UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

We have a very old and unsupported box. It runs DC/OSx, SVR4. For the past 12 years all printers have been connected via terminal servers and working well. Now those terminal servers are dying and cannot be replaced or repaired. Of course the right solution is to upgrade, but that's not gonna happen, so I need help.

We connected a printer to our LAN. I put it into /etc/hosts and can ping it. I need to configure this printer so that it can be accessed by the 'lp' command but so far everything I've tried with 'lpadmin' doesn't work. The printer is an HP. I've managed to get it showing with the 'lpstat' command, but when I try printing, the job fails with a printer fault. This printer has been used before on the terminal server so it's setting should be OK.

We are able to print using ftp and the IP address but we currently have thousands of programs using the 'lp' command and changing them all would be a nightmare.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sometimes it is easier to configure remote print to a UNIX host that spools for that printer, so no printer-specific support is needed for other user hosts of that printer (you) (and reprints can be managed if the printer malfunctions).

OK, I'd like to pretend I know what you're talking about, but I don't. The printer is attached to the network. Isn't that the host? How would I configure it?

---------- Post updated at 10:10 AM ---------- Previous update was at 10:09 AM ----------

BTW - if you're suggesting we connect printer directly to one of our Unix boxes, I looked into that and it's not an option.

Well in those days except HP (and those using hpnp jetdirect and its protocole...) I dont think you had network printers you had either printers connected to the boxes or you had remote printers (understand connected to a remote host...) a jetdirect card can act "as" a remote host I suppose ( I have not tried with jetdirects but did with xerox 4240...) so you can declare the printer as remote printer connected to the host=jetdirect IP address...
You may have another alternative using samba (for shred printers....) or CUPS

So, if you can ping/ftp etc to it, can you do the following and get a prompt?

Code:

telnet aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd 515

Where aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd is either the IP address or DNS name.

If it just hangs, it could be a firewall rule on the network prevernting you. If you get a prompt or an immediate refusal, then the firewall appears to be okay.

That has been a problem for me quite a few times.




Let us know how you get on and we'll see if there are more suggestions.





Robin
Liverpool/Blackburn
UK

The output of "telnet 10.253.13.83 515":

Trying 10.253.13.83 ...
Connected to 10.253.13.83.
Escape character is '^]'.

No prompt.

Please state makes, models, cabling, protocols etc.. Any detail which would make it easy to make a modern printer look like an old one.