LaserWriter Printers: TCP/IP Solutions Guide

Although UNIX workstations are the traditional source of LPR printing, LPR is defined in Internet RFC 1179, and can be implemented on any computer using TCP/IP networking. The growth of Internet, intranet and Open Systems environments means Apple customers will see increasing need to support TCP/IP printing from all computer systems, including mainframes, mini computers, DOS/Windows, and Mac OS systems.

Since most Apple LaserWriter printers accept print jobs transmitted only by AppleTalk, customers often need solutions for getting their print job from a TCP/IP based computer to an AppleTalk-only printer.

There are three possible solutions for printing to an Apple LaserWriter printer using TCP/IP:

• Configure the LaserWriter for TCP/IP printing (LPR)
• TCP/IP - AppleTalk conversion (LPR-PAP)
• Direct Serial or parallel connections

This article also contains a list of LaserWriter printers which cannot be used with a TCP/IP connection.


Solution: Configure the LaserWriter for TCP/IP Printing (LPR)

Apple has provided TCP/IP support in recent, high-end printers. The following models are designed to support TCP/IP printing:

• LaserWriter Pro 810
• LaserWriter 16/600 PS
• Color LaserWriter 12/600 PS
• Color LaserWriter 12/660 PS
• LaserWriter 12/640 PS
• LaserWriter 8500

TCP/IP jobs are received through the Ethernet port. These printers support PostScript, PCL and/or text. Your LaserWriter User's Guide contains complete configuration information.

Some TCP/IP software requires you to enter a socket number. Apple LaserWriters use 515, which is the default number specified by RFC 1179.

The LaserWriter Pro 810 also accepts jobs to arbitrarily defined port numbers.

Solution: TCP/IP - AppleTalk Conversion (LPR-PAP)

If you have a non-TCP/IP LaserWriter, you can translate LPR print jobs to PAP sessions in AppleTalk. This allows you to print with a TCP/IP based system and the printer to receive an AppleTalk print job.

Translation of TCP/IP to AppleTalk is available in several types of products:


Network Hardware

Several vendors have made network hardware products that accept LPR jobs using TCP/IP and forward them as PAP jobs using AppleTalk. Most of these products are no longer manufactured, although you may find them installed in established sites. The only shipping product that Apple is aware of is GatorPrint by Cayman Systems. This package is software that is installed on Cayman routers.


AppleTalk for UNIX Systems

Most AppleTalk software for UNIX systems include print spooling and conversion utilities. Here is a partial list of products:

• Helios Ethershare
• K-Spool from Mt. Xinu.
• uShare from Information Presentation Technologies, Inc.
• CAP (Columbia AppleTalk Package) from Columbia University.
• netatalk from the University of Michigan

AppleTalk on Other Advanced Server Operating Systems

In theory, multi-protocol operating systems such as Novell NetWare, Windows NT, and OS/2 can receive jobs with a TCP/IP spooler and forward them to an AppleTalk based print spooler. We have seen few customers sites with this configuration.

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