How to Configure Queue- Based Printing with IP Only
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Novell, Inc.
01 Jan 2002
The PSERVER.NLM and NPRINTER.EXE utility communication is IPX-based and will not work with IP. Queue-based printing using a hardware print server (such as an HP JetDirect or Intel Netport), with the device configured to act as the print server (Queue Server Mode), will service the queue using IPX.
Print jobs from the workstation to the server may be sent with IP packets. However, the hardware print server will use IPX to service the NetWare print queue.
NetWare 5 does support queue-based printing via IP using Novell Distributed Print Services (NDPS) servicing the print queue. NetWare 5 also supports NDPS printing via IP; or in other words, using NDPS to print via IP.
There are two main issues regarding printing and what protocols printing uses. The first issue is how the print jobs get to the queue. The second issue is how that print queue is being serviced. Each issue will be addressed and discussed.
Issue 1: Sending Jobs to a Print Queue.
Print jobs can be sent to a legacy print queue via IP or IPX. It does not matter which protocol is being used to submit the print job, as long as the print job makes it to the print queue.
Issue 2: Servicing Print Jobs in Queue-Based Printing.
If you are running a NetWare 5.x server and you want to use queue-based printing and not use NDPS at all, then you must have IPX running on your NetWare 5.x server. PSERVER.NLM, NPRINTER.EXE, and hardware-based print servers (such as HP JetDirect and Intel Netports) require that IPX be running on the network. All of these technologies are dependent on IPX to function properly.
If you add NDPS, then NDPS can service the print queue and the print job can be sent to the printers via IP.This will allow users to submit print jobs to the print queue using IP. It will also allow the NDPS printer agent to service that queue and then send the print job to the printer using IP. NDPS is Novell's solution for pure IP queue-based printing.
Note: If you have a workstation acting as a print server and that workstation is running NPRINTER, that workstation and server must be able to communicate via IPX. NDPS does not change that requirement.
Listed below are the steps necessary to have NDPS service a legacy print queue.
Double click on the controlled access printer agent.
When the printer agent opens up, click on the "Jobs" button. Another box will open. Select the "Spooling Configuration" option.
A new box called "Spooling Configuration" will open. At the bottom of the page, there is a "Service Jobs from NetWare Queues" box. Click on the "Add" button and then select the NDS queue you want NDPS to service.
Browse the tree and select the print queue you want serviced by that printer agent and click on the "OK" button. This will add the queue to the "Service Jobs from NetWare Queues" list. Click on the "OK" button within the "Spooling Configuration" box and NDPS will start polling that print queue every six seconds looking for queue jobs.
Users will need to capture the queue at their workstations as they would printing to a legacy print queue. Providing the workstation has IP on it and is connected to the server via IP, the print job will go via IP to the NetWare queue.
The NDPS Manager will check that print queue every six seconds and then move the print job from the print queue to the printer agent's spooler location. The Printer Agent will then send the job out to the printer via IP. This assumes that the printer agent was set up to communicate with the printer via IP and not IPX.
* Originally published in Novell AppNotes
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The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.