "successfully" prints... except nothing appears on the printer...

Questions -
  1. Does anyone know if the Intel Netport Express Print server can actualy be 
made to work with OS/2?
  2. If anyone is using a LAN/Parallel/USB Printer server with OS/2, what 
make/model are you using and how did to get it to work?
  3. What recent Colour Photo Quality printer works well for you?

All ideas welcome............pk.


--- Maximus/2 3.01
 * Origin: Another Good Point About OS/2 (3:772/1.10)

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