bootp

[Sean]

On Tue, 25 Jul 2000, Mike Rambo wrote:

> Ben Pfaff wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > Ah, I see.  Your comment led me to believe that they didn't
> > respond to TCP/IP, just to some JetDirect-centric protocol.
> 
> Yeah, I guess I wasn't clear.  Jetdirect does utilize TCP/IP (or IPX for
> that matter) for communication but we have not been able to just go to a
> computer and attach a network printer using the normal (for windows
> anyway) mechanisms for adding a network printer.  We have always had to
> run the jetdirect software to create a jetdirect port (as opposed to the
> usual local or network connection) and then attach the network printer
> to the jetdirect port.  Creating this port requires the jetdirect
> software AFAIK.  Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding
> was that the jetdirect software not only creates the port but also
> supplies the functionality normally provided by the printer driver.  It

This is not the case =) The Jet Direct card takes care of network
protocals and acts kind of like a print server. The printer is a PCL6
printer with a Postscript ROM. It it is an HP2100 with the jetdirect card,
the Postscript ROM, and 4 megs of ram added to it.

The jetDirect card adds stuff like LPR, Appletalk, SMB, and netware
support, it keeps track of the network information like the appletalk
name, the IP#'s (which can be assigned using bootp, statically, or DHCP)
or the windows names/queues.

The jetdirect card is roughly equivelent to attaching a linux box to your
local postscript printer, and printing to the box.

> appears to me very proprietary. That's what I meant when I said I
> wasn't aware it would work apart from the jetdirect.  Hmm, ...I need to
> get hold of a manual...

It took about 4 minutes to get it configured for LPR and appletalk after I
reset the JetDirect card and point all the machines to it. 

Maybe its just different in Windows because Windows Doesnt print natively
in Postscript??