Tnx Greg, not finished implementing your suggestions. I wrote this earlier tonight prior to Apple Discussions' technical difficulties. So pardon the late response to your very welcome feedback!
I've rewired all the RJ45 cables per your suggestions.
However, next I fired up my Airport Admin Utility from one of my two Macs and found that its DISTRIBUTE IP ADDRESSES option in its pane was indeed checked, meaning that it SHOULD distribute IP addresses. So I UNchecked it - turned it off, watched everything on that entire panel get grayed-out, and verified (by re-entering the app) that that was the config running in the Airport Extreme.
Restarted both machines -- and found that neither could connect to the Internet!
So I opened Airport Admin Utility once more and returned the DHCP setting to its _status quo ante_ meaning that it's on again. I was really wondering whether my cable modem could really have been a router, since I always needed a router downstream of it...
So now that DHCP setting back the way it was, both machines on the LAN can see the Internet and each other... So I'm gonna leave 'em that way until tomorrow so that tonite's backup gets done.
Remember, the RJ45 wiring is now as you recommended, and everyone can see everyone and the Internet too... So that's the good news I guess...
Some questions about the rest of what you wrote --
How do I "check that the computers are all in the same subnet"? What app or panel do I open to determine that within each CPU? My mini reports via the System Preferences Network panel that it is using built-in Ethernet, 10.0.1.4 -- and the Ti-PbG4 reports 10.0.1.3 Is this OK? Did I use the right app to look?
I gather that the first 3 numbers in the IP addr must be the same for that to obtain. That that is a good thing, I also gather... So the IP addrs of these two Macs seem OK.
Nope, no Classic, so I guess I gots to use Terminal to twiddle the JetDirect's IP addr..
Where you say that I type in
TELNET [insert current IP address] what addr are you speaking of? Which piece of equipment?
I vaguely recall my TELNET days so with the help of HELP, I shouldn't have too TOO much trouble in altering settings. But don't I have to have some "starting addr" to get the attention of the JetDirect? Should I use the one that the JetDirect status page mentioned?
Once I have its attention, and assuming I correctly know the IP addrs of the two CPUs, I can see the criteria you recommend for setting the JetDirect's IP address. So I think I can hack that part... I'll try to set the JetDirect to 10.0.1.200 -- is this right, or did I look up the IP addrs of the two Macs incorrectly?
So once I know that addr (the one I've set), I guess I use that in the Printer Setup Utility. (Correct?) I choose HP JetDirect Protocol, and I leave the queuename blank.
What does it mean, what you said about "Queue name is required for LPD protocol, and RAW works for that. (you can't make one up)"
Does it make any diff which one of 4 "modes" the JetDirect can be set into? (PostScript is one of 'em)?
Should the LinkSys light configuration change anytime during any of this? Because it hasn't, so far. I realize that I am far from finishing your very helpful instructions, so perhaps that worry about the LEDs is premature.
Thanks for the coaching, Sensei... 🙂
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
