The print server in the program allows. Printers, copiers and consumables

How do I connect a common printer to share on a network? The answer is obvious - with the help of a print server, the choice of which is more than wide on sale. However, my research on a number of entry-level standalone print servers, conducted by the author about three years ago, ended with disappointing findings. Firstly, it is impossible to use a scanner over the network (either separately or as part of a combine), unless you acquire an expensive print server of the same brand. Secondly, some models of printers, including very popular ones, are fundamentally not ready to work without direct connection with a computer. This is because the main printer firmware must be loaded every time the printer is turned on. Thirdly, and this is the saddest thing, it is impossible to say in advance whether the printer is so "incompatible" - all that remains is to predict the probability of a successful outcome based on indirect signs. It's good if someone has tested and shared their experience before you, but what about new products? Sometimes there is misinformation: many users complain about incompatibility when they simply cannot figure out the settings. And vice versa, the manufacturer claims that the printer is working together with such and such proprietary print servers, but when it comes down to it, it turns out that this is just an "annoying typo". While printers are to blame for the inability of printers to function without a computer - partly out of good intentions, partly out of a desire to sharply segment the market - it is those who create print servers that have to take the rap for disgruntled users. They had no choice but to learn how to emulate a USB interface over the network. So, first, the NetUSB technology appeared in the devices of the TrendNet company, and then the D Link company released its analogue under the name SharePort. Using any of these technologies looks like you connected the printer directly to your computer. And not only a printer - MFP, scanner, flash drive or card reader, external hard drive, camera or camcorder. However, despite almost two years of history, the word "NetUSB" is still not heard. Why didn't the happy owners of these products trumpet this good news? The fact is that not everything is as rosy as it seems at first. The USB interface implies that one computer controls the entire bus on which different devices "sit". That is, several devices can be connected to one computer, but several computers to one device - no, no. But after all, print servers are created precisely for this, to ensure the separation of a device between several computers. Alas, this is not possible in NetUSB mode: the computer communicates with peripherals in exclusive mode. Worse, except for the computer itself, no one on the outside is able to tell whether the channel is currently in use or idle. Until the client himself closes the communication session, the device remains inaccessible to all other users. We will tell you more about the peculiarities of using print servers that emulate a direct USB connection using the example of two models D-Link DIR-655 and TrendNet TE100-MP1U.

TrendNet TE100-MP1U print server mounted on a D-Link DIR-655 network harvester.

D Link DIR 655

Let's start our acquaintance with the simpler D Link print server. In fact, it is not a print server at all, but a home router (internet harvester) - it was on these products that the SharePort technology began to be tested, of which only the DIR 655 model is now available in Russia. The connector initially did not have such a function, and the USB port was intended only for import-export of Wi Fi settings. Previously purchased devices require a firmware update to version 1.21, but buyers should make sure that the hardware version is at least A2.

Front and rear panels of D-Link DIR-655.

Key Features of D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router
Device type	Internet gateway with built-in switch, wireless access point and print server
Interfaces
External network	1 x 1000Base-T (802.3ab, auto-MDI) RJ-45 port
Internal network	4 x 1000Base-T (802.3ab, auto-MDI) RJ-45 ports
Wireless network	Wi-Fi 802.11n-draft MIMO with b / g / n mixed mode support; three external dipole antennas (2 dBi connectors, SMA-RP connector)
Printer, 3G adapter	One USB 2.0 A connector
Server functions
Network protocols	TCP / IP v4
Printing protocols	No - shared network printing is not supported
Network USB	SharePort - exclusive access with automatic virtual port activation and manual deactivation; drivers for 32-bit Windows 2000-Vista
Plug & Play	DHCP Client and Server, UpnP Announcement
Administration	Web interface, notifications and logs via SMTP and syslog
Other
Conformity	CE, FCC
Power Supply	External; output 12 V, 2 A
Power consumption	Up to 2.5W with no peripheral connected
Working conditions	Temperature 0 ... + 50 ° C during operation, -25 ... + 55 ° C during storage; humidity 10-90%
Size (WxDxH), mm	193х117х31
Weight, gram	317
Cost, USD	150

On the body of the device there is a rim that prevents the wide USB-plug from penetrating deep into the connector. If you try to insert a flash drive, it will seem that there is no contact, but these fears are unnecessary: firstly, the connector is made shallow, and secondly, the foresight of the creators of USB allowed us to take into account such inconsistencies. According to an unwritten rule, the integrated printing functions in routers are performed in the most primitive way - you cannot even say from the web-based management interface that such a possibility is available at all, since no settings and access control are provided.

That's all the settings related to printing.

As a rule, routers do not use standard Raw / LPR protocols built into Windows and other systems, but self-made ones like PRTMate, for which you need to install drivers that are not available for all platforms. Everything is the same here: the SharePort USB network driver is only offered for 32-bit versions of Windows. Normal shared access without using SharePort is not supported.

SharePort utility menu in the system tray.

We will not dwell on the software installation process in detail. One tip: do not waste time trying to figure out the utility for automatically configuring the router and Internet access - it's easier and faster to do everything manually. The built-in help system describes each parameter in detail, thus eliminating the need to look into the user manual. By the way, the manual, like the entire management interface, is still only in English. When you start the SharePort utility for the first time, remember to activate the router by right-clicking the icon in the system tray (next to the clock) and ticking the box next to the name and address of the router in the context menu. Otherwise, you will be confused by the message that no devices and print servers were found.

SharePort utility window: to start using the device, you need to connect it and activate it by selecting Connect in the context menu.

The operation process is ingeniously simple. Insert the device cable into the USB port of the router, left-click on the SharePort icon and select the Connect item in the context menu in the window that opens - everything is as if you connected the device directly to the computer. The standard procedure for detecting a new device will start.

Connecting a new device: step by step.

Alternatively, instead of Connect, you can select the Manage Device item. Then you will first be prompted to install peripheral hardware drivers (if you have not done so yet), then they will ask if you need to add a virtual scanner driver to the system, and finally, they will offer to use the function of automatically activating the device when printing starts.

Diagnostics of typical problems.

Actually, everything is so elementary that there is nothing more to add. We can safely say that the developers have coped with the task: you will not notice any difference with a direct connection to a computer. Even if the connected device is a high-speed hard disk, the bandwidth of the built-in Gigabit switch is more than the capacity of USB 2.0. A definite advantage over the TrendNet model concerns the power supply of USB devices. Both of them coped with such a simple task as a USB stick. But when we tried to connect more powerful "pieces of iron" (measuring devices with their own backlight sources), the D Link device withstood each of them, but its rival was able to master only one of the two models. True, there are also more complex options, such as flatbed scanners without external power supply - there was no case to perform such a test due to the lack of these devices. On the other hand, we can definitely say that none of the models provides for the connection of several peripheral devices to one USB port through a hub - for this, you will need TrendNet two-port print servers.

In general, despite the simple print server, the DIR 655 router has so many functional features that it deserves a separate review. But within the framework of this material, we will not dwell on them.

They say that a child at school will need a color printer and scanner. And I myself wanted to change the crumbling black-and-white laser from 1996 to something. The selection criteria were: color, laser technology (the intervals between prints can be up to months), an automatic document feeder for a scanner and copier, automatic duplex printing and Wi-Fi to put this box in the far corner. According to these characteristics, some whopper was selected for 25+ kilo rubles, which seemed unreasonable. And suddenly at work they gave out a couple of gift cards from a well-known pink store, and the feeling came that I had to buy. Unfortunately, there were only three color laser MFPs in its range, none of which met the last two requirements. Two months later, the assortment was not replenished with anything, but on the contrary, it was reduced to two positions for the whole of Moscow, and I decided to take what was in stock and not on the window.

The lucky one was the HP Laserjet Pro 100 Color MFP M175a, without auto-rotate pages and with a USB-only connection. By the way, it turned out to be not as big as I expected, and not as noisy as they say in the reviews.

Task

While it's almost impossible to add automatic two-sided printing to a printer, it's quite possible to untie it from your computer.

A simple, but not suitable way for me is to connect it to a router that distributes the Internet in the apartment and, possibly, has a USB port. This method implies that, firstly, the MFP will have to stand at a three-meter distance from the router, and secondly, the router will only enable printing, not scanning too (on factory firmware).

The second way is to buy a box for $ 35 ... ... and hope that it can do what it needs to do and suddenly be compatible with Ubuntu on the client side. The manufacturer's representative willingly replies with something unintelligible in wonderful Chinese English. I didn't hope for luck.

The third method, already suitable, allows you to use a device connected via USB to one computer on another computer as if it were connected to the second, using at least a local network, at least the Internet.

Software

There are several implementations, but I immediately chose the one that is included in the Linux kernel in order to save myself in advance from any possible license restrictions, fees, the inability to configure something and other dependencies. It is called usbip.

Iron

You could find an old D-Link in a closet, hoist OpenWRT on it, but it would be cumbersome and with a small share of your own hands, so it was decided to look for something small, omnipotent and inexpensive.

Carambola

The size of a matchbox, has Wi-Fi, USB-host, 320 MHz MIPS processor on board, consumes no more than 1.5W, OpenWRT OS, costs 22 euros.

Raspberry Pi

size 86x56, Wi-Fi will have to buy an external one and plug into USB, a 700 MHz processor, there is a lot on the board that will not be used, consumes at least 3.5W (700mA at 5V), Linux OS to choose from, costs 35 US dollars.

size 120x120, 1 GHz ARM processor, rich peripherals, Linux OS, consumes 4.2W (350mA at 12V), costs 55 euros. My old favorite, size 100x160 or 152x152, 500 MHz i386 processor, no built-in Wi-Fi, OS almost any, consumes 5W, costs from 64 to 78 euros.

As a result, according to the criteria size-power consumption-cost, taking into account the sufficiency of functions, the first option was chosen - Carambola.

Process

Since it was planned to connect only USB and power, there was no need for a development board and case, I ordered only the module itself.

