Recommended Network Printer Servers?

[Lyle]

Here is the situation:

Upstairs is my trusty HP LaserJet 5L laser printer. It has a parallel port connection (no USB). My wireless router is also located upstairs, near this printer. Downstairs (usually) is my PowerBook, from which I'd like to be able to print to the laser printer.

What I think I would like to do is attach the laser printer to a network printer server (hanging off of that wireless router) and then just set it up as network printer under Mac OS X. The problem is that I'm getting confused about the various printing protocols and having trouble figuring out which printer servers (if any) will be compatible with the Mac.

For example, one network printer server that looks good to me is Netgear's PS101 Mini Print Server. Plug it into the printer's parallel port, hook it up to the router, and we're in business. But when I review its list of supported printing methods, I only see "PTP (Peer-to-Peer) and SMB over TCP/IP and NetBEUI protocols, Windows LPD printing". As far as I can tell, these are not supported connection types for the Mac OS X Print Center, which I believe supports USB, AppleTalk and LPR printing (right?)

Hopefully, my ignorance about this subject is abundantly clear by now. Could someone with more of a clue please give me some ideas about what my options are, and how best to proceed?

 

[Lanbrown]

With HP printers, I like the JetDirect. They have some cheap models that basically do IP only and then they have some midrange that basically supports everything. I would look at the midrange.

The PS101 from Netgear does support UNIX as well as the Mac.

Look at the downloads on the right:
http://www.netgear.com/support/products/PS101.asp

 

[Dreadnought]

Hmmm, it sounds a bit difficult what you are trying to do (well, it's not that difficult, but I think it can be done easier)! That printer that you have, there are, as far as I know, network cards available. Plug in a network card, connect your printer to your wireless network router and let it configure over tcp ip. No need for a printer server, unless if you are going to use it for something else!

 

[Lanbrown]

Originally posted by Dreadnought
Hmmm, it sounds a bit difficult what you are trying to do (well, it's not that difficult, but I think it can be done easier)! That printer that you have, there are, as far as I know, network cards available. Plug in a network card, connect your printer to your wireless network router and let it configure over tcp ip. No need for a printer server, unless if you are going to use it for something else!

HP sold different models of the LaserJet 5. The L is not a network printer and only has the parallel port, but an external JetDirect could be used with it. That printer had no connectivity slots/ports on it. Also, HP calls their network cards for the printers a JetDirect and they are a print server. JetDirect's can be internal or external.

 

[Dreadnought]

Oke, thanks for clearing that up! I thought that all of that kind of printers could be expanded with a network card.

 

[Lanbrown]

Nope. HP had some LaserJet models that were windows only, like the Laser Jet 1000 and 1100 I believe, then the 1200 was open platform again. I believe some were USB only as well.