This document applies to all levels of AIX.
The NETPrint and JETXPrint print servers are manufactured by Digital Products, which provides support for these products on AIX. In most cases you will simply set up the NETPrint print server as a remote queue. If it has multiple ports, use the queue names PORT1, PORT2, and so on.
Digital Products offers both external boxes - X designation, and cards that fit in some Hewlett-Packard printers.
In some cases you will need to set up AIX as a bootp server for the NETPrint. I have included the Digital Products, Inc., Technical Support Bulletin, TSB 2002, at the end of this document. This describes how to do this with Windows NT, but the process is very similar to AIX. You can either make an entry into the /etc/bootptab file or use the arp -s command as described at the end of the document.
/
/
+-------------+ connected +-------------+ /
| Client | via | NETPort | +---------+
| RISC System |--------------| Print |-----| printer |
| hostname: A | TCPIP | Server | | |
+-------------+ +-------------+ +---------+
The following instructions should allow you to set up an AIX queue to print to a NETPrint server. This assumes the NETPrint has an IP address and is attached to a printer. You should be able to print a test page to the printer before following these instructions. The test page should contain the IP address of the NETPrint box.
123.1.1.2 netp1
ping netp1
If this does not show a successful connection, fix the communication
problems before continuing with adding a printer.
smit mkpq Choose: remote (Printer Attached to Remote Host) Choose: Local filtering before sending to print server Choose: Printer Manufacturer: (Example: Hewlett-Packard) Choose: Printer Model: (Example: hplj-4)Fill out the following screen:
Add a Remote Print Queue with Local Filtering
Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.
[Entry Fields]
Description Hewlett-Packard LaserJ>
Names of NEW print queues to add
PCL [pcl1] <- Enter ASCII queue
PostScript [ps1] <- Enter PostScript
queue name
HP-GL/2 []
Remote server characteristics
HOSTNAME of remote server [netp1] <- Enter /etc/hosts
printer name
Name of QUEUE on remote server [PORT1] <- Enter port # case
sensative.
TYPE of print spooler on remote server BSD <- Use BSD selection
Send PASS-THROUGH FLAG to queue no <- Set this to off
on remote server?
NOTE: The remote server queue PORT1 or PORT2 determines port on
NETPort box.
Hit Enter to add the queue.
lptest 10 10 | qprt -Ppcl1
smit chpq
PRINT QUEUE name: pcl1
Choose: 2 Default Print Job Attributes
Move cursor to: TYPESTYLE and PITCH
Hit F4 or Select
Choose: courier 17
or lineprinter 17
Hit Enter or DO - to set 17 in main menu.
Hit Enter or DO again to make change
Exit smit
You should now have a working queue to print to your NETPort attached printer.
Setting up printing for AIX 3 is a two-step process.
123.1.1.2 netp1
ping netp1
If this does not show a successful connection, fix the communication
problems before continuing with adding a printer.
Add a Remote Queue
Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.
[Entry Fields]
* NAME of queue to add [netp1]
ACTIVATE the queue? yes
Will this become the DEFAULT queue? no
Queueing DISCIPLINE first come first serve
ACCOUNTING FILE pathname []
* DESTINATION HOST for remote jobs [netp1]
* Pathname of the SHORT FORM FILTER for queue [/usr/lpd/bsdshort]
status output
* Pathname of the LONG FORM FILTER for queue [/usr/lpd/bsdlong]
status output
* Name of QUEUE on remote printer [PORT1]
* NAME of device to add [netpd]
* BACKEND PROGRAM pathname [/usr/lpd/rembak]
You should add the following information as indicated in the preceding
discussion.
lptest 10 10 | qprt -Pnetp1
You should be able to print, but there is no virtual printer.
You will add the virtual printer to control attributes next.
Although you should be able to print fine, it is often desirable to add a virtual printer to control output to the printer such as pitch, paper drawer, or landscape printing. This can be done by double queueing. Create a virtual printer that sends its output to the remote queue that you just created.
touch /dev/netp1
Don't use /dev/null as prescribed in the Digital Products instructions. This blocks queues on multiple boxes if they are all set up this way.
lsvirprt Choose the pcl1 created earlier. Change the mo attribue as shown below where netp1 is remote queue added earlier. To LIST attributes, enter AttributeName1 ... (* for all attributes) To CHANGE an attribute value, enter AttributeName=NewValue To FORMAT and EDIT an attribute value, enter AttributeName~v To EDIT the attribute file, enter ~v To terminate, press Enter: mo=qprt -Pnetp1
lptest 10 10 | qprt -Ppcl1
To LIST attributes, enter AttributeName1 ... (* for all attributes) To CHANGE an attribute value, enter AttributeName=NewValue To FORMAT and EDIT an attribute value, enter AttributeName~v To EDIT the attribute file, enter ~v To terminate, press Enter: p=17 Name Description Value _p Pitch (characters per inch) 17
You should now have a queue to which you can print and make changes.
Caveat: This has not been tested.
netp1:hn:ht=ether:ha=0800095e9e10:ip=5.1.1.5:
sm=255.255.255.0:gw=5.1.1.152:
bootps dgram udp wait root /etc/bootpd bootpd tftp dgram udp wait nobody /etc/tftpd tftpd -n
inetimp (only needed at AIX 3) refresh -s inetd
For Example:
arp -s 192.00.20.10 01-12-23-FE-A2-00NOTE: You must use dashes (-) to separate the numbers of the LAN Address. In this example the IP address 192.00.20.10 is the IP address we are assigning to the NETS\JETX unit.
Once you get a successful ping, the NETS/JETX has its ip address.
AIX support is only responsible for setting up the remote queue. Digital Products is responsible for making this work with their product.
Some of the information needed was obtained from Digital Products Technical Support Bulletin TSB 2004, TSB 2011, and TSB 2002, obtained from the web page listed in the References section.