LocalTalk to USB adaptor?

Ignore the USB and LocalTalk ports and connect it directly to your Ethernet Hub, Switch, or Gateway. (see p34):

HP downloadable user manual

"The HP LaserJet TN printer also includes an HP JetDirect 600 N print server card that includes a 10Base-T (RJ-45) port."

The downloadable driver is also available:

Download generic LaserJet software v5.5.2 .dmg

"This download package contains HP LaserJet Mac OS X Installer with updated PPD and PDE (Univeral Binary) files. Full printing support for Mac OS X v10.2.8, v10.3, v10.4 PPC and Intel processor Macs is included with this download."

There is also an InfraRed port if your computer has an IRDA-compliant port.

Which iBook G3 do you have that runs at 350 Mhz?

I do NOT have a router, hub or...
Someone suggested to me a "crosswire" connection...

If you are not already using your Ethernet connection for Broadband Internet access, all you need is a crossover cable, used to connect two "terminal" type devices such as computer-to-computer. Cost about US$5 wherever Ethernet cables are sold. On the same rack will be "patch" cables which are straight-through, and will not do this job, but will connect with a Router, Switch, or Hub (which are non-terminal devices, and wired differently).

I was prefering USB because it was "plug and play"... IP adresses and manual configuration... sounds more Pc than Mac!

It certainly does! That is why OS X Macs can be configured with Rendezvous/Bonjour -- to discover the devices and configure them automatically:

10694- Mac OS X 10.2: About Your Computer's Bonjour Name

Grant,

"On the same rack will be "patch" cables which are straight-through, and will not do this job, "

Are you saying that that model of printer must have a crossover cable to work?

Jim

Answered my own question. The iBook Dual USB was the first model to not require a crossover cable. His model is one too soon. I had not given it much thought since our mini is connected to that printer with a standard Cat 5 cable.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42717

Choose Rendezvous.
You may have to wait a minute or two.
Your printer's name should appear in the box.

If it does not, you may not be on the same subnet as the printer. The solution to this is to assign a TCP/IP address to your Mac that is the same in the first three of four octets, and enter a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0.

There is a step-by-step guide in Mac Help:

Setting up to print to a Rendezvous printer

A Rendezvous printer is a printer on your local network or subnetwork that uses Rendezvous technology to make itself accessible to your computer. Mac OS X automatically sets up most Rendezvous printers for you. Any Rendezvous printer on the same network as your computer appears automatically in the Printer pop-up menu when you print a document.


If the Rendezvous printer you want to use is not listed in the Printer pop-up menu when you try to print a document, you can add it to your list of available printers.

Open System Preferences and click Print & Fax.
Click Printing, and then click the Set Up Printers button.

If the printer already appears in the Printer List, select the In Menu checkbox to add it to your list of available printers. You'll see it in the Printer pop-up menu the next time you print.

Choose Printers > Add Printer.
Choose Rendezvous from the pop-up menu.

Any Rendezvous-enabled printers on your local network or subnetwork appear in the Printer List.

Select the printer in the Printer List.
To use printer-specific features, choose the item appropriate for your printer from the Printer Model pop-up menu, then select your printer in the Model Name list.
Click Add.

The printer appears in the Printer List as the default printer (in bold type). It also appears in the Printer pop-up menu when you print a document.

So sorry. For 10.2.8 I believe you open the Printer Setup Utility, a stand-alone Utility, not a System Preference.

What IP address is assigned to your Mac?

If your printer's name does not appear, you may not be on the same subnet as the printer. The solution to this is to Manually assign a
System Preferences > Network > Ethernet > TCP/IP address to your Mac that is the same in the first three of four octets, and enter a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0.

You said that the printer has IP address 192.0.0.192
and your Mac has IP address 192.168.2.125
and your subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

The subnet mask has a one-bit for every bit of the IP address that should be considered to be on the same subnet. 255 is 8 bits ON, so using that fairly standard subnet mask means your addresses must match in the first three octets, or you cannot communicate with those other devices because they are considered to be on a different subnet.

The most robust way to proceed would be to re-configure your printer to use DHCP -- just like your Mac. That guarantees it gets an address on the same subnet. You can usually do this by entering its IP address into your browser thus:

http://192.0.0.192

The printer should respond by sending you html for its configuration pages.

When you change its IP address and save the changes, you will lose communication with its old address. You may have to use the printer self-test page to determine its new address.

How did it manage to get that 192.0.0.192 address in the first place? Did you use some other configuration method?

What program did you use that gave you that error message?