Printer Sharing

well it depends on the printer.

If the printer is network capable (most laser printers) then you can hook it up to either ethernet or localtalk and access it via the laserwriter 8 printer in your chooser. All computers can access it.

If your printer is NOT network capable (low end epsons and apple printers) then you have some more limiting options. You can get network cards for some of the epsons. You can get Birmy Power Rip for the epsons which provides postscript and network printing off a server computer. If you own a StyleWriter theres an extension that provides for printer sharing.

For the specifics on your printer (networkable or not) look in the documentation. You may be able to do it out of the box or have to purchase a network card for it.

Make sure our Mac's our network via Ethernet. Than even your localtalk printers (for example Stylewriters) can be shared by all printers. Just hook up the printer to the printerport of one of the Mac's. In the chooser you select this printer and click on the options button. Assign a name and a password to the printer. All other Mac on the (ethernet) network  can now access this printer if the use the correct password.

However make sure the extensions "Printer Share" is present in the extension folders in the System folder.

No, I knew that.  I have a few printers that need to be directly on the network, but they don't have an ethernet card.  They have to be seen by both PC's and macs, which is the real limiting factor...  I need some way that the printers can be seen by all.

I also have a color printer on a PC that I would like the macs to see.  The PCs _can_ talk to the macs, that is not a problem.  I just would like them to talk directly.

Actually, I have been considering getting a linux box and just sharing printers from that.  It might be easier than trying to share printers between mac and windows... mortal enemies usually get along better with a neutral party involved, right?  =)

Thanks...