AIX Printer Tips: 128-Port Printer Cables


Contents

About This Document

This document shows the wiring diagrams for connecting selected printers from the RS/6000 128-port adapter.  Some discussion is included about the importance of certain signals like CTS and DCD, and other unique features of the pinouts of the 128-port adapter and 16-port RAN when used for printing.

The information in this document applies to AIX Versions 3 and 4.

128-port cable overview

The 128-port serial port is unique in that the pinouts of the modular plug were setup to allow anything from a 4-wire RJ-11 plug to a 10 wire RJ-45 plug. If possible it is recommended that the 10 wire RJ-45 plug be used. This has the most reliability as well as is the easiest to setup. However, many customers choose to use fewer than the 10 wires needed for this setup. Note that AIX requires that CTS be asserted and does flow control with DCD.

For 8 wire cables there is an altpin or alternate RJ-45 pinouts software setting that causes the software to treat the DSR signal as if it were DCD allowing hardware flow control to be used.

4 pin RJ-11's will not work when the printer is added as a printer. To use 4-wire connections, at least a 6 pin connector must be used so that a signal can be supplied to CTS. Using a pin connector does NOT allow hardware flow control for either 4-wire or wire connections.

For wire connections, it is still recommended that you use at least an pin RJ-45 connector so that hardware flow control can be used.

CAUTION: 4-wire and wire connections are NOT supported or tested by IBM. Many people have gotten them to work, but others have experienced many problems trying to use these setups.

IBM/LexMark Printers

Laser Printers 4019, 4029, 4039, etc.

10 pin RJ45 version
The 10 pin version is equivalent to using the NK cable plus and interposer. This is the recommended configuration and supports both software and hardware flow control.
128-Port RAN                 Lexmark  Printer
 10 Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       4   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       6   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       5   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
   CTS       8   <----------    4     RTS
   RTS       3   ---------->    5     CTS
   DTR       9   ---------->    6     DSR
                         \->    8     DCD              To 128port DTR
   SGnd      7   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR       2   <----------   20     DTR
   DCD      10   <--/                                  From Printer DTR
   RI        1   <----------   22     RI
pin RJ45 version
The pin RJ45 version of the cable will support both software (XON) and hardware (DTR) flow control. When using this cable the 'altpin' option must be set from SMIT.
  pin RJ45 version

128-Port RAN                 Lexmark  Printer
  8 Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       3   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       5   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       4   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
   CTS       7   <----------    4     RTS
   RTS       2   ---------->    5     CTS
   DTR       8   ---------->    6     DSR
                         \->    8     DCD              From 128-port DTR
   SGnd      6   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR       1   <----------   20     DTR

6 pin RJ11 version supports only XON/XOFF flow control. DTR pacing will not work with this configuration. pin printer operations are not recommended, and are not supported configurations.
  6 pin RJ11 version

128-Port RAN                 Lexmark  Printer
  6 Pin RJ11                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       2   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       4   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       3   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
   CTS       6   <----------    4     RTS
   RTS       1   ---------->    5     CTS
                         /->    6     DSR              Wrap at Printer.
                         \-<   20     DTR
   SGnd      5   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
4-wire version supports only XON/XOFF flow control. DTR pacing will not work with this configuration. 4-wire printer operations are not recommended, and are not supported configurations. Note that with 4 wire configuration at least a pin RJ-11 is required. When using an 'LP' device to print, AIX requires that CTS be asserted. This wiring fools CTS, and has no way of knowing the printer has been turned off, unless the printer sends XOFF. In this case make sure to set Sticky XON/XOFF. The Lexmark Printer requires that DSR be raised or it will not print, hence the jumpering on the DB-25 end.
  pin RJ11 version with 4 wires to printer

128-Port RAN                 Lexmark  Printer
  6 Pin RJ11                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       2   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       4   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       3   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
   SGnd      5   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   CTS       6   <--\    /-     6     DSR              Wrap Each locally.
   RTS       1   ---/    \-<   20     DTR

