tokenring printserver on an ethernetwork?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Hello,

Here's a question from a tokenring-nitwit:
Is it possible to use, in ANY way, a tokenring printserver in an
ethernet-network?
And if so, HOW is it possible??

Thanks in advance!


--
Erix(at)xs4all(dot)nl
ADSL 1600/512
SpeedTouch 580
http://www.ericsplatform.nl

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

No problem - as long as it has an RJ45 socket.

Carefully seperate the RJ45 connector from the rest of the equipment.
Discard the unwanted components.

Construct an ethernet print server. Write software for it. Solder on
the RJ45 socket that you saved from the Token ring equipment.

You now have an Ethernet print server.

OH! I nearly forgot, perhaps before you start you should check that
the socket has a full compliment of 8 conductors since TR uses
different pins from Ethernet and there is the possibility that your
device does not have the correct pins. That would have been a waste of
effort.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

"Erix..." <erix@NOSPAMxs4all.nl> schreef in bericht
news:421c2beb$0$28985$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
> Hello,
>
> Here's a question from a tokenring-nitwit:
> Is it possible to use, in ANY way, a tokenring printserver in an
> ethernet-network?
> And if so, HOW is it possible??
>
> Thanks in advance!


Oops I just saw a similar question, sorry.
Maybe my question should be:

I have an AXIS 660 Tokenring network printserver.
Is it in *any* way possible to convert this server to an Ethernetserver
(like the AXIS 560 printserver) with a firmwarehack or something??
(even though my network obviously don't recognise the server in its
network...)

Thanks, again.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Erix... wrote:

> Here's a question from a tokenring-nitwit:
> Is it possible to use, in ANY way, a tokenring printserver in an
> ethernet-network?
> And if so, HOW is it possible??
>

Get one of those token ring - ethernet bridges (good luck finding one) or
get a router with an ethernet NIC on one side and token ring on the other
or change the NIC in the printer.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Erix... wrote:

> I have an AXIS 660 Tokenring network printserver.
> Is it in any way possible to convert this server to an Ethernetserver
> (like the AXIS 560 printserver) with a firmwarehack or something??
> (even though my network obviously don't recognise the server in its
> network...)

No amount of "firmwarehack" will make two incompatible hardware protocols
work together.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Erix... wrote:

> "Erix..." <erix@NOSPAMxs4all.nl> schreef in bericht
> news:421c2beb$0$28985$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
>> Hello,
>>
>> Here's a question from a tokenring-nitwit:
>> Is it possible to use, in ANY way, a tokenring printserver in an
>> ethernet-network?
>> And if so, HOW is it possible??

>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>
>
> Oops I just saw a similar question, sorry.
> Maybe my question should be:
>
> I have an AXIS 660 Tokenring network printserver.
> Is it in *any* way possible to convert this server to an Ethernetserver
> (like the AXIS 560 printserver) with a firmwarehack or something??
> (even though my network obviously don't recognise the server in its
> network...)

The differences between Token Ring and Ethernet start at the hardware level.
If it's something you want to do for fun, go for it, but understand that
you're basically going to be reverse engineering the whole print server and
then redesigning the network interface on it. If you need a working print
server then forget about modifying that one into an Ethernet device,
instead you'll need to either obtain a Token Ring-to-Ethernet bridge or
obtain or construct an Ethernet to Token Ring router--this latter doesn't
have to be expensive, an old PC, a couple of network cards, and a copy of
Linux and some time will do the trick. But if you're doing that it might
be easier to just configure the machine you'd be using as a router to
function as a print server instead.

> Thanks, again.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

J. Clarke wrote:

> If you need a working print
> server then forget about modifying that one into an Ethernet device,
> instead you'll need to either obtain a Token Ring-to-Ethernet bridge or
> obtain or construct an Ethernet to Token Ring router--this latter doesn't
> have to be expensive, an old PC, a couple of network cards, and a copy of
> Linux and some time will do the trick.  But if you're doing that it might
> be easier to just configure the machine you'd be using as a router to
> function as a print server instead.

