In article ,
Chuck wrote:
On 30 Mar 2005 11:46:34 -0500, (Al Dykes) wrote:

In article ,
Chuck wrote:
On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 00:38:47 +0100, "J Williams"
wrote:

I can avoid a potential problem if the printer's IP address changes by
specifying URL http://oki/ipp in Add Printer.

I'd still like to understand why I can't browse the printer in Network
Places.

"J Williams" wrote in message
...
Hi Chuck,

Thanks for your reply.

The 3 computers are all running XP Pro. The actual name (DNS host name)
of the printer (listed as 'Computer Name' in the NetBEUI status mentioned
in OP) is OKI. I can ping OKI and get replies.

The name in 'OKI C7300N on http://192.168.168.7' (assigned by XP when I
run the Add Printer wizard) comes from the System Name on the printer's
General Network Settings page. I changed this to OKI but it made no
difference.

Protocols TCP/IP and NetBEUI are enabled on the printer. I'm not sure if
I'm running NetBEUI or NetBIOS over TCP/IP ON the computers - Local Area
Connection properties on 1 PC shows the following enabled:

Client for Microsoft Networks
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks
QoS Packet Scheduler
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

I tried adding NWLink NetBIOS protocol but it didn't seem to make any
difference.

OK, if the list of protocols just includes the 4 above, that is NBT, not
NetBEUI. Please, keep things simple, don't add NetBEUI or IPX/SPX, unless you
have ONE special configuration which we will get to. Please start by making
sure that only those four protocols are present.

I've worked with networked printers, lots of them, but mostly they were network
connected under TCP/IP, and the share (and printer queue) was managed by a
server (actual computer) running NBT, and providing the named share. I've never
heard of a network connected printer that runs NetBIOS Over TCP/IP, nor one that
does its own queue management.



My favorite way to set up a shared printer is with with the lpr/lprd
(TCP) protocol, which every jetdirect card and printserver appliance
I've ever seen supports. All versions of windows can play but the
setup is different for 98, NT4, w2k, and XP. Thank you, Bill.

There is no server computer. All the machines talk directly to the
printer. Each of the computers queue their own files on their local
disk. It's great in a mixed Windows/Unix environment. It's nice in a
small office with a workgroup LAN but no server. XP suppert is great.

I can imagine that a really, really fast laser printer would justify a
local computer as server to stage work and keep the printer 100% busy
but if you've got that budget then one more computer isn't a big
expense.

Peer-peer queue management is a good idea, in a mixed environment where
everybody plays fair, and nobody needs special priority. How do the multiple
queues get merged on the printer?

LPR/LPD (TCP/IP Native) or Named Shares (Windows Networking) both have
advantages and disadvantages. LPR/LPD is not unique to Windows platforms, so it
is useful for generating reports on servers and mainframes of numerous brands,
and printing reports locally in a Windows centric network. But native LPR/LPD
doesn't provide named shares, so folks can't see the printers in Network
Neighborhood. And some small printers don't support LPR/LPD. Nor are all
software products capable of formatting reports for LPR/LPD printing.


Once set up it's a standard WIndows GUI printer. I can't imaging
anything that would print to a locally-attached printer that wouldn't
work on an LPR printer. DOS apps have the same pronblem they have on
any networked printer. It shows up as an icon in the printer group.

There may be some printers with fancy management/status capabilities
that LPR clients can't see but I've never compe across them myself.
--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.