Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!ucsd!hub!kiwi!dz
From: dz@kiwi.ucsb.edu (Daniel James Zerkle)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Solution to Apple Laserwriter Plus Hookup
Keywords: Apple Laserwriter Plus Serial Wiring Diagram
Message-ID: <2236@hub.UUCP>
Date: 22 Aug 89 18:27:50 GMT
References: <19278@usc.edu> <1096@adobe.UUCP>
Sender: news@hub.UUCP
Reply-To: dz@cornu.ucsb.edu (Daniel James Zerkle)
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of California, Santa Barbara
Lines: 40

In article <1096@adobe.UUCP> greid@adobe.COM (Glenn Reid) writes:
>In article <19278@usc.edu> sutter@skat.usc.edu (Carl F. Sutter) writes:
>>The original question was how to get an Apple Laserwriter Plus to work
>>reliably as a serial port connected printer to the cube.
>> ...
>>The wiring is actually NOT a null-modem, and a possible confusing point is to
>>put two null-modems in line, since an off the shelf Mac-Modem cable is a
>>null-modem.
>
>I bought an off-the-shelf cable for connecting a Macintosh to an
>ImageWriter.  It works perfectly with my LaserWriter II NTX and I
>imagine it would also work fine with a LaserWriter Plus, since they
>are equivalent at the serial communications level.

The null modeming business is confusing.  We have port A on a Mac
modem cable running out to the rest of the world through an RJ11 (phone
cord) adapter.  We have port B connected to a Mac *printer* cable
which runs to a vt-100 (genuine DEC).  These cables actually look
identical, but they are not.  I assume one of them is in fact a null
modem, (probably the printer cable) and the other is not.  On the
other hand, they both work, so there's no point in complaining.

>I started out asking the people at the store if they had a cable for
>connecting a LaserWriter to a Mac through the serial port.  They had
>no idea that it was even possible.

My salesperson was even more confused.  I showed him the wiring
diagram for the cable to connect to the terminal, and he said
"we don't have that".  I looked at the rack, decided that the printer
cable was as good a gamble as any, and got lucky.

>The word "ImageWriter" brought a knowing
>sales smile to his face, though.

No surprise.  All salespeople understand money.

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