[shabbasuraj]

I picked up a clunky/old but hardly used Lexmark Optra S 1255 laser printer, and wish to hook it up to my home network.

On the back it has the ol' parallel printing port and what looks to be a ethernet jack, and upon opening it up I can see that the jack is actually a network card that is installed into the printer.

Currently, the thing is connected to my PC since it is the only computer in the house that has a parallel port. SO, my question is, how do I go about connecting this thing to my home network? i.e., how do I print from my powerbook without having to turn on my PC?

I think I need a print server, but what type is right for me? Since the printer has a netwrok card should I only look for a print server that accepts ethernet cable? I notice that some print servers have both parallel ports, and USB ports, are those better? I guess these can handle both USB and parallel connections. Are their print servers that accept ethernet cable connections? Can anyone recommend me a print server?

TIA.

[ghporter]

I'm going to recommend that you hold off buying any more hardware. If it has a network card, what you need is the manual for the printer so you can figure out how to configure it. Typically you want a printer to have a fixed IP so your computer doesn't have to search for it; that's about all the configuration the printer will need for you to connect to it through the network.

You'll also probably need a good driver for your Macs, and finding network print drivers seems to be one of the problems we have. I haven't looked for one for your printer, but I think you should spend some time looking for a good driver.

[tooki]

Note also that almost all network cards for laser printers are print servers -- just internal ones!

I don't know anything about that printer model, but you should be able to just configure its network interface and hook it up to your LAN and print after configuring the client computer for it.

tooki

[shabbasuraj]

Hmm...

Thanks for the reply fellas...and advice

After more research I believe that the card installed in the printer is a network card, I am not soto sure if it is also a print server...

Here is the card that is inside the printer, I found a pic of it on an ebay auction...

Lexmark 16A0122 MarkNet N2001E Lexmark Print Server

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lexmark-16A0122-...QQcmdZViewItem

The printer documentation I have also found is here.. Lexmark Optra S 1255
http://www.lexmark.com/publications/...ras/index.html



SO i tried plugging the printer directly to my netgear wireless router, and check the configuration screen out and it recognizes the printer/card, and even assigns the thing a IP address, so I try finding and connecting to the printer from my powerbook and have no luck in finding the printer anywhere on the network. I am not even sure if I was attempting to do the right thing...?

Any advice on what to try next would be greatly appreciated...

[shabbasuraj]

The note about the drivers is understood.

I have a a rather simple question regarding connectivity...

If a printer has a network card in it does that simply mean that it can be plugged into a network and be configured? Or is a print server required? I ask because I know Lexmark also sold a card for this printer that was an internal print server, and I am relatively sure that I do not have that internal print server card.

[shabbasuraj]

Yay team...

I got the printer to work. Had to play with the different menu settings on the printer. (Apple talk settings...)

Thanks to the mods who responded..

[ghporter]

As you found, (and as tooki mentioned) a printer with an internal network card is most likely to handle all the print server details by itself.

Have fun with your printer!