AIX Printer Tips: Network Print to IBM 3930 from AIX

Contents

About This Document

Overview and Prerequisites

The interface supports the following network applications:

• FTP
• LPR/LPD - Used by AIX as a remote queue
• TCPF
• SNMP
• TFTP

Installing the Ethernet Backpack

The basic installation steps are as follows (use with manual):

1. Turn off the printer (Section 1).
2. Set Host Interface Card DIP switches to RS-422A interface (Section 2).
3. Verify the BNC or ThickNet jumper positions (Section 4).
4. Connect the Ethernet Cable to the Backpack before installing (Section 5).
5. Place backpack in holes on rear of printer (Sections 6-9).
6. Attach RS422, DC, and two ground wires to back of 3930 (Sections 10-13).
7. Load new diskettes into drives (Section 14-19).
8. Enter Disk Utilities (Page 14-1).
• Press start. Make sure no jobs are printing.
• Press stop
• Press stop again. Configuration Data will Print.
• Wait until configuration data finishes printing. Display should show CONFIGURATION TASK MENU.
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select DISK UTILITIES.
• Press Start to select the Disk Utilites Menu.
• Install the Ethernet Software (Page 6-9).
• Dual floppy drive system - Option 11 (Page 14-15)
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select DISKETTE UPDATE.
• Press Start, and wait for message INSERT DISKETTE.
• Open front cover; remove diskette from diskette drive B.
• Move diskette from drive A to drive B.
• Insert ethernet update diskette in drive A.
• Close front cover.
• Wait till next prompt or until PLEASE STAND BY goes away. This did not appear in IBM testing.
• Press Start to begin update. The display will show UPDATING.
• Wait for PRESS START TO EXIT or DISK OPERATION COMPLETE message.
• Open the front cover and replace the original diskettes. The A diskette is now updated.
• Close the front cover.
• Scroll to SAVE, PRINT & EXIT and hit start.
• The printer will print the new configuration including the ethernet information.
• Hard drive system - Option 8 (Page 14-11).
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select HARD DISK UPDATE.
• Press Start and wait for message INSERT DISKETTE.
• Open front cover and insert ethernet diskette in Drive A.
• Close cover and if PLEASE STAND BY is not displayed, press START.
• Wait until UPDATING message goes away.
• Repeat for second diskette.
• Scroll to SAVE, PRINT & EXIT and hit start.
• The printer will print the new configuration including the ethernet information.

Steps to Configure Printer

1. Change Host Interface to ethernet.
• Press stop.
• Press stop again. Configuration Data will Print.
• Wait until configuration data finishes printing. Display should show CONFIGURATION TASK MENU.
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select CHANGE SETTINGS.
• Press Start to Enter Change Settings mode.
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select c005 Host Interface settings.
• Press Start to go to submenu.
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select 004 for Ethernet attachment.
• Press Start to set the new setting.
• Scroll and exit as before.
2. Assign Ethernet Addresses, and Internet Subnet mask. See Section 12-21 for details.
• Press stop.
• Press stop again. Configuration Data will Print.
• Wait until configuration data finishes printing. Display should show CONFIGURATION TASK MENU.
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select CHANGE SETTINGS.
• Press Start to Enter Change Settings mode.
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select options c120 to c123 one at a time.
• Press Start to go to submenu.
• Press Cancel or Test to scroll and select the address for the portion of the ethernet address.
• Press Start to set the new setting.
• Repeat for options c134 to c137 to set the bytes of the Internet Subnet mask.
• Scroll and exit as before.

Creating Queues from AIX

For creating queues in AIX to print to the 3930, the easiest way is to use the remote printing subsytem. This system uses a print queue backend called rembak to print to the printers lpd.

Add the printer host name into the /etc/hosts file or on the network name server before proceeding.

The 3930 LPD does not function in the capacity to format data in any way and does not accept any command line flags. This means that the file must be formatted before being sent from the AIX system. In AIX 4, this capability is built into the operating system by creating a remote queue with local formatting. In AIX 3 you must trick the system. One way to do this is to use double queues. First you create a remote queue that prints directly to the printer. Next you create a virtual printer that prints to a file. Finally you modify the virtual printer to send the output to the remote queue.

The 3930 LPD does not care what you call the queue name on the LPD server in your setup. Experiment and decide what give you a status line that you like the best.

Test the interface

Resolve network issues, if any, before continuing.

Remote Queue setup steps in AIX 3.2

1. smitty spooler
2. Choose: Manage Remote Printer Subsystem
3. Choose: Client Services
4. Choose: Remote Printer Queues
5. Choose: Add a Remote Queue
6. Fill in the following:
• NAME of queue to add:

remque
• DESTINATION HOST for remote jobs:

This is HOSTNAME of the 3930.
• Pathname of the SHORT FORM FILTER:

Use /usr/lpd/bsdshort.
• Pathname of the LONG FORM FILTER:

Use /usr/lpd/bsdlong.
• Name of QUEUE on remote printer:

Use same name as queue name.
• NAME of device to add:

Use 3930d.
7. Hit enter or Do to add the queue.

Virtual Printer setup steps in AIX 3.2

1. Create a new empty lock file. This can be done by redirecting nothing into a file by starting the command with a greater-than sign as shown below. Another way to do this is to copy /dev/null to the new file. If the file doesn't exist already, you can use the touch /dev/lpx1 command to create the file.

     > /dev/lpx1
   

2. Create a virtual printer.

     mkvirprt
   

3. Choose: Printer or Plotter Attached to Local Host.
4. For Device enter lpx1 (lock file name).
5. Choose: Printer Type: Hewlett-Packard LaserJet IIIsi.
6. Add queue names and respond to header and trailer questions.
7. Change the virtual printer mo attribute as follows:
• chvirprt -q queue_name -d qdev_name -a "mo=enq -Premque"

Queue setup steps in AIX 4

1. smitty mkpq
2. Choose: remote

Printer Attached to Remote Host
3. Choose: Local filtering before sending to print server
4. Choose: Printer manuf.

IBM - or - HP. If you have installed the drivers from the supplied diskette, you can use IBM.
5. Choose: Printer model

3930 - or - Hewlett-Packard LaserJet IIIsi
6. Enter the following items:
• Names of NEW print queues to add:

Fill in as needed. These are the queues that you will print to with lpr, lp, enq or qprt.
• HOSTNAME of remote server

This is HOSTNAME of the 3930.
• Name of QUEUE on remote server

Use same name as queue name.
• TYPE of print spooler on remote server:

BSD
• Send PASS-THROUGH FLAG to queue

Choose 'no'.
7. Hit enter or Do to add the queue.

Printing and Status

• qprt -P3930pcl /etc/motd

Gives full access to AIX virtual printer flags
• enq -P3930pcl /etc/hosts

Interface to AIX qdaemon; called by the other three print commands, as well as status commands
• lp -d3930pcl /etc/hosts

Returns the job number at AIX 4
• lpr -P3939pcl /etc/hosts

By default, this gives a header page and spools data through /var/spool/qdaemon.

• enq -A
• qchk
• lpstat

• enq -sA at AIX 3
• enq -isA at AIX 4

Printing with FTP and TFTP

• machine (ibm3930) login (ftp)

1. tftp

AIX will give a tftp> prompt.
2. tftp> connect ibm3930

Connect to the 3930.
3. tftp> binary

Faster transfer mode
4. tftp> put /etc/qconfig

Send the file.
5. tftp> quit

Back to the command line

• tftp -p /home/jeanne/test ibm3930

• ftp ibm3930
• binary
• put file
• quit