Console discovers on TXD2-RXD2, 115000 8N1.
For USB to work in host mode, 5V must be applied to pin 21 (the module itself works only at 3.3V), and pin 40 must be connected to GND. White wire (D +) to pin 39, green (D-) to 38.
The manufacturer said that the data lines of the USB cable can be connected directly to the module, the Internet suggested that in this case it is better not to use a hot plug, that is, connect and disconnect USB devices when the module is de-energized. This suits me - I'm going to connect the MFP once and for all.
OpenWRT had one of the long-standing Bleeding Edge preinstalled, I immediately updated it to stable 12.09 Attitude Adjustment via the web interface.
Then the usbip package was installed in OpenWRT, which pulled up the necessary kernel modules and utilities. It remains to add a couple of lines to autoload:
/ usr / sbin / usbipd -D / usr / sbin / usbip bind --busid = 1-1 "1-1" I took from the output of the list of connected USB devices in the OpenWRT console: usbip list -l
On the client side of Ubuntu 13.10. Kernel modules are present in the system, for their automatic loading you need to add them (usbip_core, vhci_hcd) to / etc / modules
Userspace utilities, however, are missing. You should not install them from the repositories, there is version 0.1.7-3, it will not work with version 1.1.1 on OpenWRT. You can do this as follows: sudo apt-get install linux-sources tar -jxf /usr/src/linux-source-3.11.0/linux-source-3.11.0.tar.bz2 cd drivers / staging / usbip / userspace /. /autogen.sh ./configure make sudo make install Now, to connect the MFP, I just need to execute sudo usbip attach --remote = 192.168.2.16 --busid = 1-1

Flaws

The main disadvantage is that the connection between the usbip server and the usbip client is a one-to-one connection, that is, if one client has connected himself a USB device of the server, then others can no longer connect it to themselves until it is disconnected first. For such a case, you can strain and write a usbip control page in the OpenWRT web interface, but this does not threaten me yet, the MFP will only be used from one workplace.
Another disadvantage may be that, theoretically, the link speed via Wi-Fi is lower than via a USB cable, but in my particular case, the data when scanning is slower through the cable, but these are probably my local problems.

Plans for the future

Now the module is powered using a 12V-to-5V and 3.3V DC-converter:

It is bulky and would take a separate matchbox by itself. It is replaced by a 5V to 3.3V DC converter from China, like this:

It is quite a toddler and will fit in one matchbox with a Carambola (no pins). All this will be powered by an old telephone charger.
The ultimate dream is to put this box inside the case of the MFP, suddenly there is a place there, and find there a 5V source inside, or at least still a place for a converter with AC 220V. But I will decide on this only after the expiration of the warranty repair period.

Development and testing:

(The colors of the power wires are arbitrary)

Result

Two days after writing the topic, quickly as never before (in a couple of weeks instead of the usual four or five) a voltage converter arrived from China, now the project is completed:

Add to OpenWRT web interface to release USB device:

Introduction

When the networking of personal computers was not yet ubiquitous, anyone who wanted a hard copy of a document had to have a printer connected directly to the computer. With the proliferation of laser printers, it has become too expensive to provide a separate printer for each user.

The first way to communicate printers was to use switches that allowed a printer to be manually or automatically connected to multiple computers. As a result, however, there was a need for long printer cables, as well as coordinated submission of print jobs.

Server-based network operating systems such as Novell NetWare have made it possible to share printers among a significant number of users. When printing, the network software intercepts characters that were supposed to go to the printer port and sends them to a queue located on the file server's hard disk. The file server selects jobs from the queue and directs them to a printer connected either to its parallel port or to a parallel port of one of the workstations. This solution allows you to significantly increase the number of users who send jobs to the printer, and to avoid the need to coordinate the sending of jobs, as they are simply sent to the printer as soon as it is ready. In addition, administration is simplified as a result of this work. However, this method is not without its drawbacks. Attaching printers directly to the parallel ports of the server increases the load on the server and limits the location of the printers: they must be located a few meters from the server. In addition, the number of ports on the server is limited, making it impossible to add one or two more printers. Attaching the printer to one of the workstations somewhat eases the fate of the server and removes the rigid binding of the printer to it, which can now be installed in almost any convenient place. However, at the same time, the workstation to which the printer is connected is under significant extraneous load and its work can be significantly slowed down. This is especially noticeable in peer-to-peer networks with operating systems Windows 95/98.

Therefore, devices called print servers appeared and gave the printer a new quality. Typically, a print server is a small box with connectors for connecting to a computer network, a printer, and a power source. The number of ports for connecting printers can vary from one to three. Some models also have a serial port for connecting an RS-232 printer. The operating mode and the presence of the supply voltage are indicated by LEDs. Once connected via a print server, the printer becomes an independent shared device. It can be located in any place convenient for users.

Modern print servers provide, as a rule, work on all existing network protocols, including IPX / SPX, TCP / IP, NetBIOS, NetBEUI, with all network operating systems, such as Windows 95/98 / NT, Novell NetWare, OS / 2 and UNIX-like OS. The only exceptions are specialized print servers designed for printing only from office applications and designed to work with Windows 95/98 / NT / 2000.

For correct setup, the print server must be configured first before installation. For this, one or more utilities are included in the package. In recent years, it has become common for a print server to include a Web server that allows the necessary manipulations to be performed using a standard browser.

Also, several years ago, print servers appeared that were capable of working in auto-negotiation 10/100 Mbit / s mode (which, in principle, is not essential, since the exchange rate of 10 Mbit / s exceeds the capabilities of any printer) and have parallel ports. ANSI 1284 standard. Multiple parallel ports offer room for future expansion, since the difference in price for single and multiport models is about $ 20 per additional port, while the price of the entire print server can make $ 100 or more

Modern print servers are, as a rule, multi-protocol devices that make it possible to turn any printer into a network printer. Contrary to its name, a printer combined with a device called a print server is a network printer, not a print server. The fact is that a full-fledged print server carries out not only the output of print jobs, but their temporary storage on the hard disk (spooling) and the organization of print output in the order of receipt (queue). None of the tested print servers are capable of performing storage and queuing functions, and should not, given the cost of these devices.

The main protocols used in modern LANs are TCP / IP and NetBEUI, which are used in networks running Windows NT / 2000 and Windows 95/98, respectively. Less common is IPX / SPX, inherited from Novell NetWare. AppleTalk in Russia is most likely an archaic rarity. Most print servers support all of the above protocols, although the trend towards IPX / SPX and AppleTalk support is growing.

There are two ways to organize printing on a network using hardware print servers: peer-to-peer and with a dedicated spooling and queuing computer (and essentially a print server).

The first method is somewhat more laborious, since it requires a complete procedure for installing a network printer on each of the computers. However, it allows you to connect and use a print server exactly according to its purpose. In this case, each of the client computers is itself responsible for queuing and transferring data to the printer, and data is transferred over the network only once.

The second method is when the print server is installed on one of the computers as a local printer, and on the others as a printer on a remote computer. This method is much easier to implement, but it increases the load both on the computer to which the print server is directly connected and on the network, since all print jobs are sent twice: the first time - to the computer acting as the print server, and in the second, when jobs from the queue are actually sent to the printer.

Quality criteria

It is theoretically justified and practically proven that even when working with a 10 Mbit / s network, a print server cannot be a bottleneck. The bottleneck is more often found in a printer that is not capable of receiving and processing data at 10 Mbps (1.25 MB / s, which corresponds to about 312.5 pages per second when printing text or 37.5 pages per minute when printing). printing raster graphics even at 600 dpi). The bottleneck can also be in the network OS. Therefore, performance measurements were not carried out and the assessment was purely functional. It included installing a print server in a peer-to-peer network using the NetBIOS and TCP / IP protocols, as well as installing it on one computer using it as a print server using the same protocols. After installation, a Windows test page was printed. Windows 2000 was installed on all computers on the network, a domain was organized, and a DHCP server was started.

results

Axis 5600+

This 3-port print server is housed in a sleek blue-gray plastic case. There are no wall mounts on the case, so the print server can only be placed on a horizontal surface such as a desk or shelf.

There are two LED indicators on the front beveled wall. The first - Power - lights up when power is supplied from the AC adapter. If it blinks, there is a problem with the print server or network adapter. The second - Network - lights up during the exchange of data over the network.

On the right side wall there is a Test button and an RJ-45 socket for connecting to a local network. Pressing this button once will output to the printer a test page containing brief information about the print server. Pressing twice provides a detailed multi-page printout. On the left side wall there is a nine-pin connector for connecting a printer via an RS-232 serial interface. The back wall is almost entirely occupied by two 25-pin DB-25 sockets for connecting printers via a parallel interface.

The Axis 5600+ Print Server is a versatile device that can operate on networks running Windows 95/98 / Me / 2000 / XP, UNIX, NetWare, OS / 2 and Macintosh. All of these operating systems have programs for installing and managing the print server.

In operating systems Windows 95/98 / NT / 2000, Windows 3.1 / WfW, NetWare Pure IP, OS / 2 using the TCP / IP protocol, you can use the proprietary AXIS Print System and AXIS ThinWizard utilities. You can also use Web Browser, FTP, telnet, SNMP, HP Web JetAdmin for configuration.

When working on a network under Windows 95/98 / NT / 2000, Windows 3.1 / WfW, OS / 2 using the NetBIOS / NetBEUI protocol, configuration and printing are performed using the AXIS NetPilot and AXIS IP JumpStarter utilities.

Interestingly, the print server was unable to print diagnostics on the Samsung ML-1210 printer. But with the HP LaserJet 1100 printer, everything worked out great.

CNet CNP410

This print server is designed to be installed directly on a printer connector. When connected, the built-in N-Way function automatically detects the highest possible baud rate and then automatically sets the port to operate at that rate. Three LED indicators - Power, Status and Flow / Link - provide real-time monitoring of the power status, link utilization and device status. To configure the print server, the PSAdmin utility is used, which allows you to configure the operation parameters for all network protocols, NetBIOS, TCP / IP and IPX / SPX. The print server also has built-in flash memory for quick and easy device upgrades.

The small size of the CNP410 allows users to connect the printer anywhere on a network using one or more major operating systems.

The CNP410 supports multiple protocols, allowing simultaneous printing from NetWare, Windows 95/98 NT, or UNIX systems.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES:

Software upgradeable
Easy-to-use print server management software for Windows
Auto self test when power on
Supports SNMP remote management, Web browser management and DHCP
Built-in high-speed microprocessor
Flash memory
Built-in SRAM and EPROM

CNet CNP430

The CNP430 has three parallel printer ports and one Ethernet / Fast Ethernet port for connecting to a local area network. The built-in high-speed microprocessor enables fast and reliable data transfer. The N-Way feature instantly detects the fastest possible connection and then automatically sets the parallel port to operate at that speed. The print server has three LED indicators that allow real-time assessment of the device status and the load of the communication channel. Two of them are located near the RJ-45 jack and indicate the presence of power supply, communication with the network and communication over the network. The top panel has a print port activity indicator. Built-in flash memory makes the CNP430 an upgradeable and flexible device. To configure the print server, the PSAdmin utility is used, which allows you to configure the operation parameters for all network protocols, NetBIOS, TCP / IP and IPX / SPX. Note that the print server supports SNMP remote management, Web browser management, and DHCP.

This print server is ideal for most small, medium and large networks. The CNP430 supports multiple protocols, making it possible to print simultaneously from operating systems such as NetWare, Windows 95/98 / NT, or UNIX. Palm-sized, the print server is capable of supporting up to three printers simultaneously. The CNP430 can be configured, configured and managed from any Windows workstation.

D-Link DP-301P +

The D-Link DP-301P + is a compact multi-protocol print server with one standard 36-pin direct printer connector and one RJ-45 10/100 Mbps port. Supporting multiple protocols and high-speed printer communication, this compact device offers superior performance and flexibility for a variety of tasks. This print server allows you to connect to a 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps network via a standard RJ-45 input. 10-Mbps or 100-Mbps connections are automatically detected.

