How to connect PC to LaserWriter 360?

[foolofgrace]

I want to connect my LaserWriter 360 to my PC. The ports on the
LaserWriter are:

LocalTalk
RS-232/RS-422 (serial 25 pin)
Centronics parallel

My PC has Ethernet, USB, 25-pin serial.

Should I try to find a LocalTalk-to-Ethernet bridge cable? To sound
really dumb, is Ethernet-PC compatible with Ethernet-Mac?

I am guessing I could get a 25-pin serial cable but I think it might be
quite slow.

Thank you in advance.

Stacie

 

[zakezuke]

My PC has Ethernet, USB, 25-pin serial.

Should I try to find a LocalTalk-to-Ethernet bridge cable? To
sound
really dumb, is Ethernet-PC compatible with Ethernet-Mac?
I am guessing I could get a 25-pin serial cable but I think it
might be quite slow.

Thank you in advance

You have a legit question. From my understanding a simple localtalk
to ethernet bridge will just give you localtalk over ethernet. Not
TCP/IP nor Windows printer sharing. If we were talking windows NT
server I know it ships with "Services for Macintosh", but i'm not
seeing anything like that in windows xp. "Pc Maclan", software which
will handle mac file and printer sharing, might be required unless you
can pull that service from elsewhere.

For more details visit here
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=20148

Here is one such device
http://www.asante.com/products/CardsAdapters/AsanteTalk.asp

What I can say is odds are you need a null modem cable, not just a
regular 9pin to 25pin. Those are rare but what is not rare are 25 to
25pin null modem adapters. While the default speed on these printers
is 9600... it is possible to up the speed, though off hand I can't
remember those commands.

I know jack squat in this area, and you might wish to seek out an
authority in windows to localtalk networking to see if there is an
easier solution, but near as i'm aware you need both a bridge and
software to communicate with a printer over an appletalk bridge.

 

[foolofgrace]

Thanks so much for the quick response. Your info was very helpful. I
stiill don't know how to connect it, but I have more information now.
I was able to find the manual for the printer online and it says--

__________________________________________________

Connecting the printer to an IBM PC or compatible computer

To connect the LaserWriter Select 360 to your IBM PC or compatible
computer, you need a parallel interface cable, available from most
computer dealers.

One end of the parallel cable must have a 36-pin Centronics-type
connector to match the parallel port on the printer.

The other end of the cable should have a connector that fits the
parallel port on your computer. On most IBM PC and compatible
computers, a 25-pin male connector fits the parallel port. Check your
computer, or the documentation that came with it, to make sure you get
the correct cable.

________________________________________

--On ebay there are cables that seem to do this, Centronix 36-pin male
on one end and 25-pin male on the other. I've also located a dated zip
file with the 360 printer driver, in case I need it. If you or anyone
knows whether this will work, please speak up. I really appreciate it.

 

[Bennett Price]

You can get an inexpensive board to fit inside your PC that will add
a parallel port to your PC. Don't confuse the 25 pin parallel port
which you presently lack with a 25 pin serial port. The instructions
you refer to are to connect the printer to a parallel port.
Google "PCI parallel card" to find what you need. By the way, are you
sure the 25 pin connector on your PC is serial, not parallel? If it's
male - has pins, it is serial. If it is female, all sockets, it's a
parallel printer port.

If you've a laptop, rather than a desktop, Google PCMCIA parallel card.

But think about getting a modern laser printer for under $100 that will
plug into your USB port and probably print 3x as fast as the Laserwriter.

 

[zakezuke]

Thanks so much for the quick response. Your info was very helpful. I

stiill don't know how to connect it, but I have more information now.
I was able to find the manual for the printer online and it says--

Forget what I said regarding a null modem cable... well unless you
really want to hook it up that way... as you discovered and as I just
saw in the manual the printer offers a centronics connection. The
cable your looking for is the standard pc "printer cable" and can be
asked for in any electronics/computer related store. The fancy name is
"DB-25M to Centronics-36", but "I need a printer cable, it ain't usb"
will likely work better.

http://developer.apple.com/document...per_Notes/Printers/LaserWriter_Select_360.pdf

If you or anyone knows whether this will work, please speak up.
I really appreciate it.

That will work with the least amount of work. The only way this
wouldn't work is if you don't have a 25pin female parelell port on your
pc, in which case they make nice USB to parelell port adapters.

There are very few apple printers that won't work on the pc, most apple
lasers are postscript printers, something supported by everybody and
everyone. There is even a nice rotery switch to support HP laserjet
III emulation which is that other standard in the unlikely event
postscript isn't supported. Not a problem under windows.

