# Help with Mac OS X and Linksys WPS54GU2 print server



## Redeyes (Mar 5, 2005)

I have been trying to set up my Mac Powerbook G4 and my Linksys WPS54GU2 for a month now.  I've tried everything I could think of.  Tried scouring the net for info and I've tried called Linksys support.  Linksys support just told me to go to "google" and do a search for the answer.  

Anyways... this is my last hope.  The print server works with all my windows machines in either wired or wireless mode.  But it simply will not work with the Mac in either mode.

Does anybody else here have any experience with this print server and Mac OS X?

My printer is a HP Deskjet 970 Cse and I have a Linksys WPS54GU2 print server with a Linksys WRT54GS router.  OS X is 10.3.

One thing I also noticed is that on OS X, when I go to network, I only see the print server in the workgroup when one of my PCs are on.  When all the PCs are off, I can no longer see the print server in the workgroup under network.  I would think that I should be able to see it even when all the PCs are off (that is the reason for a print server after all).  But, still even when I can see the print server, I cannot connect to it through OS X.

Also I was able to get the printer to respond when I was playing around with the AppleTalk setting, but I could never get the printer to print anything except wasite a bunch of paper with black splotches on it.

Any help you guys can give me would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance guys!


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## mdnky (Mar 5, 2005)

My first suggestion would be to take it back to the store for a refund if possible.  Linksys isn't a non-windows friendly company...the first sentence in their Appendix E of the manual for your product says it all IMO:  _All Linksys wireless products require Microsoft Windows._

You sure you're not seeing the printer as a 'shared printer' from one of those Win PCs?  That would explain it disappearing when the PC is off.

How have you tried connecting to/adding the printer?  IP Printing?


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## Redeyes (Mar 6, 2005)

I think you are right about the Linksys products and Macs, but returning the print server is a lil too late for me now.

I just checked my PCs and print sharing is not enabled on any of them (but good idea   ... I never thought to check that one.).

And yes I have tried IP printing.  It just won't connect.  I can ping the print server from the Mac, but it just wont print.


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## mdnky (Mar 7, 2005)

What did your setup look like for the IP Printing?  (Printer Type, Queue, Printer Model)

I tried to print to a friend's Linksys server once (built-in to his router), we had some problems but managed to get it to work.  I'm wanting to say it was an issue with the Queue name that derailed us. It's been a while, but I'm thinking it had a really funky name for the Queue. 


Try with:

*IP printing*
LPD/LPR _(printer type)_
xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx _(ip addy)_
________ _(queue name) <-- See list below_
HP: HP DeskJet 900 series, CUPS + GIMP-Print 4.2.5 _(printer model)_

_Possible Queue Names_
printserver, lp, lpt, lp1, lpt1, l1  ( l is a L )


Do it with each and every Queue name there, lowercase and uppercase, once and see if anything works.    _** You might also want to try logging into the printer server and seeing if it specifies a Queue name anywhere. **_ 

If after doing that all and it still doesn't work for you, send me an e-mail off list and I'll give you a way to contact someone who has the same model Linksys device you do.


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## Redeyes (Mar 7, 2005)

Thanks for you help mdnky.  The laptop has been loaned out for the week.  I'll have it back on Friday and will test all the options you presented.  I will update this board if I get it working.  THANKS!!!


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## sk8appstate (Mar 9, 2005)

I am new to this, if I sent this to the wrong place I apologize...My business just purchased a Mac (Power Mac G5) and we want to be able to communicate with the printers, but we have had no such luck.  I have 3 Epson printers (9600, 4000, R200), I have been through Linksys support and Mac support with no luck.  Linksys did tell me that they would work with the Mac if AppleTalk was turned on...we tried but nothing.  The Mac recognizines the print server and sometimes will say it is printing, but no activity on the printer.  I am a novice with all the computer jargon, so if someone could help and possibly explain it in Lehman's terms to me it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks to all who read this


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## Redeyes (Mar 13, 2005)

I've tried all different settings and even tried Appletalk but I cannot get this print server to work with my MAC.  With the Appletalk I was able to get some text to print, but the print quality was very very poor and I could not get it to print on both sides.  Also with the Appletalk it would not print any graphic files or even pages from the internet.  Any further help or suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks.


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## sk8appstate (Mar 14, 2005)

Thank You for your reply.  I still have not gotten the print servers to work either.  Someone suggested trying "IP" printing, but because I am such a novice when it comes to a Mac I don't even know how to do that.  I'm still searching for the answers and if I hear anything I'll be sure and let you know.  Thank you again for your time and good luck!


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## mdnky (Mar 15, 2005)

Quick-n-dirty HowTo

(Approx 1.9MB)  
http://macosx.designs4efx.com/howto/ip-printing.pdf

(Low-qual version, approx 170K)
http://macosx.designs4efx.com/howto/ip-printing-2.pdf


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## Redeyes (Mar 16, 2005)

mdnky said:
			
		

> Quick-n-dirty HowTo
> 
> (Approx 1.9MB)
> http://macosx.designs4efx.com/howto/ip-printing.pdf
> ...




