Networking a printer

[vickyg2003]

This isn't really a puppy question, its just a problem that has come up now that I have so many computers thanks to puppy.

I've got a wireless router with 2 open ethernet ports.

I've got a bunch of computers that connect to this router wirelessly to get to the internet, but there is no file sharing or printer sharing set up.

1 xp-64 -wired
1 xp - wireless
1 win2k -wired
1 win7-64 -wireless
1 vista -wireless
2 puppys -wireless

I have an old HP Laserjet 4 that I is the only printer that has xp-64bit support, but it is still a workhorse and I'd like to figure out how to share this in the least expensive way possible.

I'm thinking that I could put in a print server instead of connecting to a computer.

[Béèm]

You don't say where the printer is connected to.
i would say: connect it to the xp-64, make the printer shared.
You can access it easily with the other windows machines.

As you don't specify which puppy's you use (always report this) you could use Pnethood.

[rcrsn51]

Read the discussion here about setting up shared printers.

[vickyg2003]

You don't say where the printer is connected to.
i would say: connect it to the xp-64, make the printer shared.
You can access it easily with the other windows machines.

As you don't specify which puppy's you use (always report this) you could use Pnethood.

I'm still experimenting with puppies. I've been loading and unloading various builds. Now that I've got 5.25 working with PCMCIA cards, I'm kind of favoring that build. However there are a bunch of pets for 4.3 that are also very ineresting for a demo I am planning to do.

I have tried the laserjet with all my computers and its the only one that worked. But I didn't want to hook up and share from any one computer, I was actually asking about TCP/IP printing, I just didn't know it. I am not a hardware person.

I wanted to get some sort of inexpensive print sharer. However I remembered that when we moved in here, the previous owner had left all sorts of gear here, including a Laserjet 4, that we put in storage in case ours needed parts. When I looked to pull that out of storage I found it was ethernet enabled. After a few hours of googling I found instructions on how to get this working with our router.


I've now got the Windoze computer speaking to the printer.

I am working with Lucid 5.25 to see how to set up a tcp/ip port

rsrn51 gave some instructions here that I think are more to the point.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... c1abbc83ae

Now I've just got to figure out why when I went to the network from puppy this seems to insist on using the manual feed.

[rcrsn51]

Good to hear that you are making progress. But I don't see how your link to the p910nd server has any relevance to your situation. It only applies if the printer is connected to a host Linux machine.

Do you currently have a Lupu machine printing to the LJ4? What URI did you use in CUPS to install it?

Also, what driver did you use - Gutenprint? Or did you install an HPIJS/HPLIP package?

[vickyg2003]

Good to hear that you are making progress. But I don't see how your link to the p910nd server has any relevance to your situation. It only applies if the printer is connected to a host Linux machine.

Your steps clearly indicated how to setup a client on a puppy. I followed them, and they worked from the get-go. I had read all sorts of other things, but this was very clear and easy.

Setting up a Client Printer under Linux

1. Open the CUPS web interface
2. Select Add Printer
3. Under Device, select AppSocket/JetDirect
4. Under URI, enter
Code:
socket://aaa.bbb.cc.dd

Use the IP address of the server
at this point you had a port number, but the Cups said just enter the IP address.

5. Select the printer driver as usual

Once I figured out what the CUPS was, (the Can't Usually Print Stuff printer setup utility) this was easy and clear cut.

Do you currently have a Lupu machine printing to the LJ4? What URI did you use in CUPS to install it?
Yes its printing from the Lupu machine, with one problem, it keeps insisting on a manual feed from the front tray.

I'm not familar with the "URI" acronym. As a functioning dyslexic the whole puppy language is very difficult for me.

Also, what driver did you use - Gutenprint? Or did you install an HPIJS/HPLIP package?

I used this Gutenprint. Perhaps the HPLJS/HPLIP would fix my front tray issues.

Gutenprint was the same as what I used to set it up when it was local. When it was local it was pulling from the lower tray. When its networked it keeps pausing for me to "load A4". I'm not familar with this printer. It belongs to my husband. I picked up an XP64 at a garage sale and when I started adding printers and stuff I found none the other printers I have were supported. For some reason HP decided to not provide 64bit support my expensive printer, just the cheapies and the oldies.

Puppy was secondary. I don't really need to print but thought it would be nice to have the capability in a pinch.

[vickyg2003]

oops.

[rcrsn51]

it keeps pausing for me to "load A4".

When are you seeing this message? When you print a test page from CUPS? When you print from an application? Which one?

I notice that in Abiword, the default paper size is A4. Look under File > Page Setup.

[vickyg2003]

I notice that in Abiword, the default paper size is A4. Look under File > Page Setup.

Thanks, That fixed my problem. I was looking in the wrong place.
I guess my first hello world was printed from a different app.

I have also added the hp pet that you suggested, and now I can talk to my photosmart printer too!

Next would be to add the Epson scanner, and that will be really interesting. if so I can retire the old win2k, or relegate it to puppy studies.

[rcrsn51]

Next would be to add the Epson scanner, and that will be really interesting.

Puppy can auto-detect many scanners. What model is it? Have you tried plugging it into a Puppy machine and running Xsane from the Graphic menu?

[vickyg2003]

Next would be to add the Epson scanner, and that will be really interesting.

Puppy can auto-detect many scanners. What model is it? Have you tried plugging it into a Puppy machine and running Xsane from the Graphic menu?

I've got an epson 1640SU with the special backlight attachement for doing slides and negatives. So I'm really wondering if I can use this scanner without the original twain driver. I do slides and negatives probably 2 to 3 times a year.

I love this scanner and am really sorry that Epson has not decided to support it in the 64bit environment.

[rcrsn51]

According to the SANE website, your Perfection 1640SU is plug-and-play compatible with the Xsane scanner program. However, that might be just for basic functionality. You would have to try your slide/negative attachment to see how it works.

[vickyg2003]

Yes the sane scanner was able to see and scan, but the dpi is limited to 3200, which is not suitable for photo scanning which I do at 12800dpi. I'll have to try out vuescan for windows and see if they have a suitable driver for my scanner.

I hate that HP dropped my printer support and Epson dropped my scanner support. Generic control just doesn't hack it.