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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: carvedeye on October 25, 2014, 07:44:23 PM
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Hi all is it possible to add a network printer to the Amiga? I have an Epson XP-605 Wireless Printer and would like to have my miggy use it as well :)
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If you can access the printer from your (home) network and your Amiga is connected to your network, then all you need to worry about is the printer driver. Modern printers usually have a PostScript mode that you can use with Final Writer, PageStream, and GhostScript, (and OS4.1 PS driver) and most HP inkjet printers work fine with older drivers. I read of a Cloud printer way, but I can't remember where. Using the LPR.device (Aminet), the AmiTCP version 3.X stack will not work, but RoadShow, Miami, and AmiTCP V 4 (current EasyNet) work fine. There is another option (that I don't use and I am not familiar with) out there that someone will chime in with as well.
So get to searching! Or sit and wait for others to help.
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Check into this: http://aminet.net/package/comm/tcp/NetPrinter
Most any printer with postscript support should work. Many winprinters etc. will not work with it.
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If your printer doesn't support Postscript, you can use CUPS on a unix, linux or Mac system to do the conversion. I use NetParLpr (http://aminet.net/package/comm/tcp/NetParLpr) on the Amiga to print to a Samsung SCX-4500W connected to my Mac.
The setup is pretty straightforward on a Mac. There's just one tweak needed to start the lpd daemon, which is needed to accept jobs from NetParLpr.
* Install printer driver on the Mac and turn on Printer Sharing in System Preferences.
* In the terminal, start the lpd service with 'sudo launchctl load -w
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.cups.cups-lpd.plist'
* Use the lpq command to list the available printer queue names:
% lpq
Samsung_SCX_4500W_Series__SCX_4500W_ is ready
no entries
When you configure NetParLpr on the Amiga, point it at the Mac's hostname or IP and use the queue name found from lpq as the printer name.
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If your printer supports it, use Google Cloud - http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=67845
That way, you don't have to worry about installing drivers.
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CLOUD PRINTING...
According to:
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supAdvice.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&type=highlights¬eoid=196563#epson_connect_compatibility
Your Epson XP-605 is *NOT* supported, but since all the others listed in that section are supported, you might give it a try.
Networking to another computer to do the conversion and printing seems akin to sneaker-netting the file over (or via email) and just printing from the second computer (save in an RTF, TXT or PS format).
I never could get the NetPrinter to reliably work, so I have my 3 printers on the lpr.device and switch between them with a IconX based script that just copies the variables into the ENV: directory
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If you can access the printer from your (home) network and your Amiga is connected to your network, then all you need to worry about is the printer driver. Modern printers usually have a PostScript mode that you can use with Final Writer, PageStream, and GhostScript, (and OS4.1 PS driver) and most HP inkjet printers work fine with older drivers.
Not that I've had time to try it yet, but I assume this works with 3.9 as well? I've got over a dozen networked HP 3xxx and 4xxx series printers at my office, and my A2000 is connected to the network there just fine... just need time to try it, I suppose! ;)
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I never had any issues using my older HP postscript capable printer under my "real" amiga, my OS4 SAM440, or my various emulation boxes. Pretty easy to setup as long as the printer is indeed PostScript enabled and not one of the cheapie ones that requires half its brains in the Windows or Mac drivers.
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HP printers seem to work fine with the older print drivers -- there is one for the inkjets and another for the laser series; AND they work in OS 3.1, 3.5, 3.9 and 4.1. I mostly use PS on my current jobs though.
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If your printer doesn't support Postscript, you can use CUPS on a unix, linux or Mac system to do the conversion. I use NetParLpr (http://aminet.net/package/comm/tcp/NetParLpr) on the Amiga to print to a Samsung SCX-4500W connected to my Mac.
This is what I do, except I use (my) ipp.device (http://www.unsatisfactorysoftware.co.uk/download.php?file=ipp_dev) under OS4 - CUPS supports IPP natively, it takes some extra fiddling for LPR which I could never get to work very reliably anyway.
btw, the system running CUPS is a Raspberry Pi sitting under the desk, so it's effectively working as an intelligent print server.
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After reading this thread im even more confused as posters on the thread are speaking in terms only people who are used to network printing know about...
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If your printer supports it, use Google Cloud - http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=67845
That way, you don't have to worry about installing drivers.
Incidentally... http://www.amigans.net/modules/xforum/viewtopic.php?topic_id=7519&forum=3