Thanks for your help.  I've tried everything that you've recommended but I still can't get it to go.  The print server works fine with my Windows machines so I assume that the print server is working.  From the OS X all I get are blank pages or very  poor quality text or bars of diamonds.  Very frustrating for me.

I'm going to try it all again right now and I'll update here if I find something new.

Thanks again for all your help mdnky!!!


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## raiste (Mar 16, 2005)

I had the same problem, though with an IOGEAR printserver.  The pdf from mdnky was the key.

I was trying to use "Internet Printing Protocol" for the "Printer Type" when I should have been using "LPD/LPR".  I also used a Queue Name of "lp1".  "lp1" was what was used when I first setup the print server.  Your Queue Name may be different.

hope this helps...


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## mdnky (Mar 19, 2005)

Redeyes said:
			
		

> From the OS X all I get are blank pages or very  poor quality text or bars of diamonds.



If you're getting output from the printer, then they're communicating at least.  That's a good sign.  Based on how you described it, you're probably having an issue with the driver.

Try downloading and installing the newer Gimp-Print drivers.

If you're still getting gibberish, play around with the driver you select a bit and see if that helps.

Might be worthwhile to log into the server's admin app and verify the settings there for queue and such, compared to what you have set on the Mac.


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## jrushford (Mar 25, 2005)

Greetings,

I just bought this print server, wps54gu2, and I have it working with my G4 Mac with OS X 10.3.8.  If after setting up the IP address on the print server, you can log in to the web interface, using your browser (http://192.168.1.100 in my case).  By default, my print server had Appletalk enabled.  So, I then created a new Appletalk printer and it is working fine, an HP 5MP laserjet is connected to the print server.  I did not try to get IP printing working but, I did notice that there are two print queues on the print server while setting up the appletalk, one seems to be for the USB and the other seems to be for the parallel printer port.


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## nvilmer (Mar 27, 2005)

If you are not technically minded and patient, I recommend you do not use linksys equipment. Like others have said, they are no mac friendly. Getting this to working is painful unless you are very lucky or have someone that can walk you through it. Here's my experience:

My configuration:

Mini-mac MacOS X 10.3.8
Linksys BEFW1154 Wireless Router
Linksys WPS54GU2 Wireless Printer Server
Canon i860 (connected to parallel port)
Samsung ML-1710 (connected to USB)
Server Windows XP machines
A FreeBSD 4.10 firewall.

I downloaded and installed the latest Gimp-Print from http://www.linuxprinting.org/macosx/

I installed printer drivers from manufacturer disk. Gimp-Print also included the driver I needed for the Canon. It ended up that I used a BJC 7000 driver because there was no driver for the i860.

I reset my print server backt o factor default; I had been using it from several Windows XP machines I have.

First thing I did was to change the IP address of the print server to a static IP address. I had the advantage of having a Windows XP Laptop. I think by default the print server will use DHCP to set its IP, you can access the configuration with a web browser; there should be instructions for doing this in the manual (skip the parts about using the Windows software).

From the web admin tool, I selected the Printer tab, clicked the Logical port link and used the "Get Data" button selecting Logical port 1 and parallel; the logical port 2, and usb. I then click the Save button at the bootom of the screen. After doing this, I could see my printers on the status page and, I beleive, this set them up as queues "L1" - i860 and "L2" - ML-1710.

I was then able to add the printers to the Printer List using IP Printing; LPD/LPR; my print servers static IP; and queues L1, L2 with the correct drivers.

Note: I spent over 20 hours getting this to work, it was not at all easy. Linksys technical support was useless; Samsung and Canon were better, but basically would not support the linksys, only a direct connection to the mini-mac (which was relatively easy to get working).

I could not AppleTalk to work at all; I also tried Windows printing (could see the queue but could not print to them ???).

I dont think AppleTalk works correctly through the Linksys router, at least through the wireless part.

One of these days I am going to run some sniffer software to see what is going on with the network, but for now, I can print.

Hope this helps some fo you...


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## Redeyes (Mar 30, 2005)

Thanks to all that helped here.  I FINALLY GOT IT WORKING!!!

I took a little from everybody's advice here and nvilmer is absolutely right... this router (if used with a MAC) is definitely not for the non-technically minded.

That coupled with the fact that I only have the computer here on weekends made for a very long troubleshooting process for me.

Anyways... just to further the information database that is accumulating here...  what I had to do to make it work was I sad to set the printer server queue name in the OS X to the default of the print server.

I had changed my printserver name and OS X would not recognize my new print server queue name.  The only way I got it to work was to have OS X reference it by it's default name.

Now I just have some driver issues, but at least the printer is working with the MAC.

I can't get the printer to print on both sides of the paper even though the option is there.  I've already tried the latest GIMP drivers.  But this is something I guess I can live with until I have more time to troubleshoot.

If there is anybody out there who has a HP Deskjet 970Cse with a Linksys WPS54GU2 and can get double sided printing.... please let me know!!

Anyways.  Thanks again to all that helped out here!!!!


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## BDuell (Feb 28, 2006)

What worked for me was logging into the webadmin of the Print Server, clicking on the "Protocol" tab, choosing "AppleTalk" and selecting "ASCII" for both ports.

I left them both as "LaserWriter" and hooked my Brother MFC 9700 as the serial and it works fine.


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