On Wednesday, September 5, 2001 11:12 AM, Colin Novick <gwlt@ma.ultranet.com> wrote:

Thanks Ben!

...

On the windows side of my machine I am connecting my machine to a large format HP printer (DesignJet 488 CA) through a 3Com network card and a 3Com 4 port fast ethernet hub. The HP requires that I send all the data to a HP JetDirect 300X box that transfers the data through a parallel conn. to the printer. It is faster for big projects that way if you believe the literature. That works fine in Windows , but again I can't "see" the important command settings that make trying to understand what works, and thus how to replicate it in Linux hard.

I haven't been able to address the large HP in Linux through printing programs, network interfaces, or fiddling in network settings. My machine's network card is there (eth0) and I can ping that. Thus there is a way out and onto the network. All the connected items satisfy the 3Com hub and the appropriate indicator lights show a good connection. I was of the belief that the HP printer may have a "static" IP in its hardware so I tried pinging that. No luck. Nor any luck for trying to just assign an IP to it, though I have to admit that I may have done that improperly through ignorance.

You probably need to configure your jetdirect box with an ip address (You can use the Windows-based JetAdmin to check/change settings). You can't ping the jetdirect box if it's TCP/IP network settings aren't set or are wrong for your network. (BTW, once it's settings _are_ correct you can telnet into the jetdirect box to make further changes, [or screwups ;]) After that it's a matter of adjusting the /etc/printcap to know where to send the data. E.g.... //----- portion of /etc/printcap ------- lp:\ :sh:\ :ml=0:\ :mx=0:\ :sd=/var/spool/lpd/lp:\ :rm=jetdirect:\ :rp=RAW1:\ :bk:\ :lpd_bounce=true:\ :if=/usr/share/printconf/mf_wrapper: the 'rm' means 'remote machine' (in my case here it's name is 'jetdirect' which resolves to an ip address) and the 'rp' is the name of the print queue on that remote machine (in my example here the queue name is 'RAW1'). You'll need to consult jetdirect box's setting to know how it should be set for your printer. (Also the 'if' option is responsible for creating the data in a format that your printer will handle) What does 'route -n' output look like? (might be /sbin/route) -- Peter Gutowski <peter@linuxchamps.com> // tel.: (413) 587-3957 "When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body not usually discovered." --George Washington, _Rules for Civility and Decent Behavior_