Printing to XP Pro from Sco Unix

[Ezzer]

We have just had some new pc's installed on our network that have Windows XP Pro on. We have a laser printer attached that is controled by our unix based dealer management system. The problem we are having is we can't print to this printer from our DMS. I beleive it is something to do with XP requireing a password before it will allow use of the printer. How do you get unix to give that password?
Any help would be most appreciated.

Thank you.

Ezzer...

 

[Wonboodoo]

Unix and Windows use different printing systems. They are not compatible unless you use some extra software (unless Microsoft has added something new for XP).

We print to PC printers (hanging off the PC's parallel port) from Unix by running Alixoft's WinLPR on the PC. It's shareware and will cost you $20 or something:

http://www.alixoft.com/

I know Samba (

http://www.samba.org/)

allows you to print from a PC to a Unix box's printer but I'm not sure about the reverse direction. It's something you can investigate as well.

 

[stickbit]

You can have Tarantella's VisionFS that will do this great and much more.

http://www.tarantella.com

 

[Merrick2]

If you have the availability, I'd recommend adding a print server. You can then print from either Unix or any form of Windows. It's simple, inexpensive, and easily set up. All you need is an additional ethernet connection. Most print servers support TCP/IP. I can help with setup if needed. For a great emulation program to run Unix from Windows, look at Facetwin. Easy, cheap, and the best tech support I've ever seen.

 

[PHV]

In my opinion, the better way to share printer between
the wintel and the unix world is to make the printer a
networked printer thru a NIC card or a print server box.
A WinXP box has a native access to a TCP/IP printer.

 

[Brucemc]

You should be able to lpr to the windows machine, since xp by default installs tcpip printing. I dont think it would be asking for a password, and you should be configuring your lpr printer with rlpconf. If it still requires a password, maybe confirm that the printer has everyone permissions to print (in windows)
PS Im assuming XP Pro not home

 

[TresB]

Brucemc could you post the steps to set-up the XP pro printer as an LPR share. I have a Okidata 184 Turbo ML on Com1 on the XP machine named [FD2] and shared as [TICKET_PRINTER] and am trying to create a dev called slp2 on Openserver 5.0.6 so our program which will only print to dev's named slp-slp10.


Any help would be Appreciated

 

[Pilot1]

I agree with the use of Print Server Boxes. We use bunches of them. Make sure to use HP Print Servers only, to minimize headaches configuring Unix to print. We exclusively use HP170x PS Boxes, and have 0 problems printing in a mixed environment.

 

[mvvilleza]

All you have to do is install the PRINT SERVICES FOR UNIX found at the ADD/REMOVE Programs under OTHER NETWORK FILE AND PRINT SERVICES. This installs the LPR Daemon for Windows that will be used to communicate with the LPR Daemon of Unix. After installing, you shld start the LPD service. Below is the procedure on an NT box, since yours is XP Pro there wouldn't be any difference.

Using the printer on the Unix Box

On the NT machine:

Add a New printer with the options:
My Computer -> Printers -> Add Port -> LPR Port -> Name of Unix Box -> Name of Unix printer -> Tick the new port -> Follow Bouncing Ball.

On the Unix Machine:

Make sure RLP is installed
Run rlpconf (or scoadmin printer manager) and add the printer.
Add an entry into /etc/hosts.lpd for the nt machine.