using HP Jetdirect 300X print server with OS 10.4 Ethernet/Airport?

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using HP Jetdirect 300X print server with OS 10.4 Ethernet/Airport?

I am trying to speed up my connection to my older HP 5MP Postscript printer by switching to an HP Jetdirect 300X print server. I was previously printing through a Farralon ethernet-to-Localtalk adapter, but this can be very slow and I found that printing from a PC to this printer over its parallel port was about 20 times faster (it would sometimes take up to 50 minutes to print one document over the ethernet-to-Localtalk adapter). HP claims that this Jetdirect 300X print server will be even faster than printing from a PC and I will still be able to use Postscript from the Macs.

BUT, HP does not give adequate info how to set up this print server with a Mac network, despite recommending it. The info I have found so far seems to require being a PC systems and network administrator to understand it. (very high-techese) Does anyone have experience setting this up with OS 10.4? I do still have one old Mac running OS 9 that I can set up in a pinch if I have to, but I would prefer to be able to get rid of OS 9 completely. I also have one computer with Windows XP Home Edition if I can use that to set up the server and then operate it with Macs.

The newer Macs are iMac G5, Powerbook G4, and G4 DA Tower. I do not currently have a router, except for an Airport Express. My various computers are linked together with an 8-port ethernet hub, with the Airport Express serving as a bridge to the Airport-equipped Macs.

Macs Since 1984!, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Oct 26, 2006 11:07 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 28, 2006 8:00 AM in response to TripleChime

I'm not familiar with the JetDirect, but I can tell you that I have an HP Laserjet 4m at work set up to receive print jobs from both our Macs and PCs.

We have it hooked up to a Windows 2000 PC which is sharing the printer. The same concept would apply to XP. Just install the printer and then share the printer. Keep the share name short (something like HP5 or so - OSX does not seem to like long shared printer names). As long as you have at least OSX 10.3 you can use the Printer Setup Utility to to Add a printer. Select Windows shared printers. Locate the Windows XP printer on the network and have the Mac connect to it. You'll see the shared printer in the list. Select the driver and add the printer.

You'll need to have file sharing established on the XP computer, or at least the printer sharing and you will want to use the account that the computer logs in to. You'll also need a printer driver on the Mac side. HP does not have this. However, there are several drivers available for HP printers under CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). Do a Google search for "Gutenprint" and you'll get the website for the drivers. You'll want to have that installed before adding the printer in OSX.

BTW, it won't work with OS9, unless you have DAVE or some other Win/Mac application that allows communication between PCs and Macs.

It's a small amount of work, but the drivers are free which I imagine is probably a lot cheaper than the JetDirect.

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Answer 2

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Oct 28, 2006 2:40 PM in response to TripleChime

I would post your problem in the Tiger Printing & Faxing forum area. There's a printing guru over there who should be able to help.

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