Text 12437, 110 rader
Skriven 2005-11-05 19:02:07 av Gerald Miller (1:342/512)
  Kommentar till text 12227 av TOM WALKER (1:123/140)
Ärende: WinXP
=============
Hello TOM,

    Responding to a post in the WIN95 area:
    On Sunday October 30 2005 at 17:37,
    TOM WALKER [1:123/140] wrote to GERALD MILLER,
    about: WinXP

 --- Cut ---

 GM>> I'm unclear about your meaning of "Printer Server Box"...  Do you
 GM>> mean a dedicated computer specifically for the printer?  If so,
 GM>> that's out of the question -- too expensive and a gross waste of
 GM>> resources.  If you mean a print server device; that is what I
 GM>> purchased -- Linksys PrintServer for USB with 4-Port Switch (only
 GM>> three available switches because the print server requires one port
 GM>> to connect to a router or switch); about one half the size of a
 GM>> router box.

 TW> I was thinking about the LinkSys type where the box simulates a Server
 TW> and the printer pluggs into it. I am supprised that the printer
 TW> didn';t work.

Please don't get me wrong, Tom.  Both the Print Server and the printer do
work; it's just that the printer does not display its status to the
computer monitor (that's what the Bi-Directional communication is
responsible for -- ink tanks need refilling, paper is jammed, printer out
of paper, etc.).

My printer, Canon Bubble Jet i550, will permit the use of either a parallel
cable or a USB cable, but not both at the same time and it is purported
that the USB connection is significantly faster.

I've tested this printer with both parallel and USB connections AND both as
a Shared and dedicated device -- the Bi-Di process works in all those
situations.

I'm beginning to suspect that the deficiency is due to the software and the
programmer's inability to do a very thorough job.  Each computer on a
network has an IP address, the print server has an IP address (it is now a
network device) and since the printer is connected to the print server, I
presume that it has the same IP address as the print server...  Now, if a
computer with a network address of 192.168.2.100 sends a print job to the
print server / printer with a network address of 192.168.2.103, then I
would expect the print server to be able to relay any printer messages back
to the originating 192.168.2.100 address -- that would be Bi-Directional
communication and it should be able to be done via parallel cables, USB
cables, or Cat-5 network cables.

 TW> As I recall for the Parallel Prinmter somebody that could use any
 TW> Bi-Directional Printer. They used to produce Automatic printer
 TW> switches in both Two way and Four Way. The ones I recall were Parallel
 TW> though. I don't now if that idea will work with USB printers.

If I cannot get some satisfaction from the Cisco Systems / Linksys Customer
Support, then I will likely purchase a "Cable To Go Bitronics IEEE 4 Port
Reversible Switch".

=== Cut Features ===
Easily and economically add up to four parallel peripheral devices to your
PC or share one between up to four PCs with ASP's IEEE-1284 Reversible
Intelligent AutoSwitch. Installs in minutes with no experience required!
Expand your PC for sharing parallel peripherals such as printers, scanners,
Zip drives and almost any other parallel device.

Or you can share your new IEEE-1284 printer or peripheral with up to 4 PCs
without a network! The IEEE-1284 bi-directional feature enables 2-way
communication between the PCs and a IEEE 1284 printer, allowing printing
information to be sent between the printer and the PC.

The printer can send your PC information on its status including printer
ready, paper jam, add paper and more! The Intelligent AutoSwitch also
supports file transfer and is the ideal way for a notebook PC to update or
download files to a desktop PC. And best of all - no special cables are
required.

 * Input: 4 x DB25 Female or 1 x DB25 Female
 * Output: 1 x DB25 Female or 4 x DB25 Female
 * Automatically connects 4 PCs to 1 IEEE-1284 Printer or Peripheral or
   connects 1 PC to 4 IEEE-1284 Printers or Peripherals
 * Quick and easy installation - just connect and print
 * Perfect for laser and ink jet printers, scanners, external storage
   devices, video capture and other parallel devices
 * Supports file transfer between connected computers
 * Requires up to four IEEE-1284 DB25 M/M cables to connect PC and up to
   four IEEE-1284 printer cables to connect printer depending on
   application
=== Cut End      ===

This is probably what I should have purchased to begin with, but I think
that the USB speed is what lured me to the Linksys product (SUCKER)!  And,
at the same price as the Linksys item.....

 TW> Adn in either case I think you cannot usea DUMB WinPrinter. It has to
 TW> be a printer with it's own CPU. Most of the lesser expensive printers
 TW> now days are of the Dumb type.

I learned about buying dedicated WinHardware when I got my WinModem; a
mistake that I'm very careful about not repeating.

If I had my "druthers", I would have chosen a network printer -- has its
own CPU, RAM (usually expandable) and network card / IP address.  My wife
bought the printer and gave it to me as a Christmas present, so, what am I
to do?  Get a new wife?  Get a new printer?  Or, find something that will
do the tasks?

           Cheers ... Gerald

... This message is %100 Canadian Content...pass the beer, eh?
--- GoldED+/DPMI32 v1.1.5-040330 [msg of Saturday November 05 2005]
 * Origin: Life is not complex, we are complex. (1:342/512)