SCOUG-General Mailing List Archives

<< Previous Message <<

Date:	Sun, 10 Mar 2002 22:07:55 PST7
From:	Steve Carter <scarter@vcnet.com >
Reply-To:	scoug-general@scoug.com
To:	scoug-general@scoug.com,discussion@possi.org
Subject:	SCOUG-General: OS/2 Print Server Deal (long)

Content Type: text/plain

I've recently come to experience the joy (and pain) of network
printing. As the number of computers here increases only slightly
faster than the number of printers, I found a need to print to
any printer from any computer, no matter which machine was ON
at the moment. Since I have DSL and thus an ethernet switch/hub,
but no server, the obvious choice quickly became network (peer)
printing. TCP/IP printing on my tiny class C private network
is the clear choice, since it is a component of any
industrial-strength operating system and easily added to W9x.

Finding a quality stand-alone external print server to make
the connection between printer and ethernet is only a challenge
if your budget is limited, like mine. HP makes a number of
fine products and newer players have moved into the bottom
of the market. But some of the least-expensive products do
not offer TCP/IP printing and must be disqualified.

Recently I came across a few new, old-stock (circa 1996) DIGI 3410X
pocket print servers. Smaller than a pack of cigarettes, the 3410X
attaches right to the printer's Centronics port and has its own
wall-wart 5V power supply, drawing about 3 Watts total. This
10MB/s device is plenty fast enough for a printer. Setup is
by Telnet to the print server's settable IP address on port 2002,
rather reminiscent of BBS-ing. One came with my Xerox NC20
(rebranded Lexmark Optra 45) and works well. It supports ALL
the desirable protocols. The firmware is easily flash-upgradable;
the newest release is 1/9/2002 and added DHCP to my 3410X.

I originally bought my 3410X on eBay. Contact the seller directly
-- Bill Wright <71553.500@compuserve.com> in Irvine, CA. I met
him briefly at a SCOUG meeting (he delivered the printserver!)
and he's a real person. The cost is $25 plus shipping. This is
a small stash and won't last. I've got mine.

This is identical to eBAY item #2005874532 from another seller,
except it comes with a real power supply, not a "patch cord"
-- you don't have to find a 5V power supply and hope it's compatible.

Visit: ftp://ftp.milan.com/pub/printSrv
for all the latest files.

I chose NOT to use the included Windows LPR program and instead use
the FREE IBM LPR Remote Printing Client for Windows 95, available
for downloading from the www.printers.ibm.com (works on W98 too!).
Or the FTP site is:

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/printers/products/netprt/lpr

Need I mention? OS/2 comes with TCP/IP printing -- nothing else needed.

(Sorry to sound so commercial, but this is a neat gizmo at the
right time and I'm thrilled to have found it.)

=====================================================

To unsubscribe to this list, send an email message
to "steward@scoug.com". In the body of the message,
put the command "unsubscribe scoug-general".

For problems, contact the list owner at
"rollin@scoug.com".

=====================================================

Return to [ 10 | March | 2002 ]

SCOUG, Warp Expo West, and Warpfest are trademarks of the Southern California OS/2 User Group. OS/2, Workplace Shell, and IBM are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.