Laserwriter IIf-can it be used with a Dell PC?

The LaserWriter IIf is a very nice laser printer. It is a Postscript level 2 printer and is supported by all versions of Mac OS from 6.0.7 through 10.4. It can alternately use its built-in HP PCL4 emulation.

It supports printing using its 240,000 bits/sec AppleTalk/LocalTalk connector, or 9600 bits/sec default using its RS232 connector --- 8-None-1 XON/XOFF. If you work at it, you can get it to accept data at 19,200 bits/sec. The SCSI port is only for attaching a Hard drive to store fonts at the printer, it does not support printing.

The best use for that printer is to connect it to your Ethernet Network and use AppleTalk-over-Ethernet to print to it from ALL your computers, both Macs and PCs, and yes I am including your G5 in that list.

To do this, you will need a converter from AppleTalk-over-Ethernet (used by your modern computers) to AppleTalk/LocalTalk (used by the printer). There are at least three solutions available:

1) Asante AsanteTalk - available new (about US$100) and used (much less).

2) Farallon EtherMac iPrint LT available used for about US$10.

3) LocalTalk Bridge software (available for free download on the Older Software Downloads page) running on an older Mac that has both an Ethernet port and Printer or Modem serial port.

One other non-intuitive solution is to slide out the LaserWriter IIf board and slide in a used laserWriter IIg board, which has an AAUI Ethernet connector already. Add a used transceiver (about US$5) and you are on your local network.

If you do not already use Broadband Ethernet, please post back for suggestions about how to set up an Ethernet Network in your home or office.

Gary,

"can I use the RS232 connector to connect to the DEll in any way, what drivers would I use for HP PCL4 emulation?"

Yes. I think is is humorous that the very first Laser Printer driver listed on a Windows 95 install CD is your style of Apple Laserwriter II series printer. There has been driver support for that printer since then as well. You can use HP PCL4 emulation, meaning that an HP driver will work, but if you have the right 95, 98, or 2000 Windows install CD, you also have an official Apple driver.

"Can you explain what this phrase means? --- 8-None-1 XON/XOFF"

Those are simply the settings used when called for. If you use install wizard with the 95 or later CD, it will guide you through the configuration. The most important setting is the little sliding switch on the back of the printer that changes from Mac to PC connections. You had to turn off your printer to make that change. Later printers, like the Select 360, had auto detect switches built into the hardware so you did not have to mess with switches any more.

"I don't have broadband ethernet so I am not sure about how this works for connecting up printers"

If you are just going to connect one printer to one PC, forget ethernet and just plug in an old parallel cable, slide the switch over and load the driver. Ethernet would be faster but it is not required.


Ji˜m

>"If you are just going to connect one printer to one PC, forget ethernet and just plug in an old parallel cable, slide the switch over and load the driver. Ethernet would be faster but it is not required."

Jim-
You are correct is spirit, but the LaserWriter IIf has replaced the slide switch with a 10-position thumbwheel switch. With the switch in position 0, it is willing to accept Postscript on all ports, so the Apple LaserWriter driver would be used to print from a PC (or a Mac).

Since there is no parallel port on the laserWriter IIf, you need a serial cable to the DB-25 port, and settings 9600 bits/sec, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, None parity, and XON/XOFF flow control. These would be entered into the Windows "Control Panel" to set up the serial port.

There is also an HP PCL4 emulator built in to the LaserWriter IIf and IIg, which would allow it to respond as if it were a LaserJet IIP -- a far less capable printer. Different settings of the thumbwheel switch will give you access to that emulation and other degenerate features. I liken it to giving that fabulous, capable printer a lobotomy.

I currently have five printers for the use of the Macs at my home and workshop. Each is a stand-alone Network Printer. Two of these printers, a LaserWriter IIg and an HP 2550n connect directly to an Ethernet cable. The LaserWriter IIg prints using AppleTalk-over-Ethernet, the HP 2550n prints using LPR/LPD (Internet Line Printer Remote protocol).

The others are AppleTalk/LocalTalk printers. Rather than being attached to a specific Mac, each printer presents itself on my home Network and is available for any print job from any computer, regardless of whether certain computers are on or off at the moment. These three AppleTalk/LocalTalk printers are serviced by Farallon Ethermac iPrint LT converters. One side plugs into an Ethernet cable, the other side plugs into a PhoneNet LocalTalk network.

Another way of thinking about this is to call the Farallon box an Ethernet-capable Print Server for multiple AppleTalk/LocalTalk printers.

If you had already made the leap to Broadband, you would have the Ethernet infrastructure (a Hub, Switch, and/or Router/Gateway) in place to get multiple computers onto your Broadband Internet connection. Plug in a Farallon or AsanteTalk box and one more Ethernet cable and your printer becomes available to all your computers. Setting up such a network is described in this document:

106658- Creating a small Ethernet network

I am strongly biased against the "One printer per computer" way of thinking. It comes from PC's and printers that could easily connect with a parallel cable from a single computer to a single printer. USB printers (used without a print server or Printer Sharing) have helped maintain this distorted view of the world.

Today's feature-rich (and possibly colorful) printers should be accessible to all the computers nearby, not limited to a single computer that happened to have the right plug and a space next to it on the table.

Jim may argue that you can buy a used Laser Printer for each of your computers for $20 each, and that is certainly another way to look at it.

Gary Scotland-

I hope you did not get banged up while I was jumping up on my Network Printing soapbox.

The 120-page LaserWriter II f and g manual is available for download from this page:

50128- LaserWriter Manual Downloads

despite my outbursts, I will be happy to help you set that printer up any way and for any computer you like.

-Grant

Grant,

Thanx for the more specific clarifications. I was thinking generically and quoting from memory - always dangerous. All my IIg cards have failed me so I have made do with the II NTX series for far too long.

Gary,

Options abound and obviously, there are those of us who still use the old war horses. A couple of our youngns were aquired at government surplus. I am convinced that some executives felt the need for the status of one computer connected to one printer in their office. Why? Because 90% of government surplus LaserWriter II printers have close to 200,000 copies on them (printer life cycle of 300,000) but a few have less than 2,000 copies. Secretaries did most of the printing in that office.

Decide how simple or complex you want to get with your local area network, if you network at all, and then request instructions for that specific setup.

Jim

"a Pc with a printer port - listed in print settings as LPT 1 port"

Use PC cables and do everything on yhe PC side as if this was an HP Laserjet III printer instead of an Apple product using Apple printer cables. Cannon made the engine for both brands so the printers are almost identical.

LPT1: is the first parallel printer port.

You need to use a serial port, typically COM1: and it needs to have its speed, parity, databits, and stop bits configured.

MSDOS used to let you redirect LPT1: output to COM1: using the MSDOS Mode command.

Grant,

As you can see, it has been a while since printing from a PC. I have little use for them!

Jim

It certainly would be convenient if those adapters were so standardized that they could be used in either direction.

Alas, that is not the case. From the LaserWriter manual on page 29:

"Different serial cables are wired differently. Get help from your dealer or service representative when purchasing a cable.

If your computer has a standard serial port, like that of an IBM PC, you should be able to use standard cables. If not, you may have to purchase a special cable or have a cable built for you. The table below provides a description of the pin assignments on the RS-232 port of the LaserWriter. The person who builds your cable will need this information.

To obtain the serial port pin assignments for the end of the cable connected to your computer, refer to the computer manual.

[the pinout diagram follows, along with some notes]"

Printing via the serial port can create so many problems and errors, thats why they introduced the parrallel port for printers. The best way to connect this printer is through a localtalk to ethernet converter or get a replacement IIg board and then add Appletalk to Win XP.