Re: AppleTalk to Ethernet bridge software for Mac?

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Mark Cummings <figjams@primus.com.au> wrote:

> David Empson wrote:
> >The setting in the AppleTalk control panel determines which port the Mac
> >itself is using to connect to the AppleTalk network.  Assuming you want
> >to use Ethernet, then it must be set to Ethernet.
> 
> I changed it to Ethernet, and now it works between my Mac and PC using PC
> MACLAN. But does selecting another port, like modem, allow you to connect
> two AppleTalk zones or something ?. ie AppleTalk on both Modem and Printer
> port ?

If it works, then all you would achieve is extending a single LocalTalk
network to support more than 31 devices.  I can't think of any other
benefit, unless you count physical convenience.  The bridge probably
forwards all packets, so you wouldn't even get a performance advantage.

They wouldn't be "zones", per se - LocalTalk doesn't support that
feature of the AppleTalk protocol (all devices on a LocalTalk network
are in the same zone).

> It is an Epson 740 Inkjet, and reading some of the PC MACLAN docs it seems
> as though it may be possible to use it as a PC networked Apple LaserWriter
> because it is PostScript compatable. But I havn't got it to work yet,
> because it doesn't come up in the list when I browse the network on the PC.
> Still reading the docs, so I havn't given in yet.

I didn't know that the 740 (or similar models) had any Postscript
support.  Since it doesn't support AppleTalk, this is somewhat of a moot
point as far as accessing it from the IIgs is concerned (unless you got
an HP JetDirect, which might be sufficient).

> >You might be able to use it with a device like the HP JetDirect (network
> >print server), which provides an Ethernet connection to a printer via
> >its parallel port.  The JetDirect implements the various network
> >protocols, so the printer doesn't need to.  This would allow the Epson
> >to be accessed from any networked PC, but access from a networked Mac
> >(using AppleTalk protocols) requires that the printer have a
> >bidirectional parallel port.  I'm not sure whether there are any
> >additional requirements, as I've only used it with a printer which
> >supports AppleTalk directly.  I know that it does work with several HP
> >Deskjet models which in themselves don't have AppleTalk support.
> 
> Was your's an Apple LaserWriter on the PC ? If so, how was it physically
> connected ? Parallel ?

I'm using my HP JetDirect with an HP LaserJet 6MP (which also has
LocalTalk support).  I originally used LocalTalk to connect my Mac (and
IIgs) to the printer, but it seems that the IIgs LaserWriter driver and
the HP's Postscript implementation weren't cooperating (I forget the
precise details).

At one point, my Mac's modem port got fried (along with a modem) by a
lightning strike, so I had to switch the modem over to the printer port
and lost LocalTalk.  This prompted getting hold of the JetDirect and
running everything over Ethernet.

I've never used it directly on a PC, but I think I've printed to the HP
through the JetDirect using Virtual PC running on one of my Macs.  (I've
definitely used the management software in this configuration, to do a
firmware upgrade in the JetDirect.)

> >Assuming it worked, then you would be able to print to it from both PCs,
> 
> I already can from any PC on the Ethernet side.

My point was that you wouldn't lose this ability (you would have to tie
up the printer's parallel port with the JetDirect).