Frequently Asked UNIX Questions

Questions:

1. AIX: When printing large files to the print server, a timeout occurs. This problem did not exist with AIX version 2.3
2. AS400: Print Queue setup
3. BOOTP: How do I set up BOOTP on my Unix host to assign an IP address to a FastPort?
4. IP addressing: How do I set an IP address to the FastPort using the arp command?
5. Socket Printing - Alternative to LPR
6. VMS (DEC): How can I setup my FastPort to work in VMS (DEC) environment?

Answers:

• This problem occurs with the file REMBAK in AIX version 2.5. The solution is to obtain IBM patch ID Number U428245.

• IBM's AS400 supports LPR printing via TCP/IP protocol. Below is an example setup information. On the AS400 go to Create Output Queue (CRTQUTQ) you will see the following:

  Type choices, press Enter.

  	Choices:
  Output queue..............>"raw_p1"	Name
  Library.......................*CURLIB	Name, *CURLIB
  Maximum spooled file size:
  Number of pages........*None	Number, *None
  Starting time................	Time
  Ending time.................	Time
  Order of files on queue..*FIFO	*FIFO, *JOBNBR
  Remote system............>*INTNETADR
  Remote printer queue..>FPxxxxxx
  Writers to autostart.....>1	1-18, *None
  Queue for writer messages...QSYSOPR	Name
  Library......................*LIBL	Name, *LIBL, *CURLIB
  Connection type......>*IP	*SNA, *IP
  Destination type..........*OTHER	*OS400, *OS400V2, *PSF...
  Transform SCS to ASCII....*YES	*YES, *NO
  Manufacture type & model...>*HP4
  Internet address...........> xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
  Destination options........ *NONE
  Text 'description'.........> 'HP4 remote printer on EPS1'
  In above example there is a queue name of "raw_p1", a remote printer name of "fpxxxxxx" which is a service name in our print server, where the xxxxxx is the last six digits of the MAC address of the print server. The connection type must be IP, and the Internet address is the Ipaddress of the print server.

• Bootptab entry is different based on what machines you are on. Here's a couple of sample bootptab entries for different hosts:
  

  For HPUX
  --------
  global.defaults:\
  	ds=199.86.12.91:\
  	gw=199.86.12.0:\
  	hd=/tftpboot:\
  	ht=ether:\
  	sm=255.255.255.0:\
  	vm=rfc1048
  fastport:\
  	tc=global.defaults:\
  	ha=0040c80461A9:\
  	ip=199.86.12.186:\
  	bf=ps1.sys

  For SGI
  -------
  

  # host	htype	haddr	iaddr	bootfile
  #
  fastport	1	00:80:c8:04:61:a9	199.86.12.186	ps1.sys

  Other machines are variants of these. See the host based bootptab file and the man page for bootp for specifics for your host.

• Arp has different options on different systems.
  
  • In general to assign an ipaddress to your server from an UNIX host you would type:
        arp -s xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 00:40:c8:yy:yy:yy
    where: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address you want to assign.
    and yy:yy:yy are the last six digits of the MAC address of the FastPort.

  • AIX doesn't use the normal comand syntax for the arp comand. example for AIX:
        arp -s ether xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 00:40:c8:yy:yy:yy
    Type:
        man arp
    on your host for specific information for that host.

  • After you have issued the arp comand on your UNIX host you then type the following command:
    1. arp -a
    you should now see the arp entry as assigned.
    2. telnet xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 2002

  • You should now see the following options on your telnet screen:

    Vers. 6.1.15, Datecode 12/2/1997 13:34
    Type "S" to see current status
    Type "D" to see current configuration
    Type "!" to enter monitor
    Type "A" to abort connection

  • Type ! to enter monitor mode and follow the script below to assign the IP address permanently in the fastport's NVRAM:
    !
    Warning: entering monitor will lock out other network access and force reset.
    Type "yes" to enter monitor: y
    --- Available commands ---
    C Configure console (for status monitoring)
    D Display summary configuration parameters
    E Display/set ethernet options
    F Flash firmware load enable/disable
    I Display/set IP Address
    L Limit monitor Network access by password
    N Network Protocols menu
    P Display/set parallel port parms and status
    R Reset the FastPort
    S Display/set serial port parms
    Z Reset nvram to factory defaults
    * Print ASCII test page
    + Print Postscript test page
    Command [?,C,D,E,F,H,I,L,N,P,Q,R,S,Z,*,+] --> i

    current IP address: 0.0.0.0

    Enter new IP address (<cr> for no change): 199.86.12.186
    new IP Address : 199.86.12.186
    --- Available commands ---
    C Configure console (for status monitoring)
    D Display summary configuration parameters
    E Display/set ethernet options
    F Flash firmware load enable/disable
    I Display/set IP Address
    L Limit monitor Network access by password
    N Network Protocols menu
    P Display/set parallel port parms and status
    R Reset the FastPort
    S Display/set serial port parms
    Z Reset nvram to factory defaults
    * Print ASCII test page
    + Print Postscript test page
    Command [?,C,D,E,F,H,I,L,N,P,Q,R,S,Z,*,+] --> r

  • The last command - r - will reset the FastPort and the IP address will now be set permanently in the NVRAM.
    
  • Telnet back to the FastPort and verify. Follow the manual to configure the FastPort according to your network and printer specifications.
    

• Yes, by using a direct socket connection to the MiLAN Print Server products.
  Here is how to set this up:
  By using TCP Socket Connections. If custom queuing software has been designed on a host, raw TCP/IP (or Telnet) connections can be made directly to the physical ports. If the port is in use the connection could be refused. Opening a TCP session to port 2010 will form a direct connection to the parallel port #1 on the FastPort. The following are the port numbers for the parallel and serial ports of the MiLAN print servers:
  

  MIL-3100:	Serial #1	2001
  	Parallel #1	2010
  MIL-3200:	Serial #1	2020
  	Serial #2	2021
  	Parallel #1	2010
  	Parallel #2	2011
  MIL-3400	Parallel	2010

• We do not support VMS directly. You need to use any TCP/IP package from any 3rd party vendor that support DEC's VMS to print via TGV's Multinet, Wollongong's WIN/TCP, process Software Corporation's TCP Ware or from their own creator the software called DEC UCX 2.0.