Ref: 16530013
Title: Troubleshooting Printers and Serial Ports in 3+Open
Date: 2/27/90

Copyright 3Com Corporation, 1991.  All rights reserved.

If a printer is not working off a serial port on your 3+Open server,
try the following steps to troubleshoot the problem.

First, make sure that the printer works from a DOS netstation as a
stand-alone printer.

Second, make sure that the printer configuration is correct and that the
printer will work directly from the COM port.  The following steps
will work on both a 3Com dedicated server and a concurrent PC server:

1.  Link to the C$ sharename by typing NET USE X: \\SERVERNAME\C$.
You must be an admin to use the $ resources.

2.  Change to drive X: and CD to \3OPEN\SERVER\LANMAN\NETPROG.

3.  Run the Netsetup program and configure your printer and the
serial port it is attached to.  Make sure you have the correct
baud rate, stop bits, and parity.  (Remember, when the Netsetup
program asks for the location of the path to the installed 3+Open
LAN Manager files, it wants the redirected drive.  When it asks
for the location of the mode command, it wants to know the physical
drive on the server, usually C:\OS2\MODE.)

Here are some suggested settings:

     HP LaserJet
     Baud =         9600
     Databits =     8
     Parity =       N
     Stop bits =    1
     XON =          Y
     DTR =          Y
     Everything else is N

     NEC LC890
     Baud =         9600
     Databits =     8
     Parity =       N
     Stop bits =    1
     XON =          Y
     Everything else is N

     Apple LaserWriter
     Baud =         9600
     Databits =     8
     Parity =       N
     Stop bits =    1
     XON =          Y
     IDSR =         Y
     ODSR =         Y
     OCTS =         Y
     RTS =          Y
     DTR =          Y
     NTX = Middle two dip switches in the back of the NTX
           should be up.
     NT  = left up right down

4.  Type NET ADMIN \\SERVERNAME /C to establish a net admin console
connection.

5.  Type NET STOP SPOOLER /Y to turn off the spooler.  Your prompt
should now have changed to the servername.

6.  If you have Internet running, type NET STOP INTERNET /Y.

7.  Make sure that you are not trying to configure the queue to use a
COM port that is already in use by another device such as Internet or a
COM device.  OS/2 will not allow you to set the COM ports as long as another
process owns them.

8.  Set the COM ports.

    a.  Type C:\SETMODE.CMD to run the SETMODE program that was
        created by NETSETUP.EXE when the COM ports were configured.

    b.  Copy a file to the printer.  If it not a PostScript
        printer, copy the LANMAN.INI file because it is several
        pages long; you will see output without having to press
        formfeed.  Type COPY C:\3OPEN\SERVER\LANMAN\LANMAN.INI COMX:

        If you have a PostScript printer, copy a PostScript file.
        You cannot copy a straight text file to a printer that is
        expecting PostScript input.

9.  If it does not print, follow these steps:

    a.  Change cables.

    b.  Change COM ports.  If you have an AST 4-port, try using a
        port that is not on the card.

    c.  Run diagnostics on the COM ports with the correct loopback
        plugs attached.


If the printer configuration is correct and it will print from a COM
port, try printing from a queue.

1.  Type NET START SPOOLER /Y.

2.  Type Ctrl-Z or Exit to quit the remote admin console connection.

3.  Type NET ADMIN \\SERVERNAME.

4.  Pull up the print queues (under the view menu) and hold all the queues.

5.  Create a new shared print queue.

6.  Pull down the view menu and select "This Server."

7.  Add a share.

8.  Choose Spooled printer.

9.  Enter your new sharename for the queue.  Pick a name for your queue
that does not currently exist.

10. Choose OK twice.  Now set up the new queue:

    Priority = 5
    Printer device = the physical device (do not put nul)
    Separator file is blank
    Print after 12:00 am
    Print until 11:59 pm
    Print processor is blank
    Parameters is blank
    Put in a comment if you want one

11. Quit Net Admin and type NET USE LPT3: \\SERVERNAME\QUEUENAME.

12. Type COPY \CONFIG.SYS LPT3: to copy the CONFIG.SYS file to the
printer.

13. If the file does not print, enter Net Admin and look for it.
If it is listed and the file size is 0, check to see if the spooler
ran out of room on the hard disk.


If you can print files from a queue, try printing from your print
processor:

1.  Add your print processor.  Do not add the parameters yet.

2.  Print another document to LPT3.  If it prints, add the parameters.

3.  After adding the parameters, print a document to LPT3 again.

If it prints, everything works!

