Print 2 a SERIAL LaserJet & USB Epson CX4200 w/Mini &/or Airport Xtreme?
I'm planning a new layout of two CPUs and I could use your friendly advice and insights, O printer and Airport Extreme gurus...
Previously I had an old, now-broken Epson C42UX color inkjet and an older HP LaserJet 4ML. The C42UX was hooked up via USB to my wife's old, dying HP XP box; the HP LaserJet 4ML was connected to the XP box's serial output (shades of the '90s, eh?).
Using, I believe, SMB or some such old protocol, I managed to hack things from my old, now-dying 15" Ti-PBg4 so that it was able to "see" and print to both printers. The XP box was hard-wired to an Airport Version1 for Internet access; my Ti-PBg4 was networked via 802.11B into the AirPort. However, if I wanted to be able to print to either printer, her XP box needed to be running because it was, in effect, acting as a double-queue print server.
I've finally convinced her to go with a Mac Mini. (I got tired of excising various Windows viruses and finally refused to fix any more!) I'll be getting a new Al-PBg4 with 802.11G capability, so I'll be getting an AirPort Extreme router to feed it fast WiFi, and also to act as a print server.
I was really pleased to see that the new Airport Extremes have print server functionality built in, so that I'll be able to print w/o needing her machine to be on, because the Airport Express will ALWAYS be on.
I was wondering whether I could connect one or both of the abovementioned two printers to the Mini or to the AirPort Extreme.
(Q1) Is there any way to drive a serial printer from the Mac Mini (or an AirPort Extreme)? Its chassis is so small that it doesn't devote any space for such an antique interface, with its large old-fashioned plug. (Q2) Anyone heard of anything that can adapt, say, USB or some other protocol the Mini (or AirPort Extreme) supports to a serial printer interface? If so, then I guess the LaserJet can stick around.
I'm planning at least to drive the new Epson CX4200 from the USB port of an AirPort Extreme.
Say, (Q3) does anyone know whether an AirPort Extreme can handle TWO usb printers? (I know there are those little USB Bridges that can quad-up a single USB port) The AirPort Extreme's doc explicitly says "Everyone in your house, office or classroom can share a single USB printer connected to the USB port on the AirPort Extreme Base Station." so that means we probably can't get a second USB printer into the act -- it would, I assume, involve needing to support >1 print queue. However, the same Airport Extreme doc goes on to say "Or you can use AirPort Extreme to access an Ethernet printer connected to your office or school Ethernet network" but I read this as meaning that the other printer has to be Ethernet-capable and on an existing network. (Q4) is this a correct interpretation? If not, what is? So I think that for the short-term, the new Epson USB printer will be doing the honors for all our printing.
Naturally if any of my near-term plans sound insane or impractical, comments would be more than welcome. As well as answers to the above questions about driving printers from Mini or Airport Extreme...
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.4) (Future:) Mini, Epson CX4200, Al-PBG4-15"
Previously I had an old, now-broken Epson C42UX color inkjet and an older HP LaserJet 4ML. The C42UX was hooked up via USB to my wife's old, dying HP XP box; the HP LaserJet 4ML was connected to the XP box's serial output (shades of the '90s, eh?).
Using, I believe, SMB or some such old protocol, I managed to hack things from my old, now-dying 15" Ti-PBg4 so that it was able to "see" and print to both printers. The XP box was hard-wired to an Airport Version1 for Internet access; my Ti-PBg4 was networked via 802.11B into the AirPort. However, if I wanted to be able to print to either printer, her XP box needed to be running because it was, in effect, acting as a double-queue print server.
I've finally convinced her to go with a Mac Mini. (I got tired of excising various Windows viruses and finally refused to fix any more!) I'll be getting a new Al-PBg4 with 802.11G capability, so I'll be getting an AirPort Extreme router to feed it fast WiFi, and also to act as a print server.
I was really pleased to see that the new Airport Extremes have print server functionality built in, so that I'll be able to print w/o needing her machine to be on, because the Airport Express will ALWAYS be on.
I was wondering whether I could connect one or both of the abovementioned two printers to the Mini or to the AirPort Extreme.
(Q1) Is there any way to drive a serial printer from the Mac Mini (or an AirPort Extreme)? Its chassis is so small that it doesn't devote any space for such an antique interface, with its large old-fashioned plug. (Q2) Anyone heard of anything that can adapt, say, USB or some other protocol the Mini (or AirPort Extreme) supports to a serial printer interface? If so, then I guess the LaserJet can stick around.
I'm planning at least to drive the new Epson CX4200 from the USB port of an AirPort Extreme.
Say, (Q3) does anyone know whether an AirPort Extreme can handle TWO usb printers? (I know there are those little USB Bridges that can quad-up a single USB port) The AirPort Extreme's doc explicitly says "Everyone in your house, office or classroom can share a single USB printer connected to the USB port on the AirPort Extreme Base Station." so that means we probably can't get a second USB printer into the act -- it would, I assume, involve needing to support >1 print queue. However, the same Airport Extreme doc goes on to say "Or you can use AirPort Extreme to access an Ethernet printer connected to your office or school Ethernet network" but I read this as meaning that the other printer has to be Ethernet-capable and on an existing network. (Q4) is this a correct interpretation? If not, what is? So I think that for the short-term, the new Epson USB printer will be doing the honors for all our printing.
Naturally if any of my near-term plans sound insane or impractical, comments would be more than welcome. As well as answers to the above questions about driving printers from Mini or Airport Extreme...
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.4) (Future:) Mini, Epson CX4200, Al-PBG4-15"
