On Mar 7, 1:02 am, "Paul D.Smith" wrote:
> Sorry for the Newbie question...
>
> I'm about to get a second-hand Lasertjet 8000 which has a JetDirect EIO
> module. Does this mean that I DON'T have to have a printer server PC for
> this machine?
>
> To give you an example, I currently have a Laserjet 6 connected to a Win2k
> machine using a parallel port. This printer is shared and any printer on my
> network can access it BUT only if the Win2k machine is booted of course.
>
> With this new JetDirect enabled printer, does the JetDirect card fulfill the
> same function as the Win2k machine does for the LaserJet 6, so I can print
> from any PC to the JetDirect printer without any other PC needing to be "in
> the picture"?
>
> I should add that this is a home office environment so the odds on two PCs
> wanting to print at once is almost zero!
>
> Thanks,
> Paul DS.

Yes the jetDirect card would do that for you.

....snip...
> Yes the jetDirect card would do that for you.
>

Thanks,
Paul DS.

Yes, a printer with a JetDirect card is an independent entity on the network. It
does not require any other computer in the net to be powered, and any computer
suitably configured with a printer driver can print independently of all other
computers. The EIO card can be set up either from the printer control panel or
via software that queries for the MAC address of the EIO. Either way, you set
the IP address and mask within the range of your network, and then enjoy great
network printing. The 8000 is a bit of a hulk, but prints beautifully, handles
up to 11x17 in multiple trays, and costs chump change per page to operate. Have
fun... Ben Myers

On Wed, 7 Mar 2007 09:02:13 -0000, "Paul D.Smith"
wrote:

>Sorry for the Newbie question...
>
>I'm about to get a second-hand Lasertjet 8000 which has a JetDirect EIO
>module. Does this mean that I DON'T have to have a printer server PC for
>this machine?
>
>To give you an example, I currently have a Laserjet 6 connected to a Win2k
>machine using a parallel port. This printer is shared and any printer on my
>network can access it BUT only if the Win2k machine is booted of course.
>
>With this new JetDirect enabled printer, does the JetDirect card fulfill the
>same function as the Win2k machine does for the LaserJet 6, so I can print
>from any PC to the JetDirect printer without any other PC needing to be "in
>the picture"?
>
>I should add that this is a home office environment so the odds on two PCs
>wanting to print at once is almost zero!
>
>Thanks,
>Paul DS.
>

Paul D.Smith wrote:
> Sorry for the Newbie question...
>
> I'm about to get a second-hand Lasertjet 8000 which has a JetDirect EIO
> module. Does this mean that I DON'T have to have a printer server PC for
> this machine?

Maybe. Depends on what is meant by "EIO module". Could be that someone
is just referring to an empty EIO slot, or a JetDirect card in that
slot.

If it is a JetDirect, be certain that it's an Ethernet version, as
opposed to some other network type (i.e., token ring).

> To give you an example, I currently have a Laserjet 6 connected to a Win2k
> machine using a parallel port. This printer is shared and any printer on my
> network can access it BUT only if the Win2k machine is booted of course.

Right. The W2K computer acts as a print server.

> With this new JetDirect enabled printer,

"JetDirect-enabled" is sometimes weasel-wording for "can accept a
JetDirect", so again, it's not clear whether the printer actually has a
print server card in it.

> does the JetDirect card fulfill the same function as the Win2k machine
> does for the LaserJet 6, so I can print from any PC to the JetDirect
> printer without any other PC needing to be "in the picture"?

Yes.

> I should add that this is a home office environment so the odds on two PCs
> wanting to print at once is almost zero!

Shouldn't matter, either with the W2K print server or a JetDirect.
Multiple print jobs will be queued, so they all get printed.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

....snip...

Thanks for all that. I'm aware that a JetDirect card needs to be installed
(as opposed to there being an empty slot for one ;-) ). It was whether the
JetDirect handled the print queuing that I wasn't clear on.

Thanks again,
Paul DS.

In article <45efc911$0$7367$4d4eb98e@read.news.uk.uu.net>,
"Paul D.Smith" wrote:

> Thanks for all that. I'm aware that a JetDirect card needs to be installed
> (as opposed to there being an empty slot for one ;-) ). It was whether the
> JetDirect handled the print queuing that I wasn't clear on.

Paul-

The only drawback I'm aware of, is that it is a bit more difficult to
see the jobs in the print cue. I haven't tried, but assume you would
need to access the JetDirect's web page to do that.

This might only be a problem if one print job had hung-up the printer.
Of course this is less likely to happen with the JetDirect than with a
Windows print server, and you can press the "Cancel" button on the
printer to delete the offending print job!

Fred