Support for TCP / IP, NetBEUI and AppleTalk protocols makes this print server ideal for multi-OS environments. The parallel port supports the HP PJL (Printer Job Language) protocol for bidirectional communication. This allows the print server to receive status information from the printer during printing.

The easy-to-use PSAdmin administrator program, developed for Windows 95/98 / NT / 2000 / XP, allows you to install the print server in a few minutes and quickly configure it.

Web management and Telnet support allows an administrator to manage and configure the print server remotely over the Internet or UNIX.

This model differs from the DP-301P + in that it does not support IPX and does not need an additional protocol on the network to control printing. It is also possible to control the device via the Web interface.

Edimax PS-1101

This print server connects to the printer using a standard cable. This solution is becoming less and less common for single-port printers. The presence of three indicators on LEDs allows you to evaluate the operating mode of the device in real time. Two of them indicate the connection speed - 10Mbps, 100Mbps - and blink when there is information exchange, and the Status indicator indicates the status of the printer port. The design of the device is unpretentious: no rounded corners and beveled walls. The print server is housed in an ascetic light gray-beige metal case. The RJ-45 connector is on the front, while the 25-pin printer socket and power adapter are on the back.

The print server is capable of operating over IPX / SPX, TCP / IP and NetBEUI network protocols and supports Windows 95/98 / Me / NT / 2000, Windows NT / 2000 Server. The print server is administered via the Web server and via the SNMP protocol.

Edimax PS-1201

The Edimax PS-1201 is a compact, multi-protocol print server with one standard 36-pin direct printer connector and one RJ-45 10/100 Mbps port. Next to the network connector is the connector for the network adapter.

The presence of two indicators on LEDs allows you to evaluate the operating mode of the device in real time. One of them - 10/100 Mbps - indicates the connection speed and blinks when there is communication, and the Status indicator indicates the status of the printer port.

The PrintSir utility installed from the supplied CD-ROM is used to manage the print server. It allows you to control the operation of the print server under the control of all protocols and configure such parameters as the IP address, the method of obtaining it (manually or via DHCP), the name of the workgroup, etc.

Edimax PS-3101P

This print server has three parallel ports with D-25 connectors for printers and one Ethernet / Fast Ethernet port for connecting to a local area network. It is made in an original two-tone plastic case, which has a streamlined shape with rounded corners. There are five LED indicators on the beveled front panel that allow you to determine the status of the device and its mode of operation at any time. Two of them - 10 Mbit LINK / ACT and 100 Mbit LINK / ACT - indicate the speed of the LAN connection and flash during data transfer. Three more LEDs display the status of each of the printer ports. The last one - Power - is lit when there is DC power from the AC adapter.

Genuis GPS300D II

This miniature print server is designed to be installed directly on the Centronics connector of the printer. On the other side of the case, there is a power connector, an RJ-45 socket for connecting to an Ethernet network, and two LED indicators. One of them - Flow / Link - glows green when there is a connection to the local network, the other blinks five times when the power is turned on, and then blinks when communicating over the network.

The print server is capable of operating in the following networks: Novell NetWare 3.12, 4.x, 5.x; Microsoft Windows 95/98 / Me; Microsoft Windows NT / 2000; Apple EtherTalk; UNIX. For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that EtherTalk is mentioned only once - in the list of supported operating systems.

Supported protocols are IPX / SPX, TCP / IP and NetBEUI.

You can configure the print server using the PSAdmin utility and the embedded Web server. Both methods make it possible to configure all parameters of the print server and control its operation when interacting with various protocols.

Built-in flash memory allows software upgrades. The mini-server supports 10Base-T and 100Base-TX connectivity, which provides automatic sensing and two-way communication (IEEE-1284 standard) at high speed of 10 and 100 Mbps.

The main features of the print server are the following:

Fully compatible with Novell NetWare, UNIX, Mac, Windows XP / Me / 2000 / NT / 98/95
Supports peer-to-peer networking
Supports Windows XP / Me / 98/95 OS
Supports IPX, NetBEUI, TCP / IP and AppleTalk protocols
Has an easy-to-use Windows configuration picker
Acts as a print manager in the Windows environment
Supports network management of DHCP clients and SNMP protocol
Supports IPP (Internet Printing Protocol)

HardLink HPS-101

Single-port print server designed to work in a network with a data transfer rate of 10/100 Mbps. Has a DB25 printer connector. Supplied with drivers for all popular operating systems. The presence of three indicators on LEDs allows you to evaluate the operating mode of the device in real time. Two of them indicate the connection speed - 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps - and blink when there is information exchange, and the Status indicator indicates the status of the printer port. The design of the device is unpretentious: no rounded corners and beveled walls. The print server is housed in an ascetic light gray-beige metal case. The RJ-45 connector is on the front, while the 25-pin printer socket and power adapter are on the back.

The print server supports TCP / IP, IPX, NetBEUI protocols and has drivers for all modern popular operating systems, including Microsoft Windows 95/98 / Me / NT / 2000, Novell NetWare and UNIX. The PrintServer Configuration utility installed from the supplied CD-ROM is used to manage the print server. It allows you to control the operation of the print server under the control of all protocols and configure such parameters as the IP address, the method of obtaining it (manually or via DHCP), the name of the workgroup, etc.

This print server offers numerous plug-and-play features such as DHCP server / client, autodetect destination IP, auto-configure to the desired network speed, quick install utilities for Windows and NetWare, easy management through a standard Internet browser window.

HardLink HPS-103P

HardLink HPS-103P is a three-port print server. It is housed in a rectangular plastic case with rounded corners and a beveled front panel. There are places for wall mounting at the bottom of the case. There are six LED indicators on the panel. On the front panel there are five LED indicators that allow you to assess the state of the device and its mode of operation at any time. Two of them - 10 Mbit LINK / ACT and 100 Mbit LINK / ACT - show the speed of the connection to the local network and blink during data transfer. Three more LEDs display the status of each of the printer ports. The last one - Power - is lit when there is DC power from the AC adapter.

The PrintServer Configuration utility installed from the supplied CD-ROM is used to manage the print server. It allows you to control the operation of the print server under the control of all protocols and configure such parameters as the IP address, the method of obtaining it (manually or via DHCP), the name of the workgroup, etc.

It supports TCP / IP, IPX, NetBEUI protocols, has drivers for all modern popular operating systems, including Microsoft Windows 95/98 / Me / NT / 2000, Novell NetWare and UNIX.

The HardLink HPS-103P offers numerous plug-and-play features such as DHCP server / client, auto-discovery of destination IP, auto-tuning to the desired network speed, quick install utilities for Windows and NetWare, easy management through a standard Internet browser window.

Surecom EP901X

This print server is designed to be installed directly on a printer connector. When connected, the built-in N-Way function automatically detects the highest possible baud rate and then automatically sets the port to operate at that rate. Three LED indicators - Power, Status and Flow / Link - allow you to monitor in real time the status of the power supply, the utilization of the communication channel and the status of the device. To configure the print server, the PSAdmin utility is used, which allows you to configure the operation parameters for all network protocols - NetBIOS, TCP / IP and IPX / SPX. The print server also has built-in flash memory for quick and easy device upgrades.

The EP901X's small footprint gives users the ability to connect the printer anywhere on a network using one or more major operating systems.

The EP901X supports multiple protocols simultaneously, allowing its users to print simultaneously from NetWare, Windows 95/98 / NT and UNIX systems.

Surecom EP903X

The EP903X has three parallel printer ports and one Ethernet / Fast Ethernet port for connecting to a local area network. The built-in high-speed microprocessor ensures fast and reliable data transfer. The N-Way feature instantly detects the fastest possible connection and then automatically sets the parallel port to operate at that speed. The print server has three LED indicators that allow real-time assessment of the device status and the load of the communication channel. Two of them are located near the RJ-45 jack and indicate the presence of power supply, communication with the network and communication over the network. The top panel has a print port activity indicator. Built-in flash memory makes the EP903X an upgradeable and flexible device. To configure the print server, the PSAdmin utility is used, which allows you to configure the operation parameters for all NetBIOS, TCP / IP and IPX / SPX network protocols.

This print server is ideal for most small, medium and large networks. The EP903X supports multiple protocols, allowing you to print simultaneously from operating systems such as NetWare, Windows 95/98 / NT, or UNIX. Palm-sized, the print server is capable of supporting up to three printers simultaneously. The EP903X can be configured, configured and operated from any Windows workstation.

Support for TCP / IP, NetBEUI and AppleTalk protocols makes this print server ideal for multi-OS environments. The parallel port supports the HP PJL protocol for bidirectional communication. This allows the print server to receive status information from the printer during printing.

The easy-to-use PSAdmin administrator program, developed for Windows 95/98 / NT / 2000 / XP, allows you to install and configure the print server in a few minutes.

Web management and Telnet support allows an administrator to manage and configure the print server remotely over the Internet or UNIX. It is also possible to control the device via the Web interface.

You can configure the print server using the PSAdmin utility, the embedded Web server, and Telnet. All methods allow configuring all parameters of the print server and controlling its operation when interacting with various protocols.

Built-in flash memory enables software upgrades. The server supports 10Base-T and 100Base-TX connectivity, which allows you to work with both new and old equipment.

The print server supports Windows 95/98 / 98Me / 2000, Windows NT, NetWare, HP-UX, UNIX, Solaris, SCO UNIX, MAC and AppleTalk. In a Novell NetWare environment, up to 36 Novell NetWare file servers and 64 queues are supported. In addition, HP PJL bi-directional protocol support is provided.

Glossary

ANSI 1284 - the standard, released in 1994, describes methods of transferring data over a parallel interface and refers to the original Centronics port in much the same way as the Pentium processor to the 286. It describes high-speed bi-directional data transfer between a computer and peripheral devices at a speed 50 ... 100 times higher than the specifications for the LPT port. However, it remains incompatible with legacy devices.

The following compatibility modes are supported:

Compatibility Mode- standard Centronics;

Nibble Mode- 4 bits in parallel along the status lines, HP Bi-tronics;

Byte Mode- 8 bits on data lines, sometimes referred to as bidirectional;

EPP(Enhanced Parallel Port - extended parallel port) - used mainly for communication not with printers, but with devices such as CD-ROM, streamer, MO-drives;

ECP(Extended Capability Port) - used mainly for connecting new printers and scanners.

The standard also includes methods and protocols by which, as a result of negotiations, the two devices choose the most suitable mode.

IPX(Internetwork Packet Exchange) is a network layer protocol designed for connectionless data delivery. Developed based on the Internetwork Datagram Protocol (IDP) from the XNS (Xerox Network Service) suite. Its main functions are data delivery and routing.

IPX / SPX is a generic name for the set of protocols used by the Novell NetWare OS. Before IntraNetWare and NetWare 5 appeared, this set was "native" and must be installed. It is a compact, low-configuration, routable protocol ideal for local area networks.

