LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Dear LM_NET Folks--
Once again I have been blown away by the support, caring, and superlative
problem-solving abilities of this group. I was trying without success to
connect my Apple Personal LaserWriter 300 printer to my very nice new iMac,
and I could not do it. I asked this group for advice, and within hours, I had
most of the pieces of my odd puzzle worked out. My heartfelt thanks to all of
you who responded. Susan Lawson is the angel who came up with the Apple
website address I needed, which I had tried in vain to locate, plus a
detailed set of instructions which got me close to running.
I had bought a Belken Serial Adapter, which, according to its directions,
should've worked but didn't. I finally called up their tech support, and
after a long time on hold, they told me, "Oh--well, no, that doesn't work
with the LaserWriters. Sorry." Next I called MacWarehouse (and they are
always VERY helpful--I order from them a lot--at 800-622-6222) and they told
me what I needed was a Keyspan USB Twin Serial Adapter, which I ordered last
night & got today. They're quick.
I installed the CD-rom, hooked everything in and, nope. No dice. It wouldn't
recognize my printer. So I e-mailed their tech support which promptly
responded with detailed directions and YES!!! IT WORKS!!! WE HAVE PRINTER!!!
Three days spent on a tech problem, one trip to Kinkos to e-mail a writing
project due, many hours on the phone, and lots of curses and dark looks at
manuals later, I am INSTALLED! I am BACK! (Now let's see if I can restore all
the saved e-mail messages and unsaved files I lost when my old Mac crashed
and died... If you've written to me in the last 4 weeks and I have not
responded, that's why. Please write again.)
At any rate, here are some of your replies. Several people wrote to say they
were having similar problems. I hope this helps some poor soul from the
Computer Limbo that has plagued me. And my hats off to LM_NETters for truly
being able to come to the rescue for just about any crisis, and for even
offering to send me disks. I can't get over how generous everyone was.
YOUR RESPONSES AND SOLUTIONS:
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In the dark recesses of my mind, I seem to remember that the LW 300 cannot use
Laserwriter 8. I think it needs Laserwriter 7. Whether or not that works with
your iMac, I don't know. Hope this helps.
Romona
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Several thoughts about your printer problem. What version of Mac
OS are you running? We have had problems with our iMacs and printing
and found that by going to Mac OS 9+ things worked better. Check to see
in your printer set-up if you have a generic set-up and run that. We
are temporarily using a Laserwriter select 360 and have had no problems
while our faster and supposedly better printer gets a defective board
swapped out.
The newer OS might help.
Dick
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I don't know a solution to your problem, but there is a great Apple
authorized dealer in Parsippany. You can call them. They have a website.
The name is PCPS (personal computers, personal service). I've dealt with
them and had great success. I'm sure they will talk to you over the phone.
Tell them I sent you. Good luck!
Vicki
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Sorry to hear about your Mac problems. At school, in order for the Mac
5400 to see the LaserWriter, I have to trick it (or maybe it is tricking
me). When you go to Appletalk (under the Apple Menu), try putting it on
something other than ethernet and then go to chooser and click on
LaserWriter 8 and then see if it comes up. Hope that works on the iMacs.
On the apple support site http://asu.info.apple.com/, did you try typing
in "printer"? LaserWriter software does come up then.
Melody
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Go to Control Panels and make sure Apple Talk is on and that it using the
Ethernet connection. I'm not a techie so this is all I can think of. We had
a similar problem recently and that's what we had to do. After we did that,
the printer appeared again in the chooser. Good luck. B.
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I also have a personal laser writer 300. I love it. It is a real work horse.
I am pretty sure that I can put my hands on the printer software. I read
your message at school so I will check when I get home tonight. I would have
thought that you would have been able to download the printer software from
Apple. Wonder if think it is too old. Pretty sure it is on disk but if you
would like I could ask our district tech. man to write it on a CD for you.
It sounds as if that is what you would have to do if you found your disk
anyway. Are you able to hook one of those super disk drives used with the
IMacs? If so I could also send the original disk or make a copy of it. Let
me know.
Beth
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This should do it. It's hard to find, but I've done it before. Go to:
http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/Engli
sh-North_American/Macintosh/Printing/LaserWriter/
Then go down way down the page to
[Unable to display image] LaserWriter_300_1.2...> 30-Jun-2000 12:49 148k
This is the laserwriter driver.
