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Printing on a windows network

W

Warblade

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I recently made the switch and got me a powerbook. Now, at work, we primarily have a windows network. All of the printers are hooked up that way. Is there a way for my mac to access those printers? If so, how? I hope redndezvous makes this easier.
 
It all depends on the printers... If they are network printers, chances are they have Appletalk services on them, even if it's not active.

I believe that Jaguar will have more pc printer compatibility. Mac's don't use spoolers, like peecee's do. We print direct, which means when (NOT if) the servers go down, we can still print. 😀

Look up the printer on the manufacturer's web site to see about changing the settings... I do know that HP printers are easy to activate the Appletalk protocol on. Xerox printers are also fairly easy to make active on the Appletalk network. Do you happen to have zones (Appletalk zones that is) there or no? How about domains??
 
I'm not sure if this will help, but my school is mainly a Windows network as well and I've been printing through ethernet without any trouble by doing this:

1. Open the Print Center (inside the utilities folder inside the applications folder)
2. Click "Add Printer"-- But Make sure it is set to ethernet and not USB
3. Select the printer name with which you would like to print from the list of printers on the network, and that should do it!

I apologize if these directions are not completely accurate, but its been a couple months of summer vacation and my mind has effectively turned to mush. Hope that helps, and welcome to the Mac! 🙂

Bill
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I tried the printer center thing and I don't have a selection for "ethernet", I see a selection for "LPR using IP" but, I'm not exactly sure of the IP of the printer. The way I've done it in the past on a windows pc is to just add a printer by typing in \\computername\printer. They seem to be all connected to one print server and the print server routes the print stuff to the specified printer.

We have a domain around here, but no zones. I'd bet big money that I'm the only person running an apple in this building.

Any other ideas?
 
What model printer are you trying to connect to?? If it has a display on it, that lets you navigate the settings, see if there is one for Appletalk. If there is, try turning that on and then search for the printer with the Print Center.
 
Its an HP, there's a display, but I don't think I can/should play around with settings on it. I was able to find the IP of it and print to it by specifing an IP. I guess that's good enough for now. It woudl be nice to actually SEE printers though. OH well.
 
OK, I'm sorry about the vague instructions I gave you earlier but now I can be more specific (My computer was running an early seed of Jaguar where the print center was different, but now I'm using my brother's machine which is running 10.1.5).

1) Open the Print Center
2) Click "Add Printer..."
3) Select "AppleTalk" in menu above the space designated for the product and kind. Below the space for the product and kind of printer, there is a menu for the printer model, make sure that is set to "Auto Select..."
5) Select appopriate printer from list and click "Add"
6) Close window, and if you would like to make that printer your default, click on its name in the printer list window and then click Comand-D.

Again, I'm not sure if this will help in your situation, but it is something to try. 🙂

Bill
 
I guess we don't have appletalk installed. I didn't see anything. Then again, I've never successfully networked with an apple before. My friend and I plugged our powerbooks into a hub to transfer files and we couldnt' see each other. So instead he just busted out his ipod to transfer files over =P
 
Which model HP printer (I have asked this before)??? Every HP network printer I have seen, used, or had access to, has had an Appletalk option that can be turned on. You can also print out a map of what settings are where (don't remember the exact term that the printer calls it, but it is an option). You could also look on HP's web site to see about activating Appletalk on that printer (not difficult to do, most of the time).

billiam0878, as Warblade has pointed out, Appletalk is NOT active on the printer, so you instructions/directions are 100% useless. 🙄 Read the guys situation next time before you put up useless drek.
 
Originally posted by Warblade
I guess we don't have appletalk installed. I didn't see anything. Then again, I've never successfully networked with an apple before. My friend and I plugged our powerbooks into a hub to transfer files and we couldnt' see each other. So instead he just busted out his ipod to transfer files over =P
Click to expand...

You have to turn sharing on on one of the systems, otherwise you WON'T be able to see the other. 🙄 That is part of computer networking 101 (actually even before the 101 level).

BTW, hubs are the slower cousins of switches (which everyone that values speed and ease of networking uses).

You can even find out how to network Mac's on Apple's support site. Just do a search under the Knowledge Base and it will give you the info.
 
We both had sharing on. And there were only 2 computers on the hub. I dont' think that should make a difference between a switch if nothing else is plugged in.
 
