IP port printing in Windows 9x

[Sfor]

I've installed a Konica K-7130 with IP-422 controller drivers on two XP computers, today. The generic IP printing port was enough to access the printer through the network. Now, I have to do the same with a Windows 95 computer, and another one Windows 98 in the close future.

I do not know much about the generic IP port printing in Windows XP. But, the most probable explanation how it is working, seems to be the through LPR/LPD protocol.

Quite some time ago I had an SMC Barricade router with a built in LPT print server. The supplied driver was called SOHOmate, PRTmate, or something like that. The driver worked with every LPR/LPD print server. I'm qiute sure I could use the same driver with the IP-422 print server. The problem is I do not know, if it is legaly correct to use this driver with a none SMC print server.

But, perhaps there is some other freeware driver available. Or, I'm very wrong, and will not be able to duplicate Windows XP generic IP printing port with an LPR/LPD driver.

[j7n]

http://j7n.sytes.net/www/TCP-IP_Network_Pr...g_for_Win9x.exe

A bloated InstallShield installer. But it works and I decided not to take it apart.

[Sfor]

Finally, I had an opportunity to test my theories.

The SMC Barricade LPR/LPD driver I was using in the past with 9x systems failed to print to the Konica print server. On the other hand the HP software posted by j7n worked perfectly.

Sadly, according to the licence agreement displayed by the HP installer it is not a freeware. So, I'm not sure if I have a right to use it.

The conclusion is the standard IP port from Windows XP is something more than a plane LPR/LPD.

[j7n]

So you actually read it? Apparently "USB printing support" from M$ can no longer be distributed too. So what do we do? Stop printing...