[dbergstrom]

I have installed the released version of OS9 on three computers so far.

Because of this, I can now file share amongst the three using TCP/IP. I just transfered a 142MB folder from my Wallstreet 233 to my Beige G3/300.

The data transfer rate was between .9 and 1.2 MB/s, pretty close to the theoretical max that the 10BaseT network would allow.

In the AppleTalk days, I generally got about 200-300 KB/s transfers. TCP/IP is affording a 3-4 fold increase in file-sharing performance.

This also means that program linking over TCP/IP will be very feasable for smaller Apps over a 10BaseT network (I would not really want to load Photoshop over a network).

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Don

I have yet to have the opportunity to use OS 9, so I was hoping you might be able to elaborate a little on your TCP/IP commentary. My experience with Appletalk has been with acceptional speeds. Even over flaky CAT 3 wiring, I am able to get almost 1MB per second, provided there are no fast path routers present and I'm not moving a thousand 10k documents. I'm wondering why your performance was so poor. . . My real concern is with printing. Appletalk printers are the one thing on all of my networks that have never failed me. They just work. . . all of the time. Have you setup a TCP/IP printer yet? Has printing been migrated to TCP/IP in OS9 or are we spared until OSX?

[Herr Newton]

Yesterday, I transferred a 35MB folder of EPS, Photoshop, and PageMaker (yech!) files across campus w/ TCP/IP file sharing. Total time? About 2 minutes. I'm pretty impressed, considering that there are about 5-6 hops between the two computers.

As for TCP/IP printer (aka LPR), I think the LaserWriter driver has been able to support LPRs for quite some time now. At least since OS 8.5 came out, probably earlier.

[Herr Newton]

Yesterday, I transferred a 35MB folder of EPS, Photoshop, and PageMaker (yech!) files across campus w/ TCP/IP file sharing. Total time? About 2 minutes. I'm pretty impressed, considering that there are about 5-6 hops between the two computers.

As for TCP/IP printer (aka LPR), I think the LaserWriter driver has been able to support LPRs for quite some time now. At least since OS 8.5 came out, probably earlier.

To set up a LPR (IP) printer use the desktop printer utility in the Apple Extras : Apple LaserWriter Software. Its very easy really, just set the printer up to accept connections over IP. Then in the desktop printer application all you really have to do is enter the IP address of the printer and tell it which ppd to use. It creates a desktop printer and from then on it works just like any AppleTalk printer. We have been very successful with this setup.

See also: http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n24409

Since Appletalk printing has been so easy and reliable, I haven't had the need to setup any TCP/IP printers. I appreciate your instructions, however, I have two dilemmas which will make moving to TCP/IP printing an expensive headache:

1. I have many low end laser printers from Apple and HP on my network that are using Ethernet to Localtalk converters. I don't believe these printers support TCP/IP printing.

2. I have a very limited amount of static IP addresses. Apple's Desktop Printer Utility doesn't appear to allow for DHCP.

Does OS9 require TCP/IP printing, or will it support Appletalk printing?

I'm not expecting miracles, but any suggestions you have would be more than welcome. thanks

[dbergstrom]

Yes, AppleTalk printing is still supported on OS9 and as far as I can tell it's the default for setting up desktop printers.

I should also note that AppleTalk is the default for file sharing as well, and needs to be specifically activated in the File Sharing menu. Additionally, I think the first time a server is addressed, you need to go through the Chooser and select the "Server IP Address" button. After that, making an alias of a shared volume will preserve the IP address and the TCP/IP connection. I have yet to find anyway to make TCP/IP the default if you go through the Network Browser application.

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Don

I guess you are out of luck if your printers don't support IP, but Appletalk does still work and is the default in the chooser.

If you are browsing the network with AppleTalk via the chooser or Network Browser...when you try to login to a server it will try to switch to IP for the connection if both the server and the client are capable of making an IP connection.

I have had instances where this doesn't work for some reason. (The connection would be made using AppleTalk, even if server and client are IP capable) The fix was usually to update the AppleShare Client or delete some prefrence files.

By "out of luck" I ment that you would be out of luck to print to a printer with IP if the printer did not support it. I did not mean that you would not be able to print via AppleTalk in MacOS 9.