NetBEUI(NetBIOS Extended User Interface) - was developed by IBM in 1985. This extension was used in the Token Ring network. Up to 260 devices were allowed in one ring, the rings could be combined using bridges.

NetBIOS(Network Basic Input / Output System) - the interface was developed in 1983 by Sytec, Inc. (now Hughes LAN Systems) commissioned by IBM. It included an API (Application Program Interface) to isolate applications from the network environment, and a number of proprietary network protocols. One network allowed 72 or 80 devices (depending on the physical implementation). Identification of devices on the network is made by name, the length of which should not exceed 15 characters. Since this protocol is not routable, versions of its encapsulation in the IPX and TCP / IP protocols have been implemented.

PJL(Printer Job Language) - In addition to the standard PCL (Printer Command Language), allows the printer to perform some additional functions such as duplex parallel communication. The printer can transmit and receive data on the status of indicators and settings on the control panel; if there are several ports, each of them allows its own configuration of the printer, and the data can go to the buffer, even if it is offline; context sensitive switching automatically detects the type of job (PostScript or PCL).

SPX(Sequenced Packet Exchange) is a transport layer protocol designed for connection-oriented data delivery with guaranteed delivery. Developed based on the Xerox Sequenced Packet Protocol. The main function is guaranteed data delivery. In relation to IPX, it is roughly the same as TCP in relation to IP.

Questions and answers (chapter 8)

What is a print server and where can it be installed?

A print server is a program that serves shared printers: monitors their status and selects jobs for them from the corresponding queues.

Each NetWare 3.x print server can handle up to 16 printers, serving print queues for up to 8 file servers. Its screen displays information about the status of printers (8 slots on the screen, switching screens - by pressing the "space").

The print server can boot to a NetWare 3.x or later file server (PSERVER.NLM), a NetWare 2.x file server or remote bridge (PSERVER.VAP), or a dedicated workstation (PSERVER.EXE). Separating the print server from the file server reduces the load and increases the security of the latter.

The NetWare 4.x Print Server supports up to 255 printers and can queue any server on the network. Due to the increase in its capacity, the possibility of loading the print server on a dedicated station (PSERVER.EXE) is excluded as unnecessary, and PSERVER.VAP has been forgotten over the years.

If you change the configuration of printers and queues, it must be stopped and restarted.

What is Local and Remote Printer Network Printer in NetWare?

In network printing management terminology, a local or remote printer is defined in relation to the node on which the print server program is running (a server with a loaded PSERVER.NLM module or a station with PSERVER.EXE). The local printer is connected to the ports (LPT or COM) of this node and the print server directly controls the port of its connection. The remote printer connects to the ports of another node (server or station) and the print server communicates with it through its agent on that node - the RPRINTER module in NetWare 3.x and earlier or NPRINTER in NetWare 4.x. The operation of both the local and the remote printers is controlled through a print server serving them using the PSC, PCONSOLE, or NWADMIN utilities.

A funny option is possible: a printer is connected to your workstation, which is declared Shared and logically assigned as a remote printer of the print server. The jobs you send to network printing, having gone all the intricate way, "reel" on themselves so many terms that this method of printing is difficult to define in one phrase. And if you declare this printer personal (Private), then personally you will print on it much faster and without confusing terms.

What is a hardware print server and what does it take to get it up and running?

A hardware print server is a specialized microcontroller with a network adapter and several LPT and COM ports, the software of which is loaded into non-volatile memory.

An example of such a device is the D-Link DE-950 Ethernet Print Server, which has two parallel and one serial ports for connecting peripheral devices and a BNC (10BASE2) / RJ-45 (10BaseT) port for connecting to a local network. It is compatible with NetWare 3.x and 4.x (uses NCP and is FOR THESE OS ONLY) and supports all four Ethernet frame types. The "brain" of the device is the 80C188 processor and 128KB of flash memory.

To start this device, it must be connected to the local network, printers (or plotters) must be connected to it. Further, on any workstation, having registered in the network with supervisor rights, you need to run the PCONF configuration utility supplied with the device. The utility communicates over the network with the device and allows you to configure each port independently. From the point of view of the system, the port can be configured either as a Remote Printer, logically connected to slots somewhere running the PSERVER program, or as an independent Print Server, which retrieves jobs from its assigned queues. The device is assigned a name and password to enable control. The configured print server will always be ready for work immediately after turning on the power.

If there are no printers in the network connected to normal network nodes, it makes sense to configure the device ports as print servers. In this case, you do not need to start the PSERVER module anywhere, and, if necessary, carry out the current management of the printer (changing forms and assigning serviced queues) by running the PCONF utility.

In the presence of other print servers, from the point of view of unification of management, it is advisable to configure ports as remote printers and manage them through the PCONSOLE or PSC utilities. In this case, the PSERVER node serving this port will have an additional load, which could be carried by a specially purchased device if it is configured as a print server.

What is the Default Print Queue?

The default queue is defined for a specific printer when configuring the print server in NetWare 4.x. It contains tasks directed "directly to the printer" (in the queuing system, "spontaneity" is unrealistic). This assignment is performed when there are multiple queues served by this printer.

Does the print server take up licensed user server connections?

If the print server is installed on a dedicated workstation, then it takes one connection (that is, the maximum number of simultaneously connected users to the server is reduced by 1). A print server installed on a file server and a shared printer attached to a workstation do not require this connection.

Can a plotter be connected to the print server?

If the plotter has a parallel interface, then you can, and no problem. At the station using it, CAPTURE is launched with the obligatory indication of NoTabs, and the application can work with the plotter as if it were connected to the station port (you may have to select the TImeout value). If the application allows you to output to a file (such as PCAD), then you can do without CAPTURE, and use NPRINT.

If the plotter does not have a parallel interface, then there is reason for despondency: a number of plotters (including those produced by Hewlett-Packard) use a kind of handshake protocol (not hardware (RTS-CTS), and not XON / XOFF - their print server understands) , according to which the plotter exchanges control words (text!) with the output program. In this case, NetWare is powerless; it is not designed for such a DIALOGUE WITH A DEVICE.

How to plan the placement of print servers over the network?

For ease of management, the number of print servers should be kept to a minimum, but if the network serves a large organization, administrative considerations may require a print server in each sovereign unit that requires network printing.

In NetWare 3.x, the number of printers (local and remote) served by one print server does not exceed 16, and ports of the same print servers are worthy places for connecting printers (network printers connected to workstations should not be considered mass devices. print). For these reasons, the number of print servers may increase.

In NetWare 4.x, one print server can serve up to 255 printers, and its remote printers can connect to other file servers (with NPRINTER.NLM), which is as efficient as local network printers. Here, minimizing print servers is mostly constrained by administrative considerations. If the network is dispersed in space and its individual parts are connected by communications with low bandwidth, then print servers (and their queues) must be placed in each local part of the network.

What can I connect printers to for sharing?

A network (shared) printer (plotter) can be physically connected to any node on the network.

Local network printers are connected directly to the LPT or COM ports of the computer on which the print server is running. The number of printers connected to one node is limited by the number of IBM PC ports: up to 3 (rarely 4) LPT- and 2 (4) COM-ports. For the ports used, it is desirable (from the point of view of improving performance) to assign the mode of operation by hardware interrupts, although, if it is impossible to allocate separate IRQs (usually due to network cards that cannot work without interruptions in principle), you can assign the mode of operation by polling the readiness ... Using a local connection with interrupt service is the most efficient in terms of performance and resource savings.

Remote network printers are connected to the ports of a regular (non-dedicated) workstation, on which you need to run a TSR program for their support. Their number is also limited by the number of ports, and for remote NetWare 3.x printers using the RPRINTER.EXE helper, also by the availability of hardware interrupts. This method of connecting remote printers consumes some station resources and fetters the freedom of its user.

It is possible to impose restrictions on the addresses of stations on which a remote printer can be launched when configuring the print server.

In NetWare 4.x, remote printers are supported by the NPRINTER.EXE module, which can also be configured to Poll.

Remote printers can connect to any server, for which the NPRINTER.NLM module is loaded on it. The connection nuances are similar to those of local network printers, this option is preferable to using a workstation.

Shared printers can also be attached to hardware print servers connected to the local network.

There are also printers that have built-in network adapters for direct connection to a local network, which increases their throughput by eliminating unnecessary interface transformations. The type and parameters of the printer connection are specified in the print server configuration (see Table 8.1).

Table 8.1. Type and parameters of connecting the printer to the print server

Parallel	a parallel printer connected to the LPT ports of a print server (Local to Print Server) or another node (Remote From Print Server). For it, the port number and operating mode are set (Polled - by polling or Use Interrupts - by interrupts with an indication of the number).
Serial	a printer that connects to the serial (COM) ports of a print server (Local to Print Server) or other node (Remote From Print Server). For it, in addition to the port number and operating mode (Polled - by polling or Use Interrupts - by interrupts with an indication of the number), communication parameters are also set (speed, number of bits, parity, stop bits, XON / XOFF).
Remote Other / Unknown	unknown (undefined) type used for remote or network connection of the printer, the parameters of which are set when its software support is started.
NetWare 4.x expands the list of possible printer connections. Introduced into it:
UNIX Printer	a shared printer attached to a UNIX workstation. For it, set the Printer Name and Host Name - the names of the printer and the Unix workstation to which it is connected.
AppleTalk Printer	a printer using the AppleTalk protocol. For it, set the type (Type: LaserWriter, ImageWriter, LQ, DeskWriter, PaintWriter XL, PaintJet XL300), AppleTalk network zone, print error messages (Print Error Messages - PostScript printer printing error messages on separate pages, Don "t Print Error Messages - do not print messages), hiding the printer (Hide Printer - forcing the sending of jobs not directly to the printer, but in the queue, Don "t Hide Printer - do not hide).
XNP	A printer with a network interface that uses the eXtended Network Protocol.
AIO	A printer using the Asynchronous Input / Output protocol can connect to an asynchronous communication server. It differs from the usual serial one by setting the numbers of the printer hardware and the connection board (Hardware Number and Board Number).

How do I install a print service on NetWare 3.x?

To do this, it is necessary to register from the workstation with supervisor rights on the file server whose users need this service, and load the PCONSOLE.EXE utility menu. It is used to create job queues, configure print servers and printers. The initial installation requires the following steps:

1. Create job queues on the server and define their clients. For the initial version, it is enough to create one queue on each file server with print clients (by default, their clients will be members of the EVERYONE group).

Ensure that there is always sufficient free space on the queue volume.

2. Create a print server budget on a file server - in the Print Server Information menu, by pressing Insert, enter the name of a new print server. If desired, you can set a startup password, as well as a full name (for reference purposes).

3. Configure printers served by the print server. The print server has 16 logical sockets for printers. For each physical printer to be serviced by this print server, it is necessary to describe the method and parameters of its connection (see Table 8.1). Remember that the remote printer in NetWare 3.x is interrupt-only. When the Remote Unknown type is selected, the connection parameters are determined after downloading its support to the station (RPRINTER.EXE).

