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#1
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Print Server...Would a 486 do?
I want to set up a stand alone machine is purely a print server. I have a
network at home and a USB printer. Could I get buy with a 486 + a USB card (not even sure if it will fit). Basically what's the minimum spec needed to get this going and what's the minimum operating system I need to support this? cheers guys |
#2
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In article ,
Kwaj wrote: I want to set up a stand alone machine is purely a print server. I have a network at home and a USB printer. Could I get buy with a 486 + a USB card (not even sure if it will fit). This depends on what OS you plan to use and how much RAM you have in the system? Any Windows OS will require AT LEAST 32 MB (and that's with nothing else running). Basically what's the minimum spec needed to get this going and what's the minimum operating system I need to support this? Since you're serving for a USB printer, you'll need an OS that supports USB (DOS doesn't really support USB). I'd suspect you can get by with a Linux or NetBSD operating system on a small hard disk and 16 MB RAM. If you really worked at it, you could boot Linux (and maybe NetBSD) off a floppy, but that requires a real system to rebuild the kernel and configure the floppy. ========= For LAN/WAN Protocol Analysis, check out PacketView Pro! ========= Patrick Klos Email: Klos Technologies, Inc. Web: http://www.klos.com/ ==================== What goes around, comes around... ===================== |
#3
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For the price and hassle you're better of just grabbing an ethernet print
server and forget using a PC. They use less power and are easier to set up as well. Might even be cheaper to by a router with a built in print server and just don't use the router side of it. PC is only cost effective if you already have ALL the parts handy in a closet someplace. "Kwaj" wrote in message u... I want to set up a stand alone machine is purely a print server. I have a network at home and a USB printer. Could I get buy with a 486 + a USB card (not even sure if it will fit). Basically what's the minimum spec needed to get this going and what's the minimum operating system I need to support this? cheers guys |
#4
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You don't really need a "computer" at all. Networking companies make
printservers for USB and parallel printers that connect directly to your network. They generally start at about $50. I use a Linksys EPSX3, 3 parallel port printserver at home...it's about $100-120. D-Link, HP, and many other companies offer them as well. "Kwaj" wrote in message u... I want to set up a stand alone machine is purely a print server. I have a network at home and a USB printer. Could I get buy with a 486 + a USB card (not even sure if it will fit). Basically what's the minimum spec needed to get this going and what's the minimum operating system I need to support this? cheers guys |
#5
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On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 00:18:40 +1100, "Kwaj"
wrote: I want to set up a stand alone machine is purely a print server. I have a network at home and a USB printer. Could I get buy with a 486 + a USB card (not even sure if it will fit). Basically what's the minimum spec needed to get this going and what's the minimum operating system I need to support this? cheers guys Old systems aren't just slow, as-in a minimal spec, but also lessening reliability the older they get. I tend to agree with the other posters, that starting 'from scratch' you'd be as well off with a normal standalone print server, but if you really want a PC doing it then I'd look for a Pentium MMX or early Celeron /P2 with at least 32MB of memory, though preferribly 64MB, but mainly a hard drive that isn't so old as to be unreliable and loud/whiney. There's no need to make this project any harder than necessary, for practical purposes I suggest you use the smallest footprint OS you're familiar with, be it Linux or Win98... From a performance standpoint it doesn't make a lot of difference just sitting there waiting for print jobs. |
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