On 14 Dec, Kent West wrote: > At 02:07 PM 12/14/1998 +0000, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> >>I'd like to print directly to a networked laser printer that has its >>own IP address. > > Yep, it's possible. Desirable? Depends. If you're the only one printing to > it, sure. If others are printing to it also, it's probably better to point > everyone to one queue instead of having multiple queues serving the same > printer.
agreed. some printers don't handle multiple simultaneous requests too well, apparently. >>2) how to go about it? > > I was afraid you were going to ask that. tricky one, and often depends on the model of the printer in question. I'm no expert either, but here we go... I think some network printers run a proper lpd demon, whereas some just accept connections on TCP port 9100. If you have one of the latter the best thing to do is to get a copy of LPRng, which is capable of doing such things (and much more besides). It is a drop in replacement for the standard lpd code, and there's a .deb for it too. I'd get LPRng anyway, actually, as it's the business. There's a HOWTO document as well (but it's huge). To give you a feel for it, here's my /etc/printcap # hplj4-136; HP LaserJet 4 on JetDirect EX card hplj4-136|lp :lp=hplj4-136%9100 :sh :cm=HP LaserJet4 :sd=/var/spool/lpd/hplj4-136 :lf=log :af=acct :of=/usr/local/lib/filters/ofhp: :if=/usr/local/lib/filters/ifhp: :vf=/usr/local/lib/filters/ifhp -c: :mx#0 The filters I'm using are specifically designed to work with HP printers, and work like a charm. They're also available from the LPRng web site. Note that there aren't any \ characters at the end of each line (LPRng doesn't need them), and that the :lp line is pointing to port 9100 on host hplj4-136 (I don't think that you can specify a TCP port with most implementations of lpd). LPRng web site; http://www.astart.com/lprng/LPRng.html -- Graham
