I'm trying to print on my old Laser Writer 4/600PS from my new iMac G5 using OSX. This worked on my former iMac that used OS9 via an Asante talk bridge, but I can't make it work this time. OSX's printer utility won't even find any printers.... I'm now lost.

Hello,

It is possible that OS X won't see the Asante talk bridge. Couple things to check...

-- Is the Asante bridge running IP? If so, can you ping it? HP Jet directs do use IP, and you can telnet into them. I have not used the Asante bridge, so am not sure.

-- Did you enable Appletalk in OS X Networking? Go check the networking control panel, and make sure Appletalk is active on your active network interface. I believe it is off by default. Make sure you are in the proper zone and so forth.

Let us know if this works.

Christian

Thanks Christian. It did work, but I realized that I also had to connect the bridge to the printer and computer in a certain order for all the systems to recognize each other. Once I uplugged the printer and started again, everything was fine.

But now I face the next problem: in order to print I have to use my one and only ethernet outlet in the back of the computer, so I have to switch back and forth all the time and can't be on line while I'm printing.

Do you know if anybody makes a "splitter" for the ethernet port?

Thanks a bunch.

no splitters, but you can pick up a cheap hub or switch from your local electronics store or get one online at Newegg.com for example. :cheesy:

Hi,

This belongs in a different thread, so I have split them.

You are going to need what is called a router. Properly installed and configured, it will also help protect your system.

I should write an article on it for the Tutorial section.

Basically, you plug in the internet on the WAN side of the router, and your internal devices on the LAN side. There is software inside the router that regulates traffic, and by doing so, protects your network. This will also allow you to share that internet connections with other computers.

I'll write a tutorial on it.

Christian