Re: Setting up a small appletalk network

[shack@crash.cts.com (Randy Shackelford)]

In article <D1CK8x.6LH@vaxxine.com>, Mike Hackett <mhackett@vaxxine.com> wrote:
>In article <D0xtGt.GxH@actrix.gen.nz>, dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz
>(David Empson) wrote:
>
>> In article <petroski.787504210@mwunix>,
>> Frank R Petroski <petroski@mwunix.mitre.org> wrote:
>> > and so I can hopefully print through to an HP550c Deskjet that is
>> > direct connected to the serial port on the Mac (although I suppose I
>> > could also put the DeskJet on the localtalk network too).
>>
>> You cannot print directly from the IIgs to a printer connected to a
>> serial port on the Mac, unless you have software running on the Mac
>> which makes the printer available to computers on the network.  I know
>> that this software exists, but I don't know what it is called, or if
>> it is specific to certain printers.
>
>Actually, I just received System 7.5 for the Mac, and the cheesy little
>"upgrade guide" mentions that you can now share directly connected
>printers, just as you can share the local hard drives.  (Disclaimer: I
>have not tried it yet.)  There is also third-party to do the same thing,
>I believe, but I haven't checked into it yet.

The software is called greyshare and there is a specific driver thing for each
printer. Naturally, Apple only supplies these for their own printers. I've
never seen it in action though and what I know about it is from looking at a
copy I got from ftp.apple.com. I don't know about any built in printer sharing
thing is 7.5 either, unless it's provided by Quickdraw GX, which I don't have
installed. Networking a printer via greyshare wouldn't be too satisfactory as 
I see it since you need a localtalk port and a printer port and a modem port
and there are only two serial ports. My network printers, an IW II and
Laserwriter NTR, have hardware for networking so I have no such problems.
--
Randy Shackelford                                Huh huh, that was cool.
shack@crash.cts.com