Then it will come up with a dialog box with the document name
LaserWriter_300_1.2.sea.bin
Before you click on "save", click on "desktop" so you can find it again. Then
download it and double click to get it to expand from the compressed form.
After it is all expanded, you will drag the driver into the "Extensions"
folder in the System folder. Then you should be able to find it in the
Chooser and can select it. The USB cable you bought should work just fine.
You just need that driver. Please let me know if you need more help or if it
works ok. Susan Lawson
FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE FROM SUSAN:
Will wonders never cease. I am so glad it worked. Sure you can use my name. I
am the Library Media Teacher at Colin Powell Academy in Long Beach, CA. I ran
all the technology in my previous school for six years so I really know all
the problems. Fix one and another arises but you're getting there. I also
have had to find old drivers on the Apple website and they are pretty well
hidden. It took me awhile and I knew it was there. I found that same driver
for someone else in July so I knew it would work. We were both lucky that I
read your request. Please do let me know how it works. It should be fine now.
Susan Lawson
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I too have had a similar problem. I have a G3 Blue and can't seem to get
my laserwriter 300 to hook up to it.
Have you been able to download the driver from Apple? That might be the
first step.
I would really like to hear from you if you come to a solution.
Brad
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Judy,
I believe you will need the LaserWriter 300 driver in your extensions
folder in the System Folder. Does your school have Macs? If not, we do and
I can attach a driver to an email for you.I think I can find one.
Let me know if you still need it.
Kathy
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I wrote to you this morning. I checked and I do have the disks (4 of them)
to reinstall your printer software. If you still need them, please let me
know. I will explain your situation to our "tech guy" and ask if he would be
so kind as to write it on a CD. If so, I will mail it to you.
Beth
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I would just go ahead and buy a new printer... more memory, compatible
ports, etc. This is a hindsight opinion... I ended up buying a serial port
adapter for my Stylewriter to attach to my G3's USB port, and it was $117
and it took 4 months to get it... wish I had just gone ahead and bought the
new printer!
Ellen
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AND FINALLY, THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE FROM KEYSPAN'S TECH SUPPORT:
Hello,
Please make sure that your printer is plugged into port #1 on the Keyspan
adapter and the Keyspan adapter is plugged directly into the built-in USB
port on your computer. Also, ensuring that you are using the latest version
of the serial adapter drivers (currently on version 1.7 which can be found
on our site;
http://www.keyspan.com/products/usb/usa28x/downloads/) and then I would run
through the following:
Open the Keyspan USA28x Serial Assistant (located under the Control Panels)
and make sure the "driver & device are found ok. then click on Advanced
Settings to open the Keyspan USA28X Manager & verify the following settings.
a) Ensure, "Unit" is set to the correct USB location for the adapter
b) Ensure, "Use Naming..." is de-selected
c) Under, "Port Name", you should see "Printer Port USB"
d) Ensure, "Receive FIFO" and "Default buffer size" are set to the
defaults of 16 and 64
e) "Emulate Printer Port", should be selected.
Then, please close the manager and open the Chooser.
In the Chooser, please select the LaserWriter 300/LS (or LaserWriter 300
1.2) icon and double-click on the Printer Port icon. (If you don't see the
LW 300 icon in the Chooser, please either contact Apple for the software or
download it from
http://wcs.waterloo.k12.ia.us/software/index/mac/macprint/macprint.html).
This should bring up the, "Printer Sharing" window which you can immediately
close and then attempt to print a test document.
** PLEASE ALL PREVIOUS CORRESPONDENCE WHEN WRITING BACK TO US. THIS WILL
ALLOW OUR ON-LINE REPS TO FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION.
Regards,
VL
--
Keyspan
Tech Support
tel: +1.510.222.8802 (M-F 9AM to 5PM Pacific)
fax: +1.510.222.0323
web: http://www.keyspan.com/
downloads: http://www.keyspan.com/downloads/
email: support@keyspan.com
Keyspan,
a division of Innosys, Inc.
3095 Richmond Pkwy, Ste. 207
Richmond CA 94806
Want to receive important Keyspan news, announcements, and software
update notices via email? Visit <http://www.keyspan.com/mailinglist/>
for details!
Until the next mindboggling crisis--
Judy Freeman
Children's Literature Consultant
"Book Talk" Columnist, Instructor Magazine
Highland Park, NJ
BKWSSF@aol.com
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