4. For configured printers, assign the queues they serve.

5. Load PSERVER (NLM, EXE or VAP, depending on the platform) - information about the configured printers should appear on its screen. For each printer slot, a name is displayed in its window (for remote - the name of the station to which it is connected), and the state: Not Defined - not defined, Not Connected - the remote printer is not connected, Out of Paper - out of paper or the printer is not connected to port (or just not enabled), Waiting for a job - the most pleasant state - ready to work.

After this stage, the server part of the printing system should be ready for work, which can be seen by sending a text file (AUTOEXEC.BAT) to print using the same PCONSOLE utility. In this way, you can check the selection of a job from any specified queue by the print server and its output to print, as well as the actions of the parameters of the print job. Before the full initial setup of network printing, you just need to figure out how to run the NPRINT and CAPTURE utilities, with which jobs are queued.

Above were the steps for initial printing setup, without considering the following "aggravating" circumstances:

1. If the print server queues are located on several servers, then its budget should be set on each of them (while different servers may have different passwords and full names, and printer types are set as "Defined elsewhere" - defined somewhere, that is on the main server).

2. Administrative steps may be needed: assigning clients and operators to queues and print servers, creating user alert lists to service printers.

3. If users tend to print with different fonts, it may be necessary to create a printer definition database with PRINTDEF and define job configurations with PRINTCON. And if there are several servers, then the definition bases should be on all servers covered by this complex service, which is difficult (for the administrator) to overcome the interserver Bindery barriers.

How do I install a print service on NetWare 4.x?

In principle, the same as in NetWare 3.x (see the previous answer), but still somewhat simpler, thanks to the coverage of the entire network with a single Directory tree and the great capabilities of the print server and NetWare 4.x remote printers. To install printing on the entire network, you must register under the name ADMIN, for installation on a part of the network - under a name that gives administrator rights in it. The initial configuration can be quickly set using the Quick Setup mode of the PCONSOLE utility, and later can be changed by manual settings of the same utility or NWADMIN. Quick Setup allows you to assign each printer one queue, the client of the queue and the print server will be the container in which the print server is created, the queue and print server operator - ADMIN (administrator creating the print server). The mode is also suitable for adding new printers (paired with a queue). Using the Quick Setup mode, you must:

1. Select the context in which the new print server is created.

2. Enter a new one (Insert) or select from the list a print server to which new printers are added. By default, a name is proposed, consisting of the prefix "PS-" and the context name, the name can be changed.

3. Set the names of the new printer and its queue, or accept the default "P1" and "Q1".

4. Select a volume for the queue. By default, the volume of the given or the lower context is offered, if there is none, the volume that stores the duplicate of this section of the directory tree is offered.

The queue on the volume requires free space.

5. Select the type of cover page (header) - PostScript or Text (optional and taking into account the type of printer).

6. Select printer settings.
Printer Type: Parallel / Serial / UNIX, etc., (see table 8.1)
Location: Auto Load (Local to Print Server) - automatic loading of the driver (not paper!) For local connection, Manual Load (Remote from Print server) - manual loading of the driver for remote connection.
Interrupt: the interrupt number used by the port, or None (polled mode) for polled service.
Port: the number of the LPT or COM port, for COM ports, you must also set the communication parameters (speed, number of bits, parity, stop bits, XON / XOFF).

After completing these items (there are more of them than in 3.x, but all of them are contained in one menu and the selection only requires the installation of the printer) and exiting the Quick Setup menu, you will receive a configured printing system, ready to load the print server and NPRINTER modules, supporting remote printers.

How do I start the print server?

The print server is started after it has been configured (specifying a name, defining serviced queues and printers). To start the print server, you need to load a module corresponding to the platform (file server, bridge or dedicated workstation).

To load the print server on the file server, execute the LOAD PSERVER command, where pserver_name is the print server name. This module adds its own console screen. The module can be unloaded explicitly with the UNLOAD command or implicitly when the print server is closed with the PCONSOLE utility.

The download command can be included in AUTOEXEC.NCF. You can include the name of the print server in the command line (provided that it does not contain invalid characters), otherwise you will have to enter it manually. If a startup password is set, it is entered manually from the console.

In NetWare 4.x, the print server must be in the same context as the file server on which it is downloaded. If this is not the case, then you must create an alias for the print server in the context of the file server.

To start PSERVER.VAP, you need to confirm the loading of VAP processes when loading the 2.15 server or external bridge.

To load a dedicated print server, its station must register on the network so that it can access the SYS: PUBLIC directory (or the files PSERVER.EXE, IBM $ RUN.OVL, SYS $ ERR.DAT, SYS $ HELP.DAT and SYS $ MSG .DAT should be copied to its local drive). After that, you must run the PSERVER ps_name command, where ps_name is the name of the print server and server_name is the name of the file server where the print server definitions are stored. For this station, the number of SPX connections must be increased (using the SPX CONNECTIONS directive = 60) in the NET.CFG file (SHELL.CFG). You can close the server using the PCONSOLE utility.

Is it possible to configure the print server "on the fly" without restarting it?

The print server can be configured in two ways: changing the configuration, which take effect from the next boot of the print server, and changing parameters (state, control of the print server), which are effective immediately, but only until it is rebooted. The insistent recommendation to reboot the print server after changing the parameters is aimed at ensuring a calm life for the administrator - the correctness or incorrectness of the changes will be discovered hot on the trail and not sometime after a reboot at an inopportune moment.

How do I start a remote printer?

To start a remote printer (previously described in one of the print server slots), you must load the resident program for its support and specify the name of the print server and the printer slot number.

To start support, a shell (NETx) or a requestor (VLM) must be loaded on the station, it is not necessary to register on the network, but you must have read access to the files IBM $ RUN.OVL, SYS $ ERR.DAT, SYS $ HELP.DAT, SYS $ MSG.DAT, RPRINTER.EXE and RPRINTER.HLP. For this station, the number of SPX connections should be increased (using directives SPX CONNECTIONS = 60) in the NET.CFG file (SHELL.CFG). When connecting a printer to a parallel port, it must be defined as local (the LOCAL PRINTERS = 0 line in the same file must be either removed or set to the correct value).

For NetWare 3.x, the helper module is loaded with the command

RPRINTER [-R] [- S]

The ps_name and num parameters specify the print server name and slot number, if you omit them, a menu will appear from which you can select them. The -S option displays the current state of the printer.

If the slot in the print server is configured for an unknown printer type, the utility uses a menu to determine its settings at startup.

The -R option disconnects the printer from the print server and frees memory (you cannot use the EMSNETX and XMSNETX shells; to remove it from memory, you must restart the computer).

You can use the PSC or PCONSOLE utilities to switch the printer to Private and back to Shared mode.

NetWare 4.x replaces RPRINTER.EXE with NPRINTER.EXE. It starts in the same way, but the syntax and set of options have changed: / S - state, / B = 3 (1-20) - setting the buffer size, / T = 1 (1-9) - period (in ticks, 1/18 s) service when working by polling, / U - unloading from memory. The name of the print server is its external name (Advertise name).

To start a remote printer connected to a file server, execute the LOAD NPRINTER ps_name num command on it; if several printers are connected, repeat it for each. The unloading is performed by the UNLOAD NPRINTER command (if several are loaded, the system will offer to select a candidate for deletion).

How do I print to a network printer?

If you need to print a file (or a group of files using a pattern), use the NPRINT utility, which is similar to DOS PRINT. Its options allow you to select the queue (and in NetWare 4.x and directly the name of the printer), in which the job will be placed, as well as control the parameters of the print job. The DELete specific option specifies automatic deletion of the file after printing.

If you are using an application that supports network printing on NetWare, take advantage of these options.

If you work with applications that do not support network printing, use the CAPTURE.EXE utility, which redirects the data of the selected LPT port of the station to the queue file-job, and work with the forwarded port in the same way as when using your own printer. For correct operation, you may need to adjust the CAPTURE settings. The ENDCAP.EXE utility cancels the redirection and closes the job file.

In a Windows environment, reassigning a port to a network is convenient to perform using the NetWare User Tools utility, by opening its window explicitly or through the printer settings in the control panel. For more details, including for Windows 95, see Chapter 7.

Can you monitor the use of network printers?

The use of network printers is automatically governed by the assignment of queue clients (and printers in NetWare 4.x): non-client users cannot use shared printing services.

During work, the queue operator has the ability to quickly monitor the sent tasks and their delay or deletion.

If necessary, network auditing can be set up, where the audit of events (Audit by Event) of the queue management system (QMS) refers to printing. This will log (hidden from all users) jobs queuing and servicing, creating and deleting queues, etc. operations for specified objects.

In NetWare 4.x, the PCONSOLE utility allows you to enable job tracking and view the generated report file.

Why are there different print queues?

Different queues are created, firstly, to separate jobs that require different printers, and secondly, to prioritize certain jobs without the intervention of the print spooler. For more urgent jobs, a high priority queue is created, its clients are assigned to select users or groups, and they are automatically provided "special service" when the printer releases the current non-priority job.

The highest priority is number 1, the lowest is 10 (15 on NetWare 4.x).
How do I schedule printer assignments for queuing?

The simplest option is to assign a printer to each queue (a queue without a printer and a printer without a queue do not make sense). This can be used as the first step in the development of network printing.

If the printer needs to serve clients of several servers, then it is advisable to create queues on each server, since in NetWare 3.x and lower the client of the queue can only be a user who has a budget on this server. Print Server 3.x can serve up to 8 queues of different servers.

NetWare 4.x removes this cause of multiple queues.

If the capacity of one printer is not enough, then it is advisable to assign several printers to serve one queue. There is no limit on the number of printers.

In NetWare 4.x, the Print Layout mode of the NWADMIN utility allows you to navigate the structure of the printing system (print servers, printers, and queues). The graphic image of the system can be intercepted by the Print Screen key in the Clipboard, and then edited and printed with a graphic editor (Paintbrush) to document the network.

How to speed up a network printer?

The speed of a network printer (if not already limited by the physical characteristics of the device and interface) depends on where and how it is connected, as well as on some configuration parameters. If you need to accelerate, consider the following.

The connection point for the fastest work is the parallel port of the print server. The speed of its operation is determined by the service mode, the size of the buffer allocated for the printer, the performance and the load on the server. Service by interrupt (Use Interrupt) is faster than by poll (Polled, the default setting), but there are not always free interrupt lines (this is a shortage in the PC).

In NetWare 4.x, the next fastest way is to connect the printer to the parallel interface of another server that boots NPRINTER.NLM. Here you can proceed from the same considerations. It is very efficient to place queues for this printer on the same server.

The speed of a network printer connected to a workstation is highly dependent on its performance and the user's tasks.