Originally posted by Warblade
We both had sharing on. And there were only 2 computers on the hub. I dont' think that should make a difference between a switch if nothing else is plugged in.
Click to expand...

Did you also share out a folder or drive on each system??? I have only used switches, which has made networking systems a snap. Maybe you guys have/had a faulty hub. Not to sound TOO much like an *******, but was the AC adapter plugged in for the ethernet hub?? I assume that you were using an Ethernet hub and not an USB hub (which is not a piece of networking hardware).

As I stated before, you can find excellent instructions on Apple's support site for networking two (or more) Mac's together.
 
No, we didn't share a folder *sheepish grin*. Yeah, I guess we didnt' care enough as it was just a quick thing. Thanks though. I'll have to take a look at all this networking stuff.
 
Originally posted by Warblade
No, we didn't share a folder *sheepish grin*. Yeah, I guess we didnt' care enough as it was just a quick thing. Thanks though. I'll have to take a look at all this networking stuff.
Click to expand...

That explains it... If you don't give the computer something to share, it won't and you won't be able to get to it from another computer. One or two extra steps were all that was needed for you to network the computers... 🙄

How long have you been using a Mac??? Not just owning one, but using one??

BTW, I am fairly certain that you don't need a hub when you are networking a TiBook to another Mac system. The TiBook's ethernet connection senses if it is on a network or if you are connecting directly to another computer (it does the switching inside that allows for networking). As such, you only need a regular ethernet patch cable to network the TiBook with another Mac.
 
I've been using a mac for a week now. I really couldn't stand the interface until OS X came out. OS X is as slow as everyone says it is, but, its still nice. I hope jaguar fixes everything that it claims to.

I always thought you'd need a crossover cable to network directly, I've never even done that with pc's. So my networking experience has alwasy been with a hub/switch.

That's good to know that you can just connect directly to another powerbook.
 
it's weird, I'm trying those same steps that Billiam said but I'm getting an error message of -9621. Anyone....help.... 😕

BTW I'm trying to get my Mac to print on a Xerox 230ST... I had no problem printing from OS 9, though
 
Originally posted by ShaolinMiddleFinger
it's weird, I'm trying those same steps that Billiam said but I'm getting an error message of -9621. Anyone....help.... 😕

BTW I'm trying to get my Mac to print on a Xerox 230ST... I had no problem printing from OS 9, though
Click to expand...

I attempted to setup the print center with the xerox docucenter 470ST down the hall from me. Unfortunately, xerox is not providing OS X drivers for their network copier/printers. Those stinkin rat bastards. So instead of printing to the printer I use under OS 9.x, I have to schlep down to an HP5000 printer on the far side of the floor. About 4x the distance of the xerox machine.
 
Originally posted by AlphaTech


I attempted to setup the print center with the xerox docucenter 470ST down the hall from me. Unfortunately, xerox is not providing OS X drivers for their network copier/printers. Those stinkin rat bastards. So instead of printing to the printer I use under OS 9.x, I have to schlep down to an HP5000 printer on the far side of the floor. About 4x the distance of the xerox machine.
Click to expand...

That sucks big time! I hope they make drivers for them soon otherwise they'll lose business in the educational market. Is it possible to print from Classic?
 
Originally posted by ShaolinMiddleFinger
That sucks big time! I hope they make drivers for them soon otherwise they'll lose business in the educational market. Is it possible to print from Classic?
Click to expand...

You can print from Classic to the printer, but only with applications running under classic. The printers don't show up with any OS X native applications.

I agree that it is a major ****-up on xerox's part... They need to get on the ball and pump out the OS X drivers for those network printers/copiers. It's going to be a major pain here at work, since not everyone is close to an HP printer (notice how just about all HP network printers can be used under OS X).

They cannot claim that OS X hasn't been out long enough, since 10.1 came out last year, and 10.0 was the year before that (correct?). With 10.2 rapidly approaching, they would be moron's to not give Mac people the same ability to print under OS X as we have had under OS 9.x (they even have drivers for OS 8.x).
 
Originally posted by AlphaTech


You can print from Classic to the printer, but only with applications running under classic. The printers don't show up with any OS X native applications.
Click to expand...

Well, with all that, I might as well just boot up into 9. I hope the day will come when I no longer have to boot up in 9....till then, Thanks AlphaTech for giving me the advice😛
 
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