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Kestral · Nov 1, 2002, 08:36 PM

Hey all, I'm hoping someone here could help, I've got an iBook running Jaguar and I'm trying to have it print to a USB printer hooked up to a WIndows 2000 PC.

Bascially, the two computers are connected together wirelessly. That part I've got working no problems, I've managed to connect the Mac into the PC via SMB using the standard "Connect to Server". So I can mount the Windows machine hard drive on to my OS X desktop and flip files back and forth.

The problem is, how do I get the Mac to "see" the USB printer on the PC? I've got the USB printer set to share, but I do not see it in the print center. Just in case it matters, the printer is an HP PSC 950. If anyone could offer some insight into this, would greatly appreciate it.

fulmer · Nov 1, 2002, 10:16 PM

what is your wireless setup? please give us more info. thanks.

Kestral · Nov 2, 2002, 01:03 AM

Hi fulmer,

The wireless setup is a 802.11b setup. It's a Linksys wireless hub. TiBook is using an Apple Airport card and the Thinkpad is using some external PCMIA card that came with it.

As mentioned, I can get them to talk via SMB, just can't get the OS X print center to see the printer.

I did some digging around and came across Thursby's site. According to Thursby, 10.2 can not print on a PC printer, but if I get DAVE 4.0, it will work.

I'd be open to other suggestions but it looks like DAVE 4.0 is on my shopping list.

fulmer · Nov 2, 2002, 12:55 PM

10.2 doesn't have a good way to print to PC printers. however, someone else had a thread on this subject in 'software' or 'mac os x', and I recommend you dig around there (the past 5-10 days--not too far back), as I think it has a solution for you. as for DAVE, I've used it and like it a lot, so if you're looking for a more comprehensive solution, I'd go ahead and get it.

tooki · Nov 2, 2002, 01:30 PM

Nonsense. Though I've never tried it, it's my understanding that this now works in Jag without extra software (except sometimes the free Gimp-Print). You have to add an LPR printer in Print Center, using the IP of the Windows machine. (It won't just show up in a list.) Then you may have to monkey around with the PPDs and whatnot, but nothing major.

tooki

fulmer · Nov 3, 2002, 10:11 AM

that's nice, but not what many would call a good way.

consider folks on a college LAN, or any LAN for that matter where a central server or router is DHCP rather than static. the windows machines are rebooted and are assigned a different IP. it's a pain in the butt to ask everyone for their new IP addresses or go from room to room to find them yourself. The good way would be for 10.2 to display a list, as it does with shared Mac printers. The current way is less than good, though not prohibitive.

ghporter · Nov 3, 2002, 10:44 AM

Don't forget that it's pretty common to have stand-alone network printers on a network. In order for these printers to be usable they generally have to have fixed IPs-which isn't inconsistent with using DHCP for users' machines.

The real issue is whether or not an IT department, be it corporate or collegiate, really supports the users. An IT department that refuses to support Macs because nobody there knows anything about them is severely hampered in supporting their network. One that refuses, but denies that it's because they're ignorant of Macs is full of idiots.

A friend runs computer security at a major medical school. Medical school students are HORRIBLE with computer security (and also seem to feel entitled to violate what rules exist to protect their computers...). His office has less than 100 square feet of floor space, but he and a coworker have 3 desktop PCs, 2 laptops (one running Linux the other Win2K) an iMac and I think an iBook. They ran out of network drops a long time ago and several of these machines run on the school's wireless network. There's barely room to turn around in that office, but all those machines are needed to support the various kinds of software and hardware configurations that the school works with.

My friend is a dyed in the wool PC buff, but he's spent a lot of time learning Macs in order to support the school's users. That is support.

fulmer · Nov 3, 2002, 01:17 PM

yeah, I totally agree with the networked, stand-alone printer comment, which is why I didn't mention computer lab environments. I was thinking along the lines of dorm rooms or student houses where, in most cases, there isn't a networked printer, but where a student is likely to have a USB or serial printer and would make it available to others. a dynamic IP would make more obvious 10.2's shortcomings in printing to shared PC printers. I'm not trying to devalue tooki's comments. we all appreciate his skill and helpfulness. I just think 10.2 could use a tiny bit of help in the printing-to-PC-printers area.

howardm4 · Nov 3, 2002, 04:43 PM

I did this at home.

Jag connected via 802.11 to a Win2k box
w/ a USB Epson hanging off it.

Loaded LPR services from the W2K disk and
made/exported the printer. Loaded gimp-print on Jag and it was fine.

fulmer · Nov 3, 2002, 05:13 PM

cool that. gimp-print looks great, but the download doesn't work for me (I tried about 4 days ago). guess it's time to try again.

Avon · Nov 9, 2002, 12:23 AM

Whoooooaaaa Whoooaaa Whoooaaa, there partner!!! You dont have to go that route. Dave and Setting up an lpr is not the easiest or best way...

Its very simple.

1 - Get GimpPrint or HPIJS (HIPJS if you have an HP) and install.

2 - use instructions from gimp-print....

http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/p_FAQ_OS_X.php3

Read---> Section 15, Windows printer via SAMBA

-----

It works so well! I am printing to a HP Ps 1115 conected via USB to a Win2000 PC. Takes all the load off my mac and gives it the worthless, rabid, decrepid dog of a POS PC.

I love Jaguar.

Avon · Nov 9, 2002, 12:28 AM

Links...

http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/

http://www.linuxprinting.org/tylerb/hpijs/

HPIJS is the same thing as gimp print but has tons more HP drivers...

This is the greatest thing that ever happend to Mac OS. You can print to anything, conected to anythig now.. Well almost, hell we even have it better than thoes PC guys..

Yipie. Im still happy as hell I can finaly print to my HP 1115, can you tell?

sunkist · Dec 22, 2002, 04:17 PM

Originally posted by howardm4:
I did this at home.

Jag connected via 802.11 to a Win2k box
w/ a USB Epson hanging off it.

Loaded LPR services from the W2K disk and
made/exported the printer. Loaded gimp-print on Jag and it was fine.

This way worked perfectly the first time I tried it on my Windows XP box with an HP LaserJet 5P. I tried the Windows via Samba crap for days, rearranging that damn smb:// url and the parameters of it. Then I saw this tip, added the LPR services on Windows XP, then used regular old Add/IP Printing on OSX 10.2.3 with the IP of the xp box, and the name of the shared printer as the Queue and voila. Just figured I would add this post in case someone else was running in circles trying to get it to work.

-Chris