[X4U] Re: Looking For A Good Black-and-white Laser Printer

[Randy B.Singer]

Richard Gilmore said:

>But they only work if you have serial port? 
>I have a very old Laserwriter I
>haven't hooked it up yet I was going to run it from an old OS9 machine. Also
>can you still buy toner cartridges for them and are there serial to USB
>adapters that would work?

An old Apple LaserWriter can be made to work with a modern Mac if 
*either* the LaserWriter has an Ethernet connection (Which, I'm afraid, 
is rare for Apple LaserWriters.  Only the 630 and 16/600 had one.) or if 
you use a LocalTalk to Ethernet adapter.

Every a LocalTalk to Ethernet adapter that I know of has been 
discontinued, but  you can still find them for sale.  The two most 
popular were the one from Asante, and a much better one from Farallon 
(now known as Proxim). The one from Asante was problematic, and I 
recommend that it be avoided.

Proxim/Farallon iPrint Adapter LT  
$82.56
http://www.mediastore.com/TD/product.asp?DPT=Accessories&SEC=55&GRP=H5&CAT=
A5&SUB=E1&SKU=268253TD

Note: Each LocalTalk printer connected via an EtherMac iPrint LT to your 
Macintosh requires a PhoneNET Connector.   You can get a PhoneNet 
connector for only $2.50 here:
http://www.consumerdepot.com/products.asp?id=PN120R  

That said, I think that purchasing this adapter is a waste of money.  You 
can purchase a brand new Brother HL-1440 laser printer, that's faster, 
and which prints at a higher resolution, and which comes with a warranty, 
for not much more money.  




Randy B. Singer
Co-Author of: The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th and 6th editions)

Routine OS X Maintenance and Generic Troubleshooting
http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html