Getting a printer to work... (maybe off topic)

[S. Whitmore]

I couldn't find a more appropriate newsgroup and figured the
homebuilt-PC population would be a good group for creatively finding
a way to make things work, but if you know of a better newsgroup,
feel free to drop me a line or reply here and set followups to that
newsgroup.

I recently bought a Buffalo 300GB LinkStation (HD-HG300LAN Gigabit
Network Storage Center) which is advertised as offering a "built-in
print server" -- but the so-called print server only supports
PostScript and a few Epson printers. For printers, I have a Canon
S450 and an HP PSC 1410 All-in-One (the latter of which is presumably
excluded by Buffalo's fine print that "Multifunction printers are not
supported" since it's a scan/copy/print device). I found an online
review of the Canon S450 that says it has PostScript support, but the
manual says it doesn't, and I believe the manual. I haven't found
anything about getting the printer to emulate an Epson printer.

I have found a few references to getting the S450 working under Linux
by way of GhostScript (I think), but I haven't looked at them
in-depth because I'm not currently using Linux -- I would be printing
from Windows 2000, maybe Windows 98, and hopefully Mac OS X.

It's been many years since I did much with getting printers to work
in various situations, and a lot has changed since then. It would be
very nice if I could find a way to make one of these printers work
with this "print server" so I don't have to fire up a specific PC
when another PC wants to print something.

Any ideas toward a solution would be appreciated!

 

[Chris Hill]

I couldn't find a more appropriate newsgroup and figured the
homebuilt-PC population would be a good group for creatively finding
a way to make things work, but if you know of a better newsgroup,
feel free to drop me a line or reply here and set followups to that
newsgroup.

I recently bought a Buffalo 300GB LinkStation (HD-HG300LAN Gigabit
Network Storage Center) which is advertised as offering a "built-in
print server" -- but the so-called print server only supports
PostScript and a few Epson printers. For printers, I have a Canon
S450 and an HP PSC 1410 All-in-One (the latter of which is presumably
excluded by Buffalo's fine print that "Multifunction printers are not
supported" since it's a scan/copy/print device). I found an online
review of the Canon S450 that says it has PostScript support, but the
manual says it doesn't, and I believe the manual. I haven't found
anything about getting the printer to emulate an Epson printer.

I have found a few references to getting the S450 working under Linux
by way of GhostScript (I think), but I haven't looked at them
in-depth because I'm not currently using Linux -- I would be printing
from Windows 2000, maybe Windows 98, and hopefully Mac OS X.

It's been many years since I did much with getting printers to work
in various situations, and a lot has changed since then. It would be
very nice if I could find a way to make one of these printers work
with this "print server" so I don't have to fire up a specific PC
when another PC wants to print something.

I'm using a usb print server and ethernet switch combo from Linksys.
As long as the printer is usb, it doesn't give a rat's behind what it
is.

 

[johns]

The print servers I've worked with allow uploads of appropriate drivers
for different printers. See if the device has a tech support line, and
ask
them. However, this sort of thing only works for networked printers. If
you are setting up these printers for a company, then either they must
have internal network cards, or you have to buy an external network
"card" for them like an HP Jetdirect device that will network the
printer.
One thing for sure .. I've quit fooling around with everybodys ideas of
what "might" work .. and stupid "shares" of off-brand printers. I use
an
HP Print Server and either the HP 2000 series of printers, or the Dell
Laserjets which are affordable and sturdy. You set them up. They work
forever. And life is good!

johns