[HOWTO] Setting up the Netgear USB Mini Print Server (PS121)

[ajaygautam]

The Netgear USB Mini print server PS121 converts any USB printer to a network printer. This device was available for cheap at CompUSA, so I got it.
There was also a parallel port version available for this. I assume the instructions for that would be more or less the same.

The following steps are a subset of the complete steps google found at: http://www.oscarm.org/news/linux/322.php
Netgear product page: http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/ps121.asp

Steps to setup to use Gentoo to communicate with the Print server

1. Install CUPS and make sure your printer driver software is installed. I used hpijs for HP Officejet 4215. More instructions: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/printing-howto.xml

2. Connect the Print server's USB end to the printer and Network port end to your hub / router.

3. Upgrade firmware: Go to the Netgear product page mentioned above, download latest firmware and upgrade utility and upgrade the firware. Unfortunately, a windows is needed to run the upgrade utility. I did not try with wine. If you try and it works, pls post an addition to this thread.

4. Test connectivity. I used my routers "Attached Devices" page to find out IP address assigned to the Print Server. Open a browser and type in the IP as the URL: http://192.168.0.5/ Assuming connections were up, you would see the "Mini Print server manager" page, or something like that. Select the "Server Status" link on left side, and note down the value of "Serve Name". You would need this value in the Device URI in the below step.

5. Go to CUPS config page (http://localhost:631) and "Manager Printers" -> "Add Printer". Here are the values I used:
Name: HP4125
Location: Computer Room
Description: HP Officejet all in one 4215
Device: LPD/LPR Host or printer.
Device URI: lpd://192.168.0.5/PRINTER <--- "PRINTER" was the Serve Name for my setup.

6. Print a test page.

Enjoy.

Ajay

[lospericos_99]

Hy, thank you for this mini howto, i have been some problems to configure my mini server U.S. Robotics USR7500 and now it work perfectly.
The config of my HP deskjet 3420 where in smb:// and not in lpd:// job's stopped before ending, but now perfect.
Thanks