Or perhaps replace the NIC in the printer.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

James Knott wrote:

> J. Clarke wrote:
>
>> If you need a working print
>> server then forget about modifying that one into an Ethernet device,
>> instead you'll need to either obtain a Token Ring-to-Ethernet bridge or
>> obtain or construct an Ethernet to Token Ring router--this latter doesn't
>> have to be expensive, an old PC, a couple of network cards, and a copy of
>> Linux and some time will do the trick.  But if you're doing that it might
>> be easier to just configure the machine you'd be using as a router to
>> function as a print server instead.
>
> Or perhaps replace the NIC in the printer.

If the printer had a network interface card in it then why would he be using
a print server?

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

J. Clarke wrote:

>> Or perhaps replace the NIC in the printer.
>
> If the printer had a network interface card in it then why would he be
> using a print server?

I wonder if he's using the correct term. Generally, a print server is a
computer, that shares a printer to the network. That printer could be
attached by any means, including the network. I have seen printers with
built in ethernet or token ring cards. Generally all that's required to
change them from one to the other, is to swap the NIC and possibly some
config info. If he's referring to a print server computer, then of course
he should be able to change the NIC. There are also small "print server"
boxes, but I've never seen those in anything but ethernet.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

James Knott wrote:

> J. Clarke wrote:
>
>>> Or perhaps replace the NIC in the printer.
>>
>> If the printer had a network interface card in it then why would he be
>> using a print server?
>
> I wonder if he's using the correct term. Generally, a print server is a
> computer, that shares a printer to the network. That printer could be
> attached by any means, including the network. I have seen printers with
> built in ethernet or token ring cards. Generally all that's required to
> change them from one to the other, is to swap the NIC and possibly some
> config info. If he's referring to a print server computer, then of course
> he should be able to change the NIC. There are also small "print server"
> boxes, but I've never seen those in anything but ethernet.

Most of the printers that I have seen that have built in network interfaces
also have at least limited print server functionality. When I think of a
"print server" that is a separate device with a network port I think of a
device used to attach one or more serial, parallel, USB, or other type of
normally non-networkable printer to a LAN. Those devices were available
with Token Ring and 100VG interfaces that I know of in addition to
Ethernet.

The Axis 660, about which the OP was asking, is one of those "small
boxes"--I'm not clear what interfaces it has--the manufacturer's site
doesn't have much information about it other than that it's been replaced
by the Axis 670, which supports 2 parallel and one serial printer. The
photo of the 660 shows what appears to be a serial port.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

<snap>
>
> Most of the printers that I have seen that have built in network
interfaces
> also have at least limited print server functionality. When I think of a
> "print server" that is a separate device with a network port I think of a
> device used to attach one or more serial, parallel, USB, or other type of
> normally non-networkable printer to a LAN. Those devices were available
> with Token Ring and 100VG interfaces that I know of in addition to
> Ethernet.
>
> The Axis 660, about which the OP was asking, is one of those "small
> boxes"--I'm not clear what interfaces it has--the manufacturer's site
> doesn't have much information about it other than that it's been replaced
> by the Axis 670, which supports 2 parallel and one serial printer. The
> photo of the 660 shows what appears to be a serial port.
>
> --
> --John
> to email, dial "usenet" and validate
> (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Yes indeed, I was reffering to a seperate device called a "network print
server", the AXIS 660, it's a TR-thingie with 2 LPT-ports and a serial port.
The AXIS 560 is a network print server I would've like to have, it's an
Ethernet-server. The 670 I didn't know yet.

Thanks for all your responses, I realise now that there's no (easy) way to
use this device.
I'd better try to trade it with an ehternetserver. Don't think that'll work,
who's using TokenRing Networks those days..?

Thanks again, all!
ERIX

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

In Britain, where things tend to be expensive, I could buy a little
external print server, which connects to the printer via aparallel port
or USB depending on the model, for about thirty pounds. I've got a
D-Link parallel one at home, and we've got several HP USB ones at work
for variuos printers which don't have network built in. All work fine.