The NPRINTER.EXE module that supports this type of connection in NetWare 4.x allows both interrupt and poll operation. In principle, work on interrupts is more efficient, but sometimes the opposite is true. The mode of operation by polling or interrupts is set when configuring the print server. When working on polling, the priority of printing in relation to other tasks of the station can be controlled by parameter T in the range of 1-9. It determines how many 1/18 second ticks the printer takes to service. By default, 1 is accepted - service at every tick, that is, there is nowhere faster.

The speed can be increased by setting the buffer size in the range of 3-60 Kbytes, but this consumes the station's memory (with a three-kilobyte buffer NPRINTER takes about 5 Kbytes).

For example, to run with a buffer size of 30 KB and serve through a tick (strange combination), the NPRINTER PS_STUD 0 / T = 2 / B = 60 command is executed.

In the configuration of the print server, you can set the size of the buffer allocated to each printer in the range of 1-20 KB (3 KB by default). By increasing the size of the buffer, at the cost of additional consumption of server memory, you can increase the speed (for a laser printer, and 20 KB is not a pity).

The Service Interval parameter (1-15 s, default 5) has little to do with speed, since it only sets the interval for searching for new jobs in the queues.

The performance of printers connected to a hardware print server will be higher if their ports are configured as standalone servers that take jobs from queues, rather than as remote printers (the number of transfers is reduced).

Serial ports work significantly slower than parallel ports, this connection method is used only if absolutely necessary.

In addition to the connection methods, the relative position of print servers and servers with queues also affects the speed of work. In NetWare 4.x there are no barriers within the Directory, but this does not mean that the print server should be forced to "crawl" for jobs on another network over slow links and send a stream of data to a remote printer on a third network.

It is not recommended to use work on interrupts for stations operating in the Windows environment. If you still use them, then to stabilize the work of NPRINTER or RPRINTER, you should load before starting Windows, and in the SYSTEM.INI file section specify

LPT1AutoAssign = 0

LPT1irq = -1 (assuming a network printer is connected to LPT1).

What are the specific user-specific features of shared printing?

The specificity of network printing, mainly due to the collective use of printers and the ability to print on different printers, is the need for additional settings for printing parameters. Parameters are configured using the network printing utility options CAPTURE.EXE and NPRINT.EXE, and by using the configuration of print jobs created with the PRINTCON.EXE utility. The print job configuration file PRINT.DAT, stored in the user's personal mail directory, contains job definitions, one of which is assigned as the default job.

In NetWare 4.x, job configuration can be defined for users, templates, and containers. Configuration is also possible with the NWADMIN utility, and usually it is enough to specify a configuration name and specify a printer or queue.

Table 8.2 Common options for the CAPTURE and NPRINT utilities:

Job = j_name	the name of the used configuration;
Copies = 1	number of copies (1-65000);
NoTabs	"transparency" for tab characters. If you do not specify this option, then tabs are replaced with a number of spaces depending on the current position in the line in accordance with the step (slightly intrusive NetWare service);
Tabs = 8 (1-18)	setting a tab stop;
FormFeed (NoFormFeed)	running a blank sheet before printing a job;
NOTIfy (NoNOTIfy)	notifying the user about the completion of the task;
NoBanner	cancellation of cap printing;
Banner = text	replacing the standard heading with text (up to 12 characters);
NAMe = text	replacing the username (Login_Name) in the header with text (up to 12 characters);
Form = f_name or n	name or number of the printing form;
Server = server_name	file server used for printing (for NetWare 3.x and earlier);
Queue = q_name	the name of the queue;
Printer = p_name	printer name in the Directory (for NetWare 4.x)

Table 8.3. Additional options for the CAPTURE command:

Local = 1 (1-3)	the number of the intercepted LPT port (up to 9 in NetWare 4.x);
Autoendcap	enqueueing the intercepted data immediately upon exiting the application program or closing the printing device;
NoAutoendcap	enqueue only by ENDCAP command or repeated CAPTURE command; TImeout = 0 (1-1000, 0 - disabled) - the time interval (in seconds) of the delay from the moment of the last record in the LPT until the task is automatically queued;
CReate = pathname	placing the intercepted data into a regular file;
Keep	saving all intercepted print data on the server in the event of a station freeze or loss of connection (instead of resetting them);
SHow	displaying the current assignments for all ports, (it is unacceptable to use in conjunction with the installation options);
EndCap	completion of interception and enqueueing the job (instead of ENDCAP.EXE). The ALL option ends hijacking of all ports, the CAncell option cancels the print job;
HOLD	Delaying a job in the queue until it is explicitly canceled by PCONSOLE or NWADMIN (on NetWare 4.x).

How does LPT port interception work?

Capturing a port, regardless of how it is installed (using the CAPTURE utility or using NetWare User Tools and Windows), works as follows:

All printer output coming through BIOS INT 17h (initialization, character output and polling the printer status) for the port with the intercepted number is accumulated in a small buffer, from which it is transferred in packets to the server queue. Unlike a printer that would print incoming characters as they enter its buffer (dot matrix or inkjet - line by line, laser - page by page), a network printer will start printing a job only after the job file is closed. Subtleties arise when determining the moment (reason) to close the assignment. If you set the AutoEndcap option, CAPTURE sends a signal to close the job file (print the next portion) when the PRN DOS device is closed by the application that generated the data stream through the DOS functions. If the application itself does not close the PRN, then DOS will do so when the application exits. In order not to wait for this event and to be able to print from programs that use INT 17h rather than DOS functions, the CAPTURE can be configured to timed out jobs. In this case, when a pause between output exceeds the specified threshold, the current job is closed and served by the print server, and when output resumes, a new job file is opened. In general, this method works when configured correctly, but it can be a source of various surprises. If the NoAutoendcap option is set and the timeout is disabled (TImeout = 0), the job will be closed only by starting ENDCAP.EXE or restarting CAPTURE for the same port.

Launching ENNDCAP is equivalent to clicking the End Capture (NetWare User Tools) button in Windows.

In NetWare 4.x, ENDCAP.EXE is replaced by the EndCap option of the CAPTURE command.

Which port can be captured with the CAPTURE command?

You can intercept the output both to the port actually present on the computer, and to the fictitious port. The LPT1 interception also sends screen dumps (PrintScreen) to the network. The number of the intercepted LPT port is set by the utility launch parameter Local = n (by default 1). This parameter assumes counting from the first unoccupied printer port (the number of busy is declared by the LOCAL PRINTERS = m directive in the SHELL.CFG or NET.CFG file, by default 0). Thus, LPT1 is intercepted by default: (LOCAL PRINTERS = 0, Local = 1).

Can I use a software-Russified printer on the network?

It is possible, but with some reservations. Software crackers use interception BIOS INT 17h - output of a byte to the port. It is impossible to install such a crack on the print server, since the NetWare driver directly works with the port registers and the loaded driver simply will not "notice". At a workstation, the Russifier can only be used when printing by intercepting the printer output (using CAPTURE.EXE. Printing using NPRINT cannot be used with the usual software Russification of the printer.

The crack must be loaded after the shell (interrogator) of the workstation is loaded, when the INT 17h vector has already been redefined to ensure that output is redirected from the local port (via BIOS) to the network.

Mass deliveries of hardware russified ("stitched") printers and, mainly, graphic printing from Windows, reduce the relevance of this limitation.

Where is the print job configuration stored?

Print job configurations created with PRINTCON are stored in the PRINTCON.DAT file in your mail directory. They also go there if you export them to other users using the same utility.

If all users have to use the same configuration file, you can choose not to broadcast this file to everyone, but place it in a public directory included in the search path, set it share and read-only attributes (S, Ro) and force all programs that link to the configuration file, look for it there. To do this, you only need to execute the commands once

SMODE Z: PCONSOLE.EXE 5

SMODE Z: CAPTURE.EXE 5

SMODE Z: NPRINT.EXE 5

(assumes Z: is scheduled for SYS: PUBLIC).

What can and should a queue operator do?

The queue operator can control the execution of jobs: change the order of passing, delete, delay (Operator Hold) or postpone until a specified time (Defer Printing) the execution of any jobs in the queue; stop and start the queue service, stop accepting new jobs, enable or disable the connection of additional printers to the queue service, edit the job parameters (but not the output stream itself!). And he must monitor the timeliness of the execution of tasks, taking, if necessary, measures to change the configuration of the printing system.

What can a queue client do?

The client of the queue can only send print jobs to it and control the passage of only their own jobs. The control works only in the direction of deceleration: delay the job for an indefinite time (User Hold) and cancel this delay (but not the Operator Hold delay), postpone printing until the specified date and time.

What can and should a print server operator do?

The print server operator can start, stop and close the print server, configure the print server and manage the printers connected to it, change the queue assignments and their priorities, change the lists of clients to be notified for specific printers. The print server operator cannot change the list of print server operators and clients.

The operator must respond to the notification about the need to intervene in the printing process, install paper, mount forms.

Operator's tool - the PCONSOLE.EXE utility menu, which allows you to make both temporary changes (Print Server Status / Control menu), which are valid until the restart of a running print server, and permanent changes that are valid from the moment the print server is restarted (Print Server Configuration menu) ...

NWADMIN is a good tool in NetWare 4.x.

Routine maintenance of network printing by the print server operator can also be carried out from the command line using the PSC.EXE utility, its launch format is:

PSC flags

The ps_name, p_num, and flags parameters define the name of the print server, its printer number, and command flags.

If the printer number is not specified, the actions specified by the command are performed with all printers of this print server.

The default PS and P parameters can be specified via the DOS environment variable with the command

SET PSC = PSps_name Pp_num

from the DOS environment or by the DOS command

SET PSC = "PSpserver_name Pp_num"

from the registration procedure.

Purpose of flags:

ABort - stop printing the current job and remove it from the queue, the printer takes the next job;
STOp - stop the printer. The Keep option will save the current job and put it at the top of the queue again (otherwise it will be deleted). NetWare 4.x does not have the Keep option, the job is always saved;
STARt - restart the printer after a stop or pause;
PAUse - pause the printer, printing of the current job will continue after restart;
Mark - marks the first page of the format with a line of the specified character (by default *);
FormFeed - skip a page before printing the next page (for a stopped printer);
MOunt Form = n - message to the print server about the number of the installed form;
PRIvate - excluding a remote printer from the network list and transferring it to local use;
SHared - add a remote printer to the network list and prohibit its local use;
CancelDown - cancels the close option after printing current jobs in PCONSOLE;
STATus - issuing information about the state of the printer (the command is available to all clients of the print server); On NetWare 4.x, the PS parameter specifies the Advertising name of the server in the Directory. If the print server is running on a NetWare 3.x or earlier server, you must specify its name in the PSC parameters with the Server = server_name option.
The List flag causes the output of information about the relationship of devices controlled by the print server;

Who receives reports of network printer problems that require attention?

