[comp.laser-printers] Moving HP Laserjets to Ethernet

dmjd@gauss.UUCP (Daniel Devasirvatham 21321) (03/14/91)

Subject: Moving HP Laserjets to Ethernet

We have several HP laserjet printers (+ II & III) which are now running 
off serial links to System V computers.
I am trying to work out a simple way to move them to ethernet.  
They will then be driven by an existing Vax (Ultrix 4) installation
on the ethernet backbone, which already has postscript and transcript 
software.  So, rather than trying to install new hp downloadable fonts etc,
we would like to make these hp laserjets look like postscript printers.

What hardware is available to interface GPIB/HPIB or RS232 to ethernet
tcp/ip (thick lan) ?  This could be either a standalone box or a card 
that replaces the current interface card in the laserjets.  Hp makes
a box (expensive) which seems to be tailored to Novell Nets only.
Also, would such an interface require special driver software on the
host ultrix computer ?

Note that I do not not want to use a printer server and serial links 
since the printers are scattered in various locations.

Hp also makes a postscript cartridge for the laserjet.  
We have the 2 MB memories need to use it.  
There are also cartridges made by Adobe and Pacific Data.
Will plugging this in make the hp laserjets look like postscript printers 
to the outside world, or would they still need to be sent special 
escape sequences etc ? In short, would we need hp laserjet drivers for 
ultrix ?

Are there any other alternatives ?

Replies could be sent either to the net or the email address below.

Thanks in advance.

Daniel Devasirvatham

dmjd@nyquist.bellcore.com