Re: [school-discuss] Print server suggestions

[Harry McGregor <micros@azstarnet.com>]

On Sun, 24 Feb 2002, Doug Loss wrote:

> I've been working on this all weekend and am finally ready to admit that
> I need some advice.
>
> I'm working on building a network for a local community center using
> older hardware we've acquired from various places.  One of the things I
> need to do is network some old laser printers (Panasonic KX-P4420s).
> For that I plan to use a cast-off PC as a print server, essentially as a
> great big printer NIC.  The PC I have for the job is a Compaq Prolinea
> Net1/33s.  That's a 486/33 with 16 MB RAM and a ~270 MB HD.

Ok, I probably would NOT put a spooling print server on it, with that
amount of disk space.

> I'd like to put a minimal Linux install on it and then include something
> like CUPS for printer support.  I installed TINY Linux on it just fine
> (the system doesn't have a CD-ROM).  TINY is based on Slackware, so I
> looked for CUPS packages for Slackware.  I didn't find any.  No problem,
> I'll download the source and compile.  Whoops, no development tools on
> TINY.  No problem, I'll go to Slackware and download the "d" development
> package and install it.  Whoops, that takes more space than I have
> available.

I would put CUPS on the main "printserver", and just lprng on these, with
a raw port.  All of the print processing has to get done by a master
"printserver".  Basicly make the 486 into a simple jet direct, without any
filtering.

> OK, how about doing a net install of Debian?  CUPS (and cupsomatic,
> which is important for the printer support I need) is included in
> woody.  CUPS is also in potato, but not cupsomatic.  So, after going
> through the base install and using dselect to add the bits required to
> run CUPS and cupsomatic, I find that I _still_ don't have enough space
> on the HD.

Ok, I am sure you can make it fit... it's all about dpkg --force -remove
on certain packages, etc.  I actualy made a debian install (woody) fit on
a zip100.

> This can't be as difficult a task as I'm making it.  What do you all
> suggest?  Is CUPS the problem here?  Should I be looking at LPRng
> instead?  Is there some other approach I should be taking?  Let me know
> what you think I should do.

See above, use rLPR, or LPRng on the 486, and then do all of the printer
setup on a main "printserver" for all printers.  No one actualy prints
directly to the printserver attached to the printer.


		Harry
> --
> Doug Loss          As long as I have you there is just
> drloss@suscom.net  one other thing I'll always need--
> (570) 326-3987     tremendous self control.
>                           Ashleigh Brilliant
>

--
Harry McGregor, CEO, Co-Founder
Hmcgregor@osef.org, (520) 661-7875 (CELL)
Open Source Education Foundation, http://www.osef.org