HP Printers

Printer Cables for 128-Port Adapter to HP LaserJet IV

pin RJ45 version

Based on HPLJ4 Pinouts: Requires that 'altpin' option be set. With this, it should support DTR flow control, or XON/XOFF. The LaserJet IV does not appear to support RTS/CTS, and the IBM print devices will not send data without CTS being asserted on the RJ45. When the printer is ready to send data, this document assumes it will assert DTR. This should drive both DSR and CTS on the RAN (Risc side). Altpin will switch the RAN DSR signal to CD (DCD), which is used for flow control with DTR pacing. You can see this by looking at the RAN port by changing the 7 segment display from AC to the number of the port that the printer is plugged into.

Alternative One:  Won't work at late 3.2.5 or 4.1

128-Port RAN                   HPLJ4  Printer
  Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       3   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       5   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       4   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
                                4     RTS (Not Avail)
   RTS       2                  5     CTS (Not Avail)
   DTR       8   ---------->    6     DSR
   SGnd      6   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR       1   <----------   20     DTR
   CTS       7   <-----/                               Not good will toggle.


Alternative Two:  Deriving the CTS from the RAN DTR
                  Altpin is still required.

128-Port RAN                   HPLJ4  Printer
  Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       3   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       5   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       4   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
                                4     RTS (Not Avail)
   RTS       2   ---\           5     CTS (Not Avail)
   CTS       7   <--/
   DTR       8   ---------->    6     DSR
   SGnd      6   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR       1   <----------   20     DTR

/usr/lbin/tty/stty-cxma get lp4 ! to get flow control cxma dtr dtropen xon splp cxma - 128 port dtr - dtr flow control. Remove with chdev or 'stty del dtr < /dev/lp4' dtropen - dtr must be present to open port. xon - xon/xoff flow control splp - printer (vs posix of bsd for tty)

Epson Printers

Printer Cables for 128-Port Adapter to Epson DFX-5000
pin RJ45 version

Based on Epson Pinouts from Epson Manual Technical Specifications B-12 Requires that 'altpin' option be set. With this, it should support DTR flow control, or XON/XOFF. The Epson does not appear to support RTS/CTS, and the IBM print devices will not send data without CTS being asserted on the RJ45. When the printer is ready to send data, This document assumes it will assert DTR. This should drive both DSR and CTS on the RAN (Risc side). Altpin will switch the RAN DSR signal to CD (DCD), which is used for flow control with DTR pacing. You can see this by looking at the RAN port by changing the 7 segment display from AC to the number of the port that the printer is plugged into. It has been reported that some people have had to jumper pin 20 to pin 4 on the DB25, but with these assignments this does not seem likely.

Alternative One:  (This will give problems at AIX 3.2.5 and 4.1)

128-Port RAN                   HPLJ4  Printer
  Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       3   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       5   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       4   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
                                4     RTS (Not Avail)
   RTS       2                  5     CTS (Not Avail)
   DTR       8                  6     DSR (Not Avail)
   SGnd      6   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR       1   <----------   20     DTR                Flow Control
   CTS       7   <-----/       11     DTR also optional. Flow Control


Alternative Two:  Deriving the CTS from the RAN DTR
                  Altpin is still required.

128-Port RAN                   HPLJ4  Printer
  Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       3   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       5   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       4   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
                                4     RTS (Not Avail)
   RTS       2   ---\           5     CTS (Not Avail)  Wrap at 128-port
   CTS       7   <--/                                   - RTS to CTS
   DTR       8   ---------->    6     DSR
   SGnd      6   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR       1   <----------   20     DTR

/usr/lbin/tty/stty-cxma get lp4 ! to get flow control cxma dtr dtropen xon splp cxma - 128 port dtr - dtr flow control. Remove with chdev or 'stty del dtr < /dev/lp4' dtropen - dtr must be present to open port. (I believe) xon - xon/xoff flow control splp - printer (vs posix of bsd for tty) /usr/lbin/tty/stty-cxma altpin lp4 ! to set altpin from command line /usr/lbin/tty/stty-cxma -a lp4 ! to get altpin, clocal, settings.

