Re: [WinMac] JetDirect names change: Mac printing

CHoogendyk@aol.com
Fri, 21 May 1999 08:11:24 -0500

I responded to a few of the responses. In mining my unread mail, I saw the
original, and it has some points that might not have been addressed. I've
included dougs full original message. If you've read these messages already,
skip to the end of his message where I have put asterisks around the critical
part. -- Chris H.

In a message dated 5/14/99 10:06:04 AM, douglas.parker@lmco.com writes:

>I've read the FAQ--this isn't in it.
>
>I have a mix of Macs and WIN95/NT systems in an environment with NT servers.
>Printers are connected to HP JetDirects. WIN systems print through the
>NT print server to the printers--no problems there. Our Macs had been
printing
>through NT also, but that's been disabled--now the Macs print directly
>to the printer via AppleTalk through the JetDirects.
>
>But we're having big problems with the naming of the JetDirects: If the NT
>queue is called ABC, and if the JetDirect is named ABC (SFM is not enabled
>on the NT print server--I'm pretty sure that's right--the Mac output goes
>directly to the JetDirect and never touches the NT queue), **then after a
>period of time (weeks) the JetDirect renames itself** to either one of two
>things:
>
> 1) ABC1
>or
> 2) HP LaserJet Series n
>
>where n is some integer. The value for n never stays consistent from printer
>to printer. It's obviously picking up the next integer available **as it
>resets its name on the fly, or as you power cycle the printer**.
>
>We need to pin down a permanent name for our printers so our Macs can print.
>
>Thoughts or insights? Thanks ahead of time.

We've dealt with a lot of issues in this thread, but I don't think I've seen
anyone address the seemingly spontaneous reversion of LaserJets' AppleTalk
names.

I have experienced this same frustration in a similar environment.

I doubted my own observations rather than believe what seemed to be happening.

My solution, after losing my printer several times over the course of several
months, was to switch to IP printing. I still print direct to the printer
from my Mac, while everyone else (all PCs on NT now) go through the server
queues. But I use IP instead of AppleTalk. I don't remember right now how I
did it, but I think I followed some tech info stuff on Apple's web site.

**I would still like to know if anyone has anything concrete on LaserJets
seemingly spontaneously reverting their names back to generic names after
they have been set to something meaningful using Apple's Laserwriter Utility
or JedDirect.**

One idea that just hit me, and this is pure, off the wall speculation, is
that the JetDirect package on our NT server has a database of printers local
to the server. I think it has sometimes gotten tangled between what it thinks
a printer should be and what the printer thinks it should be. It's not the
most solidly written software around. Sometimes I can do stuff with their
WebAdmin package, and sometimes I have to use the JetDirect software. I can't
depend on one all the time. I'm wondering if perhaps because an AppleTalk
name was changed from a Mac or from JetDirect on another PC, the Server would
object that it's database differed and push out the name from it's database
when someone did some other editing of that printer from the server. Can
anyone confirm anything like this?

Chris Hoogendyk
Network Specialist
UMass Library, Amherst

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