Need Help to Set Up Printing On Osx 10.4.2 Using D-link Router

[carolrae]

I recently purchased a D-LinK Ethernet Broadband Router model DI-704P. This model has a serial port, which I used to attach my Personal LaserWriter NTR.

The support staff from D-Link said I need to contact Mac support to help me set up printing.

I got the printer set up partially, but the data never makes it to the printer and gets stuck in the queue.

I did successfully set up a second PC (a laptop running Windows XP) to print thru the router, so I know the printer is compatible.

Can anyone can give me some useful information to get my Mac up and running again to print using the router?

Thanks in advance.

[barhar]

There are three revisions of the DI-704P; which revision used by the original poster was not mentioned.

As per D-Link's Knowledge Base for revision A (understood) and revision B the following statement was provided:

'Macintosh
As of this writing, there is no plan to have Macintosh support for the print server feature of this product. If the software is written for it and made available, it will be posted at http://support.dlink.com.

If you can perform port-based printing (OSX), you don´t need printer software. Just print to the IP of the gateway, default is 192.168.0.1, and the Print Queue Name is lp , a lower case L and a lower case P. Use the current drivers for your printer. In some cases you made need postscript drivers for your printer from the manufacturer (if available). This feature is not supported by D-Link, as per packaging.

Please do not keep the product in anticipation of Macintosh compatibility. Please return your product to your reseller.'

... and such a company wants us to purchase, and / or recommend, their products?

Revision C's Knowledge base provides no 'Print Server' info.

Anyway, try as D-Link suggests - connect to the Personal LaserWriter NTR via the IP of '192.168.0.1', and the Print Queue Name of 'lp'.

[gsahli]

Carol,
This is why I couldn't help you before - this model is the only one that doesn't have complete specifications and connector diagrams, on the Apple site. I'm wondering - does this printer really have a serial connection or is it maybe localtalk or parallel? I think you will have a better chance at success if you connect with a parallel cable (25-pin on one end and centronics at the printer).

[mersyone]

Well, THIS MIGHT BE OF SOME USE AT LEAST:

I have a MAC OSX G4, which is where the ROUTER & PRINTER IS HOOKED INTO. This WIRELESS Router routes out to 2 Windows PCs which both have wireless cards installed in them. (1 laptop, 1 dekstop).

BUT How I got it to work (after several hours of trying to figure it out);
I'LL TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE;.....

One thing I leanred is that type of data transfered from a MAC is different from that of a PC. So if you try to send PRINT data to your PC to your MAC (and visa versa) it's not gonna recognize it, regardless.

To get around this, I installed GENERIC Print drivers from a cool little utility called GIMP-PRINT. Look it up! Useful tool! download is free.
With GIMP-PRINT, I was able to install a driver on my mac/printer (or whichever comp your printer is hooked to) that the PC can understand. (SEE BELOW PIC)

http://www.nufunkdefile.com/downloads/gimp-print.jpg

So, on my PCs, I added a NETWORK PRINTER and put in the address of the Printer. In my case, it was something like *http://192.168.X.X/Epson Stylus C84. Here'z the TRICK; So,...when the PC asked me what type of PRINTER it was, I didn't select 'Epson Stylus' from the pulldown list. Rather, I put in a GENERIC Apple Color Laserwriter (EVEN THOUGH I DON'T OWN ONE).

And vuah-laa!!
it worked.

So i know your setup is different but maybe this might point u in the right direction at least.

OVERALL, try to figure a way so that they speak both the SAME LANGUAGE cuz right now the print data might be being sent to your MAC from your PC but the MAC doesn't know what to do with it so it "brain farts!"

...hope that helps.

[gsahli]

Hi Mersyone,
I'd just like to point out that Gimp-Print is a part of Tiger and Panther - you don't have to download or install Gimp-Print if you have Tiger or Panther installed on your Mac.

[mersyone]

yes i read about that somewhere on some how-to article. but when I did a search for it on "my computer", it didn't seem like a full utility to me (in other words, I had NO IDEA HOW TO UTILIZE IT! lol.) so I just downloaded a more fuller updated version from http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net.

In there was NUMEROUS setup capabilities that was definately a PLUS. For example; I can now control the ink densities, contrast, color shifts, etc. that I normally wouldn't be able to control with my NORMAL print-drivers. So I guess thatz another thing that sold me to just download it.

But yeah your right, I did read that somewhere. Just wanted to play-it-safe I guess.