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From: Doug Brown <macg3@pleasenospam.mac.com.invalid>
Subject: Re: Can OS X print to a LaserWriter IINT? References: <291120021346350840%thomasareed@earthlink.net>
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 21:19:26 GMT

In article <291120021346350840%thomasareed@earthlink.net>,
 Thomas Reed <thomasareed@earthlink.net> wrote:

> I just came into possession of an old LaserWriter IINT, and I'm
> wondering if I can print to it from OS X, or if OS X will refuse to
> talk to hardware this old.  Also, is there a possibility of instaling
> an Ethernet card in the LW IINT?  I've got three computers with
> Ethernet and a 5-port hub, so it would be nice if I could put the LW on
> the hub and make it available to all three machines.

The IINT is PostScript Level 1. OS X is going to require PostScript 
Level 2 or newer. You basically have two options:

1) Install a LaserWriter IIg board into it. This will give it ethernet 
and also make it compatible with OS X, because the IIg is PostScript 
Level 2. You could look on eBay for info about that.

2) Put an Ethernet to LocalTalk converter on the IINT, and connect that 
to the hub. This will give it ethernet, but not enable OS X support. 
However, there is a package available for OS X that will enable 
PostScript Level 1, and includes support for five printers, including 
the IINT. It's available here:

http://www.linuxprinting.org/macosx/pslevel1/

I tried it with my LaserWriter Plus and it seemed to work okay, but only 
for easy things such as text pages. Trying to print a web page made it 
stall and never finish (I think that's a printer limitation, not a 
limitation of the software).

If I were you, I'd definitely recommend putting a IIg board inside it. 
You have all the other parts, all you'd need would be the board. They 
can be had on eBay for very cheap. Right now there's only two that I 
could find, but there are usually much more. It uses a strange AAUI 
connector, so you need to get an AAUI to RJ-45 transceiver.

If you go that route, not only will you get OS X support, but you get 
ethernet as a free bonus.

Hope this helps,

Doug

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