It used to be that Loftware users connected their thermal transfer bar code printers directly to their PCs through a serial, parallel or USB port.  Today, connecting the printers directly to the network is more the norm.  There are several benefits to connecting the printers directly to the network:

·      Devices can be shared by more than one application.

·      Devices can be assigned TCP/IP addresses.

·      Devices do not rely on PCs and are therefore more likely to be “on-line”.

Figure 2-M: Thermal Transfer printers networked together

The figure above shows a typical printer network setup with printers connected to the network backbone using print servers.  Print Servers typically resolve network data directed to a particular IP address into Serial, Parallel or USB output.  Printers can also be connected as “shared” devices by attaching them to PCs on the network.  One problem with this technique is that the PC must be turned on in order to access the printer.

The discussions below describe how you can configure Loftware to drive printers that are attached to your network in various ways.  The preferred method is dependent upon whether you are running the Loftware Print Server or the Loftware Print Server Premier Edition.

Loftware Label Manager - Use the Direct Connection (Port) [Connection Type 1] or “Print Manager/Spooling“ option; [Connection Type 3] and choose a “Generic Driver” that has been configured to point to a particular IP address.  Do not set the IP address directly via the socket prompt as a printer failure causes the system to go into a five-minute ‘timeout’ state.

Loftware Print Server and Loftware Print Server Premier Edition - Use the “Windows Sockets (WOSA)” option; supply the IP address AND raw port address.

Shared Printers vs. Print Servers

A shared printer is usually connected to a PC’s parallel, serial or USB port and then made available to other PCs on the network.  (See Sharing a Local Printer.)  The PC could either be dedicated to servicing print requests to the shared printer, or it could also be used for any other tasks that may be required (Client Workstation, File Server, etc.).  Keep in mind that any other tasks occurring on the PC impact the resources available for printing, and vice versa.  Shared printers can be accessed by Loftware Label Manager via Print Manager/Spooling.

A print server is a device that is connected as a node on the network and has one or more serial, USB and/or parallel ports.  Some print servers also have buffer memory, which allows them to queue print data if it is being received faster than the printer is able to handle.  Using a print server allows the setup of numerous network printers that are not dependent upon any PC’s resources.  Print servers essentially give the printer an IP address that can be accessed by Loftware Label Manager via Print Manager/Spooling or Windows Sockets.

Setting up Print Server Devices

Print servers usually come with their own setup program that allows you to install the device on your system.  The setup section is a general explanation of the necessary steps to install a print server; consult the documentation for your print server for specific instructions. Print servers are available from Extended Systems, Intel, HP, and many others.  You may have used them in the past to connect Laser printers to your network.

·      The setup program installs the appropriate drivers onto your PC.

·      A configuration utility allows you to search your network for print servers, and assign each of them a unique IP Address and Name as well as other various settings.

·      If you are going to use the Print Server with Print Manager/Spooling, when adding your Generic Text printer, choose either Local Printer or My Computer.  (See Adding a Local Generic/Text Printer Driver.)  When you are prompted to choose a port, you should see a choice that corresponds to the Print Server driver that you previously installed.

·      If you are going to use the Print Server with Windows Sockets (WOSA), Loftware Label Manager requires two pieces of information: the IP Address and the Raw Port Address.  In the Device Connection dialog box, type in the IP Address of your print server and the Raw Port address of the actual port on the print server where the printer is connected.  The table below illustrates two examples of Raw Port Addresses for two different manufacturers’ network print servers:

Extended Systems ExtendedNet T1000	Raw Port Address
Port 1	9100
Port 2	9101
Port 3	9102
Port 4	9103
Intel (3 port)
Port 1	3101
Port 2	3102
Port 3	2501

Related Topics:

Enabling Shared Network Printing

Setting up Network Device Drivers

Sharing a Local Printer