From: Ruffin Bailey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [G] iMac and ImageWriter II -- what next?
Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 17:44:47 -0400
Okay, let's say I've got an office of iMacs (strawberry ;^D) running
OS 8 and an ImageWriter II. What's the easiest way to get 'em
talking? Pretty obviously not the USB port on the iMacs or the
serial port on the IW2... Do I want an IW2 network card? A stealth
port for an iMac (no modem needed)? The less dough, the better.
My IWII has the AppleTalk Option installed. This is actually a card
that provides LocalTalk networking (Appletalk over LocalTalk).
To get from LocalTalk to Ethernet, you'll need a bridge. Farallon,
Dayna and Asante have all made LocalTalk to Ethernet bridges for
years. I think that the only one still in production is the
AsanteTalk by Asante, but any of the old ones will do. The
MicroAsantePrint (e.g.) is an older version of the AsanteTalk which
has more network management abilities. I don't remember the name of
the Dayna or Farallon products because I use the Asante myself.
After installing the AppleTalk option, the Mini-DIN8 port on the
printer is no longer a serial port. It becomes a LocalTalk port.
You can cable the IWII to the Bridge with a short serial cable (works
for LocalTalk over short distances) or use PhoneNet cabling. Then
just plug the other end of your Bridge into your Ethernet network.
Use the AppleTalk ImageWriter 7.01 printer extension. It works fine
through OS 9.1 on my computers.
If you have other LocalTalk devices (e.g. old pre-ethernet computers)
you can hook them up together on a PhoneNet network and bridge the
whole thing to your Ethernet through the Bridge. I think most of
those bridges support up to eight LocalTalk devices on teh LT side of
the network.
It sounds more complex than it is. The hardest part will be picking
up the bits you need. The AppleTalk Option for the IWII should be
less than $15. Someone gave one away free on the Swap List the
other day.
The Bridge can also be found cheaply. I think a new AsanteTalk
still gets about $75, but they turn up under $20 pretty
frequently--especially if you keep an eye out for the older products
as well. I think I saw some discounted ones, maybe without the AC
adapter, on SmallDog's website.
If you can find a copy of MicroSpot's MacPalette II--AppleTalk
version, then you can print in millions of colors on your IWII as
well, if you install a four color ribbon. The results are
suprisingly good, considering what one expects of a dot matrix
printer.
Jeff Walther
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