Re: In search of Parallel and serial cards for Openserver 6

From: Bill Campbell (bill_at_celestial.com)
Date: 09/28/05


Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2005 09:01:47 -0700
To: sco-misc@lists.celestial.com

On Wed, Sep 28, 2005, Ian Wilson wrote:
>Bill Campbell wrote:
>>On Tue, Sep 27, 2005, John DuBois wrote:
>>
>>>In article <hchZe.522$yl.491@bignews1.bellsouth.net>,
>>>Boss <ken@keysey.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I have already tried two PCI parallel ports and neither are recognized
>>>>by the OS. A hw -r pci report shows one as a "Simple communications
>>>>controller" and the other as a "Simple 16550 controller" which are
>>>>wrong. 16550, after all, is a serial UART chip.
>>>>
>>>>Has anyone tried a 1 or 2 port serial, a 1 port parallel or a combo PCI
>>>>card with OSR6.
>>>
>>>PCI parallel ports aren't currently automatically recognized in OSR6 (it's
>>>being worked on). When they are, the above cards aren't going to work.
>>>You
>>>will need a PCI parallel card that is reported as
>>
>>
>>I have to say that not supporting PCI parallel cards is surprising at the
>>very least, particularly considering the environment most OpenServer boxes
>>are currently use (e.g. small to medium businesses that are probably
>>supporting ancient accounting software that hasn't been ported to non-SCO
>>systems).
>>
>>The best solution might be to get an external TCP/IP print server that
>>supports multiple parallel ports, the HP JetDirects are pricey but reliable
>>and well supported under OpenServer -- or at least have been in earlier
>>version. We generally go with external print servers in any case as they
>>offer considerable flexibility, and can be positioned any place where
>>there's a network or wireless connection.
>
>I've been impressed with the D-Link DP-301P+ print-server, It is compact
>and much much cheaper than a JetDirect. It supports LPD and netcat
>printing (plus IPP and legacy stuff), can be configured by telnet or web
>- no need to install the supplied management software on a PC.

Does it handle multiple printers?

The main place I use the JetDirects is where we need to put two
or three printers close together (e.g. real estate offices with
different pre-printed forms, etc.).

Bill

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