Genicom, Printronix & DataSouth Printers

Printer Cables for 128-Port Adapter to Genicom, Printronix and DataSouth printers.
Reported to work from customers.

The following cable diagrams have been reported to work by customers. These cables and printers are not supported, but the information is provided on an AS IS basis. IBM does not warrant that these configurations will work. In all cases hardware flow control is highly recommended. The customer reported that the printers 'altpin' needs to be set for the port for these pinouts to work.

                            Genicom, Printronix &
128-Port RAN                 DataSouth Printers
  Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       3   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       5   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       4   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
   CTS       7   <--\                                  Wrap At 128-port RAN
   RTS       2   ---/                                   - RTS to CTS.
   SGnd      6   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR       1   <----------   20     DTR

Okidata Printers

Printer Cables for 128-Port Adapter to Okidata printers with SSD (Supervisory Send Data) hardware pacing.

The following cable diagrams have been reported to work by customers. These cables and printers are not supported, but the information is provided on an AS IS basis. IBM does not warrant that these configurations will work. In all cases hardware flow control is highly recommended. The customer reported that the printers 'altpin' needs to be set for the port for these pinouts to work.

 128-Port RAN                 Okidata  Printer
  Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       3   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       5   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       4   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
   CTS       7   <----------   20     DTR
   SGnd      6   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR>DCD   1   <----------   11     SSD
   RTS       2   Not connected
   DTR       8   Not connected

TI Printers

Reported to work from customers.

The following cable diagrams have been reported to work by customers. These cables and printers are not supported, but the information is provided on an AS IS basis. IBM does not warrant that these configurations will work. In all cases hardware flow control is highly recommended. The customer reported that the printers 'altpin' needs to be set for the port for these pinouts to work.

   Dipswitch settings on TI printer

   Settings for 1200 Baud, no parity, autolf, autoskip
       1   2   3   4   5   6   7
       On  On  Off Off Off On  On

 128-Port RAN                    TI   Printer
  Pin RJ45                       DB-25
  Signal    Pin                Pin   Signal
   GND       3   <--------->    1     Chassis Ground
   RxD       5   <----------    2     TxD              XON/XOFF from Printer
   TxD       4   ---------->    3     RxD              Data to Printer
                         /->    4     RTS              Wrap at Printer
                         \-<    5     CTS              -RTS to CTS
   CTS       7   <----------   20     DTR
   SGnd      6   <--------->    7     Signal Ground
   DSR>DCD   1   <----------   11     SSD
   RTS       2   Not connected
   DTR       8   ---------->    8     DCD
                         \->    6     DSR             To 128port DTR

Subject: Pinouts for Monarch 9420 for 128-port adapter


Cable setup for RJ-45 to DB-25

     Remote Async Node End    +--------------------+
          RJ45 pin            | RJ-45  |   |  DB-25|
         /------\             | Signal |   | Signal|
   ------       ------        +--------------------+
   |-----------------|        |                    |
   | . . . .  . . . .|        |                    |
   +_________________|        | DSR  1  --- 20 DTR |
     1 2 3 4  5 6 7 8         | RTS  2  ---  5 CTS |
                              | GND  3  ---  Shell |
                              | TxD  4  ---  3 RxD |
                              | RxD  5  ---  2 TxD |
                              | SG   6  ---  7 SG  |
                              | CTS  7  ---  4 RTS |
                              | DTR  8  ---  6 DSR |
                              |                    |
                              +--------------------+


  Need to have altpin set for DTR flow control.
  Assumes that RTS on printer is on when printer is on.
~

128-Port Printer Cables: AIX Printer Tips:128pwire.html ITEM: FAX
Dated: 99/02/02~00:00 Category: zap
This HTML file was generated 99/06/24~12:42:12
Comments or suggestions? Contact us