printer switchbox problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Towli
  • Start date Start date
T

Towli

Hi all
I bought a printer switchbox
(http://sandberg.dk/worldwide/prod.asp?prod=501-03) for a customer (2
machines 1 printer).
When powered on independently both can print through the switchbox but with
both powered on only the machine powered on first gets to print, the other
one just hangs and its printjob only is carried out upon turning of the
first machine to enter the network (2 machines on 1 switch).

Why cant they both use the printer at the same time - i thought that was the
general idea about a printer switchbox...???

Thanx for any help (at all)

/T
 
Towli said:
Hi all
I bought a printer switchbox
(http://sandberg.dk/worldwide/prod.asp?prod=501-03) for a customer (2
machines 1 printer).
When powered on independently both can print through the switchbox but with
both powered on only the machine powered on first gets to print, the other
one just hangs and its printjob only is carried out upon turning of the
first machine to enter the network (2 machines on 1 switch).

Why cant they both use the printer at the same time - i thought that was the
general idea about a printer switchbox...???
Click to expand...

How does the box know when the first computer has finished printing? There
is no "end of job" protocol for printers so once a printer starts printing
it takes over the box. Most will give up the connection after 10 minutes of
no data, but not all.

To be honest, this is a waste and not the way to go.

Get a network print server and connect to the printer using network cables.
All the computers in our office can print to the same printer without any
problems.
 
Did the switch come with software that you installed onto
both machines? Some sort of special driver is required
to make this scheme work.
 
How does the box know when the first computer has finished printing? There
is no "end of job" protocol for printers so once a printer starts printing
it takes over the box. Most will give up the connection after 10 minutes of
no data, but not all.

To be honest, this is a waste and not the way to go.

Get a network print server and connect to the printer using network cables.
All the computers in our office can print to the same printer without any
problems.
Click to expand...


Towli,
Don't listen to this guy, he doesn't have a clue. He
obviously assumes that everyone is interested in running a network in
order to enjoy shared services, and doesn't realize that sometimes
someone might just want to share a printer between two computers.
I've used boxes like this for many years supporting customers
of all types. When they work well, they work very well. When they
don't work, they can be a real pain in the ass.
The first thing to do is determine how the box determines when
a print job is started and stopped. Tell me... when you first start
up your system, do the LED's on top of the box alternate from one
computer cable to the other?


Raymond Sirois
SysOp: The Lost Chord BBS
607-733-5745
telnet://thelostchord.dns2go.com:6000
 
Did the switch come with software that you installed onto
both machines? Some sort of special driver is required
to make this scheme work.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily so. Many of these switches merely monitor the
channels for traffic. The existance of traffic indicates a printjob
in progress, the absence of data flow indicates the channel has been
released.

Raymond Sirois
SysOp: The Lost Chord BBS
607-733-5745
telnet://thelostchord.dns2go.com:6000
 
The first thing to do is determine how the box determines when
a print job is started and stopped. Tell me... when you first start
up your system, do the LED's on top of the box alternate from one
computer cable to the other?
Click to expand...

As far as i remember (the switch is located on another location in
Copenhagen) the leds are allways lit when the machines are powered on.
The switch came with no drivers (or power supply).

/T
 
It's possible that the problem may be in your printer cables. Do you
know whether the cables are fully bidirectionally compliant?
 
Actually i solved the problem by disabling bidirectional in printer/port
properties...
What could that indicate?
(The printer is a HP Laserjet6p)

(Thanx for answering)

/T
 
Hi all
Don't listen to this guy, he doesn't have a clue.
Click to expand...

Someone who thinks they are a support tech, but can't learn networking,
thinks his jobs in danger... OH NO!
He
obviously assumes that everyone is interested in running a network in
order to enjoy shared services, and doesn't realize that sometimes
someone might just want to share a printer between two computers.
Click to expand...

I posted a good repsonse to a vague question. If you want to share resources
networking IS what you want to do.
I've used boxes like this for many years supporting customers
of all types. When they work well, they work very well. When they
don't work, they can be a real pain in the ass.
Click to expand...

Most folks don't use DOS anymore. Better update your skills.
The first thing to do is determine how the box determines when
a print job is started and stopped.
Click to expand...

Funny... this is exactly what I said, but you think I don't know what I'm
talking about?
 
Back
Top