Parellel-Enet Print Server for AppleTalk?

[DaveC]

Have an HP LaserJet 2100 printer connected to an AppleTalk network (with
those little PhoneNet connectors) that we'd like to transition to the
Ethernet UTP network to improve reliability (nodes come and go on the AT net,
regardless how we terminate, balance, etc. the net).

The printer has a parallel connector which works fine when connected to a PC.


Ethernet-to-Parallel print servers are available from many manufacturers for
this purpose. But will these work in EtherTalk mode? Will the printer accept
AppleTalk through the parallel connector?

I'd like to hear from anyone who has done this. Does it work? Which make and
model servers did you use?

Thanks,

 

[Simon Dobbs]

Ethernet-to-Parallel print servers are available from many manufacturers for
this purpose. But will these work in EtherTalk mode? Will the printer accept
AppleTalk through the parallel connector?

I'd like to hear from anyone who has done this. Does it work? Which make and
model servers did you use?

I run my select 360 using the parallel port and a dlink- 303 printserver
connected to my router- no further configuration, passes appletalk fine.
It simply does the job- quite surprising really.

 

[Pat Janes]

Ethernet-to-Parallel print servers are available from many manufacturers for
this purpose. But will these work in EtherTalk mode? Will the printer accept
AppleTalk through the parallel connector?

I'd like to hear from anyone who has done this. Does it work? Which make and
model servers did you use?

I've been using a D-Link DP-301 10/100 print server with my HP LaserJet
6MP (connected to the 6MP's parallel port) for 5 or 6 years. I've
assigned an IP address to the print server and have had no problems
sending postscript print jobs to the printer. Works fine in OS9 and OSX,
no problems with mixed computer environments. This print server handles
EtherTalk, TCP/IP, IPX/SPX and NetBEUI.

The DP-301 is out of production but D-Link does have newer models with
the same features and easy, web-based administration.

 

[Thomas Jahns]

Have an HP LaserJet 2100 printer connected to an AppleTalk network (with
those little PhoneNet connectors) that we'd like to transition to the
Ethernet UTP network to improve reliability (nodes come and go on the AT net,
regardless how we terminate, balance, etc. the net).

The printer has a parallel connector which works fine when connected to a PC.


Ethernet-to-Parallel print servers are available from many manufacturers for
this purpose. But will these work in EtherTalk mode? Will the printer accept
AppleTalk through the parallel connector?

The 2100 has a bigger brother named 2100TN that came with an
ethernet interface already equipped. This JetDirect EIO hardware will
support EtherTalk and a number of other protocols (I use direct
printing on port 9100) and works _much_ faster than any
Ethernet-to-Parallel print server. Such an interface can easily be
added to 2100 models later on (and most other HP printers). You should
be able to buy an 10baseT EIO interface relatively cheaply and might
consider 100baseT.

For big print jobs (anything >1MiB) the faster EIO interface will
really shine.

Thomas Jahns

 

[Fetch, Rover, Fetch]

since you have AT connector on the printer, locate a (old - read ebay)
device called Etherprint - it is an appletalk to ethernet convertor

 

[DaveC]

ince you have AT connector on the printer, locate a (old - read ebay)
device called Etherprint - it is an appletalk to ethernet convertor

AppleTalk network topology, with its need for termination and linear layout
(it doesn't tolerate branching too well), it has caused much trouble for us.
Therefore, I'm looking into replacing it entirely with Ethernet and adapters.

 

[Thomas Kaiser]

AppleTalk network topology, with its need for termination and linear layout
(it doesn't tolerate branching too well), it has caused much trouble for us.

Might it be possible that you totally mix things up? AppleTalk is a familiy
of network protocols

<http://www.protocols.com/pbook/appletalk.htm>

LocalTalk (originally called AppleTalk when Apple just relabeled the
"Cambridge Ring" from Cambridge University/Acorn and selled it as own
technology) is one specific hardware implementation. EtherTalk another.

You can have EtherTalk networks with thousands of devices when you do some
sort of network segmentation via AppleTalk routers.

Therefore, I'm looking into replacing it entirely with Ethernet and adapters.

I would also recommend buying a LocalTalk to EtherTalk connector and simply
print via PAP (AppleTalk).

You might run into problems when sending binary jobs via an AppleTalk
enabled printserver since AppleTalk can happily transport binary data but on
the parallel port connected to the printer the situation is different. Here
you have to use the so called "Standard Protocol" which is not able to
transfer binary printing data but instead 7 bit data only.

<http://partners.adobe.com/asn/developer/pdfs/tn/5009.Comm_Spec.pdf>

Regards,

Thomas