Mac haul and print server questions

From: John Ruschmeyer <jruschme_at_mac.com>
Date: Tue Mar 27 21:50:48 2001

>From: Ethan Dicks <ethan_dicks_at_yahoo.com>
>Subject: Mac haul and print server questions
>
>The March winds have been unsurpassed at depositing Macintosh parts at my
>feet. Last week, at my new job, a new co-worker gave me a pair of AAUI
>10BaseT transceivers; the show at Dayton disgorged a Quadra 660AV; and the
>university surplus turned out to be a gold mine. For $5 each, I picked up
>a 15" Mac monitor, two LC IIIs, two IIsis, an external 170Mb disk,
>and an Apple
>external 80Mb disk. I got for free from the cable bin, some LocalTalk cables,
>three LocalTalk dongles, one PhoneNet dongle (w/terminator) and three data-
>center-grade AUI cables, including a DEC-branded one (perfect for my VAX8200)
>Most of these accessories I've been looking for with some intensity of late.

Nice haul.

>Finally, now that I have an abundance of Ethernet-capable Macs, I want to turn
>to a long-standing project - turning a Mac into an Ethernet<->LocalTalk print
>server. I don't care if I have to sacrifice one of my larger Macs and run
>a variety of UNIX, but what I want is to be able to print from other machines,
>UNIX, Windoze, Amiga, etc., over whatever protocol I can manage to universally
>support, and print to this HP Deskwriter 660 that is sitting here, lonely.
>Additionally, I could drive an HP LaserJet 4/ML over the LocalTalk port from
>the same print server. Are there any packages for the Mac that will let me
>share the printer with non-Apple-based machines? Is there something like
>CAP (Columbua AppleTalk Protocol?) for Windoze? (I've used it with Linux)

The closest thing to CAP for Windows would be PC-MACLAN from Miramar
systems (www.miramarsys.com). There is also, of course, Thursby's
Dave which whould give you Windows networking on the Mac.

If we're talking just printing, then you might want to look for one
of the old 'lpd' packages for the mac, though I'm not sure how the
Windows boxes would fit in.

Personally, I'd consider moving the LaserJet to a Linux box running
netatalk (like CAP, but nicer) and possibly also installing a
LocalTalk board. As an alternative to the LocalTalk card, use a
second system (LC III or IIsi) with a minimal system running Apple's
LocalTalk Bridge.

<<<john>>>
Received on Tue Mar 27 2001 - 21:50:48 BST