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- Path: sparky!uunet!usc!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!news.columbia.edu!cunixa.cc.columbia.edu!jgl7
- From: jgl7@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Andrew T. Kim)
- Subject: Printer Connection Blues (by HP & SUN)
- Message-ID: <1992Sep16.021648.15773@news.columbia.edu>
- Sender: usenet@news.columbia.edu (The Network News)
- Nntp-Posting-Host: cunixa.cc.columbia.edu
- Reply-To: jgl7@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Andrew T. Kim)
- Organization: Columbia University
- Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 02:16:48 GMT
- Lines: 42
-
- Maybe I am stupid, but I need help from someone who knows about Cables.
-
- I am about to install a HP LaserJet III to my Sparc 1+. It does not have
- the parallel port, so I decided to use the serial port.(ttyb, since ttya is
- connected to modem). And I have 25-pin RS232 Cable. Now, this printer is
- currently connected to a switch box, which multiplexes to two PC's. I am
- about to disconnect one of the PC's and connect the Sun to switch box. One
- strange thing is, though, this switch box has 3 25-pin female connectors,
- which tells me this is a serial connection. And yet, the cables from the
- switch box are attached to PC through LPT1, which I believe is the parallel
- port, and also attached to the parallel port of the LaserJet III. At this
- point, I don't know what's parallel and serial any more. I simply thought:
-
- 1) RS232 is serial, and they come in different pin config.
- 2) Centronix (sp?) is parallel, and it looks different.
- 3) LPT1 is parallel.
- 4) ttya and ttyb is serial.
-
- Now, either there is something seriously wrong with my above knowledge, or
- something is wrong with our current connection (but they have been printing
- fine), or there is nothing wrong with any of the above and I screwed up
- something else and I am going bananas here for no reason.
-
- While I am at it, one more question. :)
-
- Some vague clause in the Sun manual hints me (I hate when they do that), I
- might need null-modem cable (???) depends on the printer I have. It that
- the case here? What the hell is null-modem cable? They lost all HP manual
- except a user manual which says things like I have put more paper when it
- says "Out of Paper", I am clueless in what kind of cable is needed to
- connect these suckers. Does someone have experience in this?
-
- Of course I have tried the "connect-where-it-fits" method and of course it
- doesn't work. Silly me.
-
- Could someone please enlighten this poor soul?
-
- Thanks in advance
-
-
- Andrew Kim
-
-