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Share USB printer between OS-X and OS-9?

H

Hoven

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2003
122
0
Columbus, OH (USA)

Hi all,
Can a USB printer be shared on a network?

Here's my setup...
I have an eMac running OS-X (v10.2) and an old PowerPC Mac (beige desktop G3) running OS-9. Both are connected to a Linksys router, which is hooked to my cable modem and to a Laserwrite 6xx Pro printer (yup, old SCSI device).
On the eMac, I have a Canon i850 USB color inkjet printer.

From the eMac, I can see and use the Laserwriter, which is great.
BUT, what I need to know is if I can have the old OS-9 box print to the Canon USB printer?

I've done a search and saw tons on sharing between Mac and PC, but nothing quite like this.

Many Thanks!
 
MisterMe

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
Hoven said:

Hi all,
Can a USB printer be shared on a network?

Here's my setup...
I have an eMac running OS-X (v10.2) and an old PowerPC Mac (beige desktop G3) running OS-9. Both are connected to a Linksys router, which is hooked to my cable modem and to a Laserwrite 6xx Pro printer (yup, old SCSI device).
On the eMac, I have a Canon i850 USB color inkjet printer.

From the eMac, I can see and use the Laserwriter, which is great.
BUT, what I need to know is if I can have the old OS-9 box print to the Canon USB printer?

I've done a search and saw tons on sharing between Mac and PC, but nothing quite like this.

Many Thanks!
Click to expand...
You don't need to "share" Ethernet-connected printers because each computer and each printer is a peer on the network. USB printers are usually connected to a specific computer. To access a USB-connected printer from another computer, it must be shared. To access any printer from MacOS 9, you need a MacOS 9 driver for the printer. To access any printer from MacOS X, you need a MacOS X driver for the printer. If you want to access a USB printer from your choice of computers, I recommend that you connect it to a print server. That way, you can print without running the host computer.
 
H

Hoven

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2003
122
0
Columbus, OH (USA)
MisterMe said:
You don't need to "share" Ethernet-connected printers because each computer and each printer is a peer on the network. USB printers are usually connected to a specific computer. To access a USB-connected printer from another computer, it must be shared. To access any printer from MacOS 9, you need a MacOS 9 driver for the printer. To access any printer from MacOS X, you need a MacOS X driver for the printer. If you want to access a USB printer from your choice of computers, I recommend that you connect it to a print server. That way, you can print without running the host computer.
Click to expand...

Yup, I knew about the drivers (I have one on each Mac for the Laserwriter). I don't think that's a problem.
However,
a) Can I set up the Canon as "shared" from my OS-X box so my OS-9 box can see it (assuming the eMac is on). If so, how?
b) Print Server? Isn't the eMac acting as the Print Server? Or are you refering to a seperate bit of hardware?
Thanks!
 
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