These messages will be received by users or their groups (in NetWare 4.x you can define them through containers or templates) included in the Notifications lists. Their lists for each printer are specified through PCONSOLE, and in NetWare 4.x - and NWADMIN. It can also include the Print Job Owner element - the user who submitted the job, for the completion of which intervention was required. Each element of the selected list can be individually set the delay (in minutes) of the first notification and the frequency of repetitions, thus defining the "last" one that will run to the printer first. To change the notification lists, it is enough to be the operator of the print server.

How do I assign a queue operator?

All queues on NetWare 3.x and earlier servers are operated by SUPERVISOR, or another user with equivalent security rights. He can also appoint other users registered on this server or their groups as operators. Operators are assigned using the PCONSOLE utility. The user appointed by the budget manager also becomes the operator of the queues created by him.

In NetWare 4.x, ADMIN is the universal operator, and it can handle all assignments. The user who creates the queue also becomes the operator (for this, he must have the right to create objects in the Catalog). In addition to users and groups, you can also assign custom templates and containers (organizations and departments) as a queue operator. When containers are assigned, all users entering them become operators of this queue. When templates are assigned, only users who will be created using these templates in the future will become operators (previously created users must be enabled in a different way). Assignments are performed by the NWADMIN or PCONSOLE utility.

How to assign a print server operator?

The print server operator is assigned according to the same rules as the queue operator (see the answer to the previous question).

How do I assign customers to a queue?

In NetWare 3.x and earlier, when a new queue is created on a server, all members of the EVERYONE group automatically become its clients, that is, all clients of that server (except those deleted from this group, which is usually not done). In the future, using the PCONSOLE utility, you can remove this group from the list of clients of this queue and add any users of this server or their groups to it. Bindery constraints force the creation of queues on all servers that have clients with printing needs.

In NetWare 4.x, all users defined in the same container in which the queue was created automatically become clients of a newly created queue. In the list of queue clients, in addition to users and groups, you can also assign custom templates and containers (organizations and departments). When containers are assigned, all users entering them, as well as users entering the nested containers (and so on) become clients of this queue. When assigning templates, only users who will be created from these templates in the future (previously created users must be enabled in a different way) will become clients. Assignments are performed by the NWADMIN or PCONSOLE utility. The absence of cross-server barriers in NDS allows you not to create extra queues, but to create them based on considerations of ease of management (of course, taking into account the traffic).

How to assign print server clients?

In NetWare 3.x and earlier, when a print server is created, all members of the EVERYONE group are automatically made clients of the print server. In the future, using the PCONSOLE utility, you can correct the list of clients, which can contain any users of this server or their groups.

In NetWare 4.x, print server clients, in addition to users and groups, can also assign custom templates and containers (organizations and departments). Assignments are performed by the NWADMIN or PCONSOLE utility.

The print server client can check its operation and the status of printers on its own initiative. In order for it to receive system-initiated printer status messages, it must be specifically included in the printer's message distribution list.

To receive a notification about the completion of his job, the user does not need to be a client of the print server, he just needs to specify the NOTIfy parameter in the job configuration.

How to "get out of line" for printing?

To do this, the queue operator must, in the list of jobs awaiting service, assign the number 1 to the favorite job, and it will be printed immediately after the printer is released from printing the current job (if there are no queues with a lower priority value). If it is not possible to wait for the current job to finish printing, you can remove it, but all the incomplete printing will disappear. These manipulations can be performed using the PCONSOLE utility, and in 4.x - the all-powerful NWADMIN utility.

How do I delete a print job?

For this, it would be good to know which queue it was sent to. If sent by default, the CAPTURE SHow command will prompt the name of the queue.

To delete a job, start PCONSOLE, select the required server, and from the Print Queue Information menu, select a queue from the list. Select the Current Print Job item, find your job in it and delete it with the Delete key.

If you are a queue operator, not only your own, but also tasks of all users will be available to you - be careful!

How do I postpone printing a job?

You can postpone the print job for a desired or indefinite amount of time. To do this, the task must be found in the queue (see the previous answer), but not deleted, but by pressing Enter, change the flags. User Hold or Operator Hold flags set to "Yes" will hold the job until you clear them, and by setting Defer printing Yes, you can set the target date and time (Target date and Target time) of the job. But if the job is already printing, you can delay it only by interrupting printing on the print server. You can insure against such cases by suspending the service of the queue by print servers until the job is enqueued.

In NetWare 4.x, the CAPTURE utility has a HOLD option, a user-defined delay that can be overridden or replaced with Defer print using PCONSOLE or NWADMIN.

How can you avoid wasting paper on headers and blank sheets between assignments?

To do this, specify the NoBanner parameter in the job configuration or in the CAPTURE and NPRINT options - and you will get rid of the sheets with headers.

A blank sheet run (or rather, a format translation at the end of a job) is canceled by the NoFormFeed option, but this can be safely done only when all printing applications end their streams with a format translation command. If this is not the case, then you may have to share the finished printouts with a knife (for paper).

How do I debug network printing?

Network printing on NetWare is difficult to set up and debug. Some problems arise from incomplete (incorrect) installation, some from hardware, and systemic destruction of objects - queues, print servers, databases - is also possible. In case things get really bad and printing doesn't work at all, the following sequence of steps can be recommended.

1. Check the connection, switching on and readiness (by indicators on the front panel) of all devices involved in the printing process: printers, print servers, file servers, communication facilities.

2. Verify queue and printer configurations with PCONSOLE.

3. Start the print server and ensure that the status window of the printer being debugged appears Waiting for a Job, and if there is no paper, Out of Paper. The means to achieve this goal are rechecking the connections and printer configuration, trying to find the correct interrupt or switching to polling mode, checking the equipment of the node to which the printer is physically connected (up to testing with DOS programs such as CHECKIT). This checks (at the initial level) the connection between the printer and the print server.

4. Try to print a text file with PCONSOLE. This checks the selection of jobs from the queue. If the file does not print, check the print server assignment to serve the queue. If the file prints slowly, with gaps and distortions, look for the cause in the hardware and settings (conflicts with other devices are possible). If the file prints, but there are problems with the print modes (they can be changed using the same utility), check and correct the printer definition database using PRINTDEF. The job configuration debugged in PCONSOLE can serve as a prototype for creating job configurations for users.

The following steps are for setting up your workstation.

5. Create (correct) job configurations for users using the PRINTDEF utility and try it out by printing files through NPRINT. This verifies the path from the queuing of jobs to the printer itself.

6. If port interception is used, then it remains to deal with the intercepted port number (remember about LOCAL PRINTERS = n in NET.CFG or SHELL.CFG) and with setting the task completion sign (AutoEndcap, TImeout) for specific tasks.

Changes to the print server configuration made using PCONSOLE or NWADMIN are effective only after the next start of the print server; operational control of the print server affects only the current session of its work and is "forgotten" after its restart. Changes to the NET.CFG or SHELL.CFG workstation files take effect only after restarting the requestor (VLM) or shell (NETx).

A remote printer attached to a workstation does not print jobs from its queue. What are the reasons?

There may be several reasons, and if a cursory examination is unsuccessful, look at the print server screen. On it, in the window of this printer, the username of this workstation and the state should be present:

Waiting for a job - check the queue and the assignment of the printer to it;

Private - a printer in the private use of the station owner (the owner has the right and the ability to install using PCONSOLE or PSC, the same utilities can also be used for shared use - Shared);

Out of paper - it can be not only about paper, but also about connecting (turning on) the printer;

Not connected - support is not loaded on the station, the following options are possible:

the RPRINTER.EXE module (NPRINTER.EXE) has not been loaded;
no port available (LOCAL PRINTERS = 0 or some other inappropriate value is set in the station shell configuration);
the device parameters are incorrectly defined in the print server, and if Remote Other / Unknown is specified there, then when RPRINTER (NPRINTER) is started;
no SPX connections available (no SPX CONNECTIONS = 50 or more in the shell configuration).

If everything is correct, and the printer does not work or prints slowly or intermittently, the cause may be a conflict or an erroneous interrupt assignment. Switching to polling service, or vice versa, to interrupt can help here.

When trying to start the print server, the system asks for a password that has not been set before, what is the way out?

The way out depends on the reason, the simplest one - an incorrectly specified print server name - can be easily eliminated. In NetWare 3.x, the possible option is that the print server budget is not defined on all servers whose queues are assigned to it, or they are assigned different passwords (by mistake during installation, or an old copy of Bindery was restored on some server without this budget); this is fixed with PCONSOLE. It is also possible to destroy print server objects and / or queues, which can be treated with the BINDFIX utilities in NetWare 3.x or DSREPAIR in NetWare 4.x. If this does not help, it is worth deleting and re-creating the print server (and queues).

Jobs from the queue are not printed, why?

First, they can be delayed or postponed for a specified time (by the user or by the queue operator), or the operator has prohibited their servicing by print servers. Secondly, there may be no running print servers with ready-to-use printers configured to serve this queue. These causes are identified and corrected using PCONSOLE or NWADMIN. Thirdly, the queues can formally look correct, but in fact be destroyed. In this case, the easiest way is to destroy them (if possible) and create new ones using the same utilities.

When printing the same file on a network printer, it is printed in different fonts, where to look for the cause?

This effect occurs if the printers are incorrectly defined, and the commands for changing the print mode were used in other jobs that were printed between yours on the same printer. This effect is eliminated by configuring printer definitions and selecting the desired mode in the print job.

Having changed the page sizes specified in the definition of the printing form, I do not observe changes in printing. Why?

Because the description of the form does not affect the operation of the printer in any way (line wrapping and pagination does not occur from this, which is good!). Form descriptions are purely for reference purposes, and the reason for the existence of forms is that with their help the system can inform the operator about the need to change the paper in the printer (type, format, forms).

How do I customize the printer modes?

For each network printer, you must enter its definition in the printer definition database contained in the NET $ PRN.DAT file in the SYS.PUBLIC directory. The database is created by importing printer definitions — .PDF files from the NetWare shipment or exported from databases on other servers — into it, and defining the print forms.

The base formats for NetWare 3.x and NetWare 4.x do not match. Upgrade allows converting old ones to new ones, but when using the old and new print servers at the same time, each must use the appropriate base, and the maintenance of the bases must be performed by utilities of the corresponding versions.

Each printer definition includes its name (up to 32 characters) and a list of the print modes used (font type, weight, etc.). Any of these modes can be referenced in the definition of a print job sent from a workstation. Modes, in turn, are defined as a sequence of functions (initialization, density selection, etc.) - named chains of printer commands (usually escape sequences).

Descriptions of printers and their modes and functions can be created, imported, exported, and edited using the PRINTDEF.EXE utility, and on NetWare 4.x, the NWADMIN utility.

Editing definitions of modes and, especially, functions requires knowledge of commands to control this printer at the level of Escape sequences. Changing these chains carelessly can lead to cryptic graphic effects when printed. It is recommended to use standard definitions whenever possible.

Each mode should begin with printer initialization to eliminate the effects of aftereffects.

What are print forms for and how are they defined?

