How to use Netcat with the Axis 540 Print Server and SCO Unix

by Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us

Netcat is a program that will output (print) to any arbitrary IP port. This is especially handy for avoiding problems with SCO lpr and HPNP. The idea is to use the stock SCO print spooler, and to use netcat to output to the print server. My thanks to Kevin Smith for inscribing the netcat program and utilities.

Axis 540 Technical Docs and RTFM

540 Specifications and data

540 Print Server manual

540 Install instructions

540 Users Printing Guide

Netcat Source and binaries

http://www.cruzio.com/~jeffl/sco/lp/

Setup the Axis 540 Print Server using Unix
Setup the IP address with ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)

arp -s 192.168.111.83 00:40:8C:3C:4A:8D

Download the config file

ftp 192.168.111.83
Connected to 192.168.111.83.
220 AXIS 540/542 FTP Printer Server V5.48 Dec 14 1998 ready.
User (192.168.111.83:(none)): root
331 User name ok, need password
Password:
230 User logged in
ftp> dir
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening data connection for dir (192,168,111,9,4,165), (mode ascii).
-r--r--r--   1 axis      public      66 Jan 21 09:17 account
-r--r--r--   1 axis      public     510 Oct 9 11:01 status
-rw-r--r--   1 root      root      5664 Oct 9 18:20 config
-r--r--r--   1 axis      public    5615 Apr 20 09:51 defaults
-r--r--r--   1 axis      public    1086 Apr 30 11:01 help
--w--w--w-   1 axis      public       0 Oct 18 08:22 prx (x = 1..8)
dr-xr-xr-x   2 axis      public     512 Sep 2 11:38 aix
dr-xr-xr-x   2 axis      public     512 Sep 2 11:38 bsd
dr-xr-xr-x   2 axis      public     512 Sep 2 11:38 npipe
dr-xr-xr-x   2 axis      public     512 Sep 2 11:38 sysv
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 620 bytes received in 0.05Seconds 12.40Kbytes/sec.
ftp> binary
200 TYPE set to I.
ftp> get config
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening data connection for config (192,168,111,9,4,166), (mode binary).
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 5664 bytes received in 0.16Seconds 35.40Kbytes/sec.
ftp> quit
221 Goodbye.

Edit the config file to look something like the following

--- TCP/IP Menu
TCP_ENB.     : YES
INT_ADDR.    : 192 168 111 83
DEF_ROUT.    : 0 0 0 0
NET_MASK.    : 0 0 0 0
PROS_PWD.    : netprinter
PROS_PRT.    : 35
LPD_BANN.    : OFF (OFF, AUTO, LAST)
BOOTP_ENB.   : NO
RARP_ENB.    : NO
RTN_OPT.     : NO
RTEL_PR1.    : 9101 [Port Number for PR1]
RTEL_PR2.    : 0
RTEL_PR3.    : 0
RTEL_PR4.    : 0
RTEL_PR5.    : 9102 [Port Number for PR5 with cr-lf translate]
RTEL_PR6.    : 0
RTEL_PR7.    : 0
RTEL_PR8.    : 0

Upload the edited config file

ftp 192.168.111.83
Connected to 192.168.111.83.
220 AXIS 540/542 FTP Printer Server V5.48 Dec 14 1998 ready.
User (192.168.100.83:(none)): root
331 User name ok, need password
Password:
230 User logged in
ftp> binary
200 TYPE set to I.
ftp> put config
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening data connection for config (192,168,111,9,4,168), (mode binary).
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 5664 bytes sent in 0.00Seconds 5664000.00Kbytes/sec.
ftp> quit
221 Goodbye.

Doing it with Windoze
You can also do the setup using the Axis Windoze Netpilot setup software. The key screen shots are:

TCP/IP setup
Reverse Telnet setup

Add entry to /etc/hosts file
Add an entry to /etc/hosts that looks like this:

192.168.111.83 hp4m

The hp4m is now the hostname of the printer (not the printer name).

Create a file called /etc/printers
Add an entry to /etc/printers that looks like this:

#printer_name:printer_hostname:port_number
fudge1:hp4m:9101
fudge2:hp4m:9102

The port numbers for the Axis 540 are user configurable on the reverse telnet page or in the config file. There are 8ea virtual printers available with one each port number for each virtual printer. By default pr1-pr4 are non-cr-lf translating, and pr5-pr8 have built in cf-lf translation. For this setup, the configuration is:

9101 parallel port w/o cr-lf translation on virtual printer pr1
9102 parallel port with cr-lf translation on virtual printer pr5

Setting up the Unix print spooler
Download the print spooler file netcat. This version includes a cr-lf translation and a reset for HP LaserJet printers. Some tweaking will probably be required to work with other printers. Save the file as:

/usr/spool/lp/model/netcatHP

and run:

cd /usr/spool/lp/model
chmod 550 netcatHP
chown bin netcatHP
chgrp lp netcatHP

Run:

scoadmin printer

Add a local printer. The setup should look something like:

Name: fudge1
Description: Axis 540 p1
Model: netcatHp
Device: /dev/null

Note that "fudge1" is the printer name and "netcatHP" is the name of the spooler script. Run:

/usr/lib/accept fudge1
enable fudge1

The netcat binary
Download either the ELF (OSR5) version of netcat or the COFF (3.2v4.x) version and save the netcat binary where you hide executeables. Most common are /usr/local/bin and /u/bin. I suggest you NOT install it in /bin, /usr/bin, or /etc. The spooler script includes a PATH statement to most of the common directories. This may require modification if you decide to install it elsewhere. These directories must all be on your shell environment $PATH to use netcat from the command line. If not, just use the absolute path on the command line.

After downloading, run:

mv netcat.elf netcat
chown lp netcat
chgrp lp netcat
chmod 755 netcat

Testing from the command line
Run:

lpstat -t | /usr/lib/lponlcr | netcat -h fudge1 -p 9101
lpstat -t | netcat -h fudge2 -p 9102

This will print the print spooler status to the print server. If this doesn't work, don't bother trying the print spooler. The lponlcr adds a carriage return for every linefeed. The lponlcr is not needed for virtual printer p5. Other translations are available.

Testing with the print spooler
Run:

lpstat -t | lp -d fudge1

Fun with SNMP
Try this from the OSR5 command line:

getmany 192.168.111.83 public iso
snmpstat -s 192.168.111.83

Drivel:
1.01 03/20/00 Original inscription.
1.02 04/19/00 rename binary, fixed path.
1.04 05/17/00 Renamed netcat spooler script. Fixed hp3a -> hp4m typo.