Dalco is "the" place to get cables of any size, shape, or style.
Likely a tad spendy for your needs but searching for "printer cable"
will bring one up.
http://www.dalco.com/

Newegg carries just about everything
http://www.newegg.com/

 

[foolofgrace]

Oh. What was confusing me was that the printer has the Centronics port
and also a 25-pin female port labeled "Serial". The laptop has a
25-pin female port that the documentation calls "parallel". I tihnk
the printer "Serial" port must be a Mac thing. Bennett, the
"female=parallel, male=serial" tip is much appreciated; thanks. I see
your point about a new printer but I've already bought a toner
cartridge for this behemoth and I'm currently unemployed, so money's
tight.

zakezuke, thank you SO much for all of your help. It sounds like I can
get this puppy up and running for another $15-20, so that's what I'll
do for now ... unless, of course, I can't make the print driver work,
in which case, #*#&@#!!. If I had known what a headache this would be,
I would have just sold the printer for $5 on ebay.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[zakezuke]

Oh. What was confusing me was that the printer has the Centronics port

and also a 25-pin female port labeled "Serial". The laptop has a
25-pin female port that the documentation calls "parallel". I tihnk
the printer "Serial" port must be a Mac thing

You "could" say that, but that would not be accurate. Macs only had a
serials port at the time. PCs at one had both. I understand it's
confusing, but it was more so 10 years ago when some people deicded to
go female for serial. Lucky for you the pc was somewhat standarized by
this point.

Keep in mind that these standards go above and beyond mac or intel
based pcs. It's a standard for cabling and communication, though the
Mac used something rather odd. The PC supports both, but serial offers
a varity of speeds and may require more tweeking. Parelell offers
jacking in without much in the way of tweeking. In simple terms.....
the sub $20 should do the trick.

zakezuke, thank you SO much for all of your help. It sounds like I can
get this puppy up and running for another $15-20, so that's what I'll
do for now ... unless, of course, I can't make the print driver work,
in which case, #*#&@#!!. If I had known what a headache this would be,
I would have just sold the printer for $5 on ebay.

It shouldn't be... the printer offers postscript and HP LJ III
emulation... two very very popular standards... should be NO problem
what so ever.

You can if you so desire get a cable from goodwill, the 25pin to
centronics 36 (big center blade, 18 notchs top, 18 bottom). As most
new printers are USB these are pretty much give away items, unless you
need a new one in which case $20ish is fair and reasonable.

The OEM toner is a tad spendy for the volume, but not horrid.
Aftermarket toner is always an option. According to
http://www.fixyourownprinter.com/reference/pcr/engine/748
This printer is bases on the Fuji/Xerox XP 5/10 engine... i.e. the guts
are fuji/xerox.
The following toners may fit as well.

Apple LaserWriter Select 300
Apple LaserWriter Select 310
Apple LaserWriter Select 360
Apple LaserWriter Select 610
DEC Declaser 3500m
DEC Declaser 3500n
DEC LN 14
GCC Elite 600
GCC Elite 600et
Star Micronics LS-5
Star Micronics LS-5EX
Star Micronics LS-5TT
Xerox 4505
Xerox 4505ps
Xerox 4510
Xerox 4510ps

 

[Bennett Price]

Ok Here's the scoop. Some printers have both serial and parallel
connections (as does your Laserwriter) . The parallel pinouts can vary.
Some will have 25 pin parallel connectors, others may have large 36
pin Centronic connectors. Typically, the serial ports on printers is 25
pin, not 9 pin. Older PCs usually had 25 pin serial ports, newer ones,
that still have serial ports, have 9 pin ports.

All you need is a Centronic to 25 pin (parallel) printer cable.

If your laptop had a serial connector, you could connect the printer
serially (much less desirable).

 

[William R. Walsh]

Hi!

You have a legit question. From my understanding a simple localtalk
to ethernet bridge will just give you localtalk over ethernet. Not
TCP/IP nor Windows printer sharing. If we were talking windows NT
server I know it ships with "Services for Macintosh", but i'm not
seeing anything like that in windows xp. "Pc Maclan", software which
will handle mac file and printer sharing, might be required unless you
can pull that service from elsewhere.

For Windows NT 4.0 (and quite possibly, Windows 2000) you can install an
Appletalk protocol from the network control panel.

This won't let you see Apple computers providing file shares over Appletalk,
but it *does* let you see and use AppleTalk/LocalTalk printers.

William

 

[William R. Walsh]

Hi!

My PC has Ethernet, USB, 25-pin serial.

Your best bet might be to get a USB > Parallel port converter.

Should I try to find a LocalTalk-to-Ethernet bridge cable? To sound
really dumb, is Ethernet-PC compatible with Ethernet-Mac?

A LocalTalk to Ethernet bridge cable will get your printer connected.
However, it won't change the networking language that the printer "speaks".
Some versions of Windows come with an installable Appletalk protocol and it
will work to talk to an Apple printer. Windows XP doesn't appear to include
this any longer. Windows 2000 might have it, and Windows NT 4.0 does. I
don't know about Windows 9x/Me.

To answer your other question, Ethernet is a standard. Anything with an
Ethernet interface will work on an Ethernet network, no matter what it is.
When higher-level protocols (like TCP/IP) come into play, things start to
get a little more involved...in other words, a printer with an Ethernet
interface communicating by way of Appletalk and a PC using TCP/IP over
Ethernet would both co-exist on the same network, but they would not be
"aware" of one another.

I am guessing I could get a 25-pin serial cable but I think it might be
quite slow.

Quite possibly. I think your best bet is to use the parallel connection and
get a USB > parallel converter. They're pretty cheap.

William