Print forms determine the size and type of paper (film) used for printing a given job. It is specified by a number (0-255) or a symbolic name in the configuration of a print job; by default, Form 0 is used. The print server will print a job only if the printer has a form that corresponds to that specified in the job. The print server notifies the operators of this printer about the need to change the form. Mounting the form means installing the required media and, which is really perceived by the system, a message about this to the print server using the PCONSOLE.EXE or PSC.EXE utility (and NWADMIN in 4.x). Using the PCONSOLE utility (and NWADMIN in 4.x) for each printer, you can set the form maintenance mode.

Change Forms as Needed mode - jobs will be printed in order of priority, and a request will be issued to change forms.

Minimize Form Changes across Print Queues or Minimize Form Changes within Print Queues - print jobs that require this form from all queues regardless of their priority or according to the priority of the queue respectively. In this case, another form will be requested only after processing all tasks with this form in all queues or in the queue with the highest priority.

Service Only Current Mounted Form mode (to serve only the mounted form) - the operator has the initiative to install the forms, the print server processes the tasks that require it in the order of queues and priorities.

Both minimization modes confuse the priority order of service, especially the first.

How do I direct network printing to the desired printer?

In NetWare 3.x, jobs can only be sent to the selected queue, and to get to the desired printer, you need to know which queues it is assigned to (PCONSOLE will help you with this). The queue name is specified explicitly or through the spooler number. Spooler numbers (0-4) correspond to the logical numbers of network printers used by programs targeting earlier versions of NetWare. By default, jobs are routed to the zero spooler queue.

The numbers have nothing to do with the print server printer numbers.

Mapping the spooler numbers "n" to the names of the "queues" allows you to install and view the server console command

SPOOL queue]

How jobs are routed depends on how the print data flows. When using the CAPTURE and NPRINT commands, you can specify the Queue = q_name parameter in their launch line, and if the queue is not on the current NetWare 3.x server, you must also specify its name with the Server = server_name parameter. The same parameters can be specified both in the job configuration and when reassigning ports from the Windows environment.

In NetWare 4.x, jobs can be sent directly to the desired printer by specifying its name in the Directory in the CAPTURE, NPRINT command parameters with the Printer = pr_name option (although in fact the job will go to the default queue defined for this printer, but the user is aware of this not necessary). The same name can be specified both in the job configuration and when reassigning ports from the Windows Environment.

What happens if you do not set options in the printing utilities?

If you have a configured print job file and have a suitable default configuration defined, then you are likely to be satisfied with the print results. If no configuration is specified, tabs, which are enabled by default in NetWare 3.x, are the most troublesome, especially when printing graphics data. As for the rest of the settings, you will receive one copy, preceded by a blank sheet and a header sheet with your name (Login_name) and file name if printed via NPRINT. The job will go to the queue defined for spooler 0 (if this spooler is not defined, you will receive an error message), you will not receive a notification when the job is completed. When printing with the CAPTURE, AutoEndcap mode is used and timeout is disabled.

By default, NetWare 4.x treats the file as binary, and tabs and end-of-file characters will not cause unwanted printing reactions.

How can I avoid setting a ton of parameters for the printing utilities?

To reduce the hassle of setting parameters to network printing, use the PRINTCON.EXE utility to create and customize a job configuration file. The PRINT.DAT file, which is stored in the user's personal mail directory, contains job definitions, one of which is assigned as the default job. The utility allows you to change job names, override the default job, and copy configurations from one client to another. Each configuration is named (up to 31 characters) and sets the default parameters for the CAPTURE and NPRINT utilities above (except for the CReate, Keep, SHow, and Delete options). A selected configuration in CAPTURE and NPRINT can be referenced by its name with the Job = j_name option. In addition to the above options, job configurations determine the device name and print mode, previously defined in the database of the server being used by the PRINTDEF.EXE utility.

In NetWare 4.x, job configuration can be defined for users, containers, and templates. When assigning a default job configuration to a container, it will be valid for all users of this container, except for those who are not explicitly (individually) set to a different default configuration. Configuration is also possible with the NWADMIN utility.

On NetWare 4.x, the Byte Stream value of the File Contents option corresponds to NoTabs mode and is enabled by default; the Text value implies tabulation processing.

The job configuration file formats for Bindery (NetWare 3.x) and NDS (NetWare 4.x) users do not match. Upgrade allows you to convert old to new, but when these users coexist on the network, everyone must use the corresponding versions of PRINTCON utilities to serve their files.

What does the "Not ready error writing device PRN" message mean for network printing?

This message, which is paradoxical for network printing, can appear when the CAPTURE utility uses a timeout with a short (poorly chosen) time in conjunction with the CR = fname file creation option. By a timeout, the task is closed, and if the next portion of data is output immediately after that, the file may not have time to close. Exit - increase the timeout value. Without the CR option, this situation will not arise, since the next part of the stream will go to another job.

When trying to print from a graphics package, the picture splits into two sheets, what is the reason?

This could be due to both the CAPTURE setup and the printer.

If you are using a CAPTURE with a small timeout value and the batch is slowly generating a raster for the printer, then the pause between fragments is treated by the CAPTURE as the end of the job. Try increasing the TImeout value (for example, for a PostScript printer, TI = 60 may be appropriate). For debugging, you can try TI = 0 (cancel the job due to timeout), but this will probably start printing only after the program finishes.

Another reason is the lack of memory in the printer itself, which can be eliminated by re-installing or replacing the printer.

Why might network printing not work on Windows?

Windows uses port hijacking to print — that is, all NetWare tools are "complete". Windows' rich customization options expand your troubleshooting list.

1. Make sure you are trying to print to the correct port and not, say, a fax server.

2. Check the assignment of the selected port to the NetWare queue. The assignment can be performed both with the CAPTURE after logging into the network before booting Windows, or from Windows (NetWare User Tools launched from Print Manager or otherwise). The operation of the selected queue (on the server side) can be checked by printing a file with the NPRINT utility with an explicit indication of the queue (Q = q_name), this isolates possible problems with the CAPTURE settings.

3. Check the Windows printer driver installation, version, and availability.

4. Check your print manager installation to see if the queue is on, the queue is on hold, or has anyone removed jobs from the queue?

5 ... Check if reassignment of the selected port works: from the DOS command prompt, execute COPY C: \ AUTOEXEC.BAT LPTn, where n is the port to intercept. If the file does not print on the network printer, check the port capture setting with the CAPTURE SHow command.

6. If DOS printing succeeds, there may be shell or driver problems (the version of NETX used must be 3.26 or later, IPX must be 3.10 or later). Better to use IPXODI drivers and VLM interrogator.

7. Check the network setup in Windows Setup, the correct version of NetWare must be selected.

This is certainly not an exhaustive search list. Life is much more diverse!

In the Windows Control Panel Printers window, the NetWork button is grayed out, although network drives are visible in both DOS and Windows. Why?

These are shell, driver, or network installation problems (see items 6 and 7 of the previous answer).

Why does the server block with the message "Abend: stack fault processor exception" when printing large jobs?

This is a problem with some versions of the ISADISK.DSK driver (everything is related!). If IDE drives are installed, it is better to use the IDE.DSK driver, it is "smarter".

Why, when the printer is turned off while printing a job after turning it on, it sometimes repeats the interrupted job and sometimes does not?

Its behavior depends on where the unprinted "tail" of the job was located - if only in the printer buffer, then there will be no repetition, and if part remained in the queue, it will queue). The print server considers the job completed when it sends its last byte to the printer, after which it is removed from the queue. If the failure occurred before this point, it will be saved for the next printout attempt (from the beginning!).

Having set the number of copies in Microsoft Word to 3, I get them 9. Why?

Check the number of copies setting for the CAPTURE, obviously it is also set to 3 (3 x 3 = 9) either in the startup line (Copies = 3) or in the used (explicit or default) job configuration. The current settings can be viewed by the CAPTURE SHow command, job configurations are maintained by the PRINTCON utility.

Why won't my documents print until I exit the application?

Because in the parameters of the CAPTURE utility, which is used to redirect output to the network, work on timeout is not set (by default TImeout = 0, that is, disabled). Try setting TI = 5 so that printing can start after a 5 second pause in the application's output stream. If the documents will be printed in parts, possibly interspersed with headers and other people's jobs, increase the TI.

- a small device that allows you to connect several computers to one printer or MFP at once. This solution is used in those offices that do not have a computer that is constantly turned on and connected to the desired printing device (and thus acts as a separate print server). In general, it provides access to the printer from all authorized PCs on the local network - so that all employees can print the documents they need whenever they want.

It is not so easy to choose a print server suitable for specific conditions - this is a complex device with many parameters incomprehensible at first glance.

In the next section of this article, we will go over all the important technical characteristics of print servers that you should look out for when buying, and then we will offer you several models that you can buy from the stores in our catalog.

Main characteristics to look out for

Print servers can be wired or wireless.

Wired models are cheaper, but only connect to the local network using wires. This can interfere with their convenient placement in the room, but if your office has enough Ethernet outlets, then this should not be a problem.

Wireless print servers are a little more expensive, but they are free from being tied to wires. This model can be placed almost anywhere - it will most likely connect to a local WiFi network without any problems.

Wi-Fi standard

For printing documents (even bulky and color ones), a high data transfer rate is not too important - even the old 802.11 b / g standard is enough. True, for compatibility with some old devices, if your organization has such, you may need to support older standards like 802.3 and 802.3u.

Antenna

When choosing a wireless print server, the question of the type of its antenna may arise. It is best to choose a model with an external antenna that is not hidden inside the case and will provide excellent signal reception and transmission. But if the print server is located in a location where the WiFi signal is strong enough, you can do without it.

Radius of action

Here you need to consider the size of your office and the place where the print server is supposed to be located. It all depends on the size of the organization and the number of employees (and, accordingly, the rooms with them) who will be connected to the printer. It is also worth considering the thickness and number of walls between the print server and the router - manufacturers usually indicate the range without obstacles in the signal path.

Wired network standard

The main thing is to make sure that the wired print server you choose supports 10 / 100BASE-TX. This is enough for trouble-free operation on any local network.

Ports for connecting wired printers

Some print servers support connecting multiple printers or MFPs at once. If you need such an opportunity (there are several printing devices for different purposes in the office), choose a model with two or more USB ports.

It is also worth paying attention to the presence of the old port of the LPT type. It will come in handy if you are using an outdated printer that cannot be connected to a computer or print server using a USB cable.

By the way, if there is such an opportunity, before buying, go to the website of the print server manufacturer and make sure that the selected model supports your printer or MFP. This is not necessary, but this way you can be sure that the two devices are fully compatible.

Assigning an IP address

It all depends on the abilities and desires of your system administrator who serves the local network. The best option, which will suit almost everyone, is automatic IP assignment using DHCP.

Control and diagnostics

The most convenient methods of management and diagnostics are through the Web interface and using a separate Windows utility. Usually, even an ordinary advanced user can perform the initial setup with their help.

Professionals in the field of network administration can resort to more flexible and faster, but more complex methods, such as Telnet.

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