Trying to get an OLD Postscript printer to work with a new Mac

I own a very nice, but very old high-resolution PostScript printer, an HP LaserJet 4mv with the optional 11x17 paper tray. I hadn't been able to use it for a long time because HP stopped supporting it, i.e. there were no OS 10 compatible printer drivers.

Just recently I found a driver here <http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1893>. My printer is in the list of supported printers. So I downloaded and installed the driver. But when I went to Print & Fax under System Preferences, all my computer could see was my old inkjet. I tried hitting + to add the LaserJet. No luck. So then I gave up and called Apple Tech Support.

First they asked me what my connection options were. I told them SCSI (don't laugh), BNC (looks sort of like a cable jack), LocalTalk and Ethernet (10Base-T). Since Ethernet is the only one of those choices that also exists on my MacBook Pro, we went with that. No luck.

The tech then told me that it might be possible to give the printer an IP address by connecting it to my Airport base station, but wasn't allowed to assist me with that because it fell beyond the scope of the support Apple is allowed to offer. He suggested that I call HP. Yeah, like HP's really going to help me with my 12 year old printer. *sigh*

Then I found this advice which sounded promising ...
<http://mydellmini.com/forum/general-mac-os-x-discussion/8803-os-x-ethernet-appletalk-printers.html#post72464>
... except my Airport (also 12 years old) is already using Appletalk.

To answer the obvious questions:

Why don't you just buy a printer that was made in THIS millennium?
Why don't you AT LEAST upgrade your Airport base station?

I'm unemployed (read "destitute") and have to make do with what I have.

Any advice?

Sell MacBookPro and buy older Mac ;-)

Gutenprint (free) and PrintFab (not free) drivers are really the only two options. See here:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/ai...technology/68780-networking-printers-faq.html

I use an Apple laserwriter pro 630 over ethernet,its hooked to older macs but its built like a tank and prints great. Go to System Preferences > Print&Fax > Options&Supplies > Driver. Then select 'Select a driver to use' in the dropdown menu. Select postscript driver.

I tried that last advice first.


The dropdown menu is grayed out. Right now it's set to "Lexmark Z53 - Gimp-Print v5.0.0-beta2".

However, here's something I noticed in Print & Fax screen. The printer shown at the top is "Lexmark Z53 @ Andrea Force's Power Mac G4". Location: "Andrea Force's Power Mac G4". Kind: "Lexmark Z53 - Gimp-Print v5.0.0-beta2". Status: "Idle, Default".

Okay, my old Mac, the Power Mac G4 isn't even turned on. The Lexmark is hooked up to it. When the G4 is powered on, I'm able to print to the Lexmark wirelessly from the MacBook Pro. That means that a wireless network which was set up a long time ago, which must also involve my Airport base station, is still working and my MacBook Pro found it. Who'd've thunk?

Of course I have no idea how to undo any of that or whether, given my current level of expertise (or lack thereof) I should even try.

It might be time to call AppleCare again. (I intend to get my money's worth out of the AppleCare Protection Plan.)

Sounds like the printer ports are directed to the wireless and not ethernet. There is a way to fix this ....I have no printers on wireless and can not help. I can offer encouragement not to give up on your old printer.

I called AppleCare again today and got different advice than I got the first time. Tech Support told me that a 10Base-T Ethernet port is meant for a network connection, not device-to-device connection. So, if my Airport Base Station had a spare Ethernet port, I'd be in business. Since it doesn't, the tech suggested that I purchase an Ethernet-to-USB converter cable. He said they run anywhere from $6 to $19 and I might even be able to find one at the local Best Buy or Radio Shack. Well, I'm not counting on that, but I bet one could be found online. Anyway, it's a pretty inexpensive gamble.

Updates as they occur ...

Yes those postscript printers have to connect to a hub first I should have told you that....Sorry. I got my 8 port Netgear hub at the thrift store for $3.00. I see them all the time like Linksys wireless G hubs. Ive seen USB to ethernet adapters on eBay.