LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Network Printing Problems

Thank you so much for the article "Technically Speaking: Network Printing Problems" (NetWare Connection, February 1998, pp. 40-42). This article provided a clear explanation about how to set up printing on a Windows 95 workstation and to use the CAPTURE command correctly. This article will definitely help me troubleshoot offline printers and disappearing printer icons.

Please keep up the good work with this new column. I like what I see!

Connie Erickson

I am a computer consultant and have a client who uses NetWare for Small Business on the server and Windows 95 with Novell's client software on the workstations. The client asked me how to share a printer attached to a particular workstation. This request was new to me. I only know how to share a printer using Microsoft's client software.

After spending much time and effort and referring to a number of different resources, I still couldn't figure out how to share a printer using Novell's client software. Then I happened to pick up my coworker's copy of NetWare Connection, and I found the article "Technically Speaking: Network Printing Problems," which provided all of the answers I was looking for! Thank you for offering a clear and concise article about printing from a Windows 95 workstation over an intraNetWare or NetWare network. I suspect that a lot of network professionals are tangling with this issue.

Susan Blades

I recently read the article "Technically Speaking: Network Printing Problems," and I have a question about my own network printing problem. I work for a school district that uses Novell's NPRINTER utility to print from its Windows 95 workstations. However, because the school district also runs educational software for Windows 3.1, I have configured a dual-boot setup through Windows 95. When I put the print server on the Windows 3.1 side, the NPRINTER utility works great, but this utility does not work at all when I put the print server on the Windows 95 side. The print jobs sit in the print queue and stay there. Do you have any suggestions?

Toby Riddleberger

The NPRINTER utility is a DOS-based terminate-and-stay resident (TSR) program that allows DOS and Windows 3.1 workstations to access shared printers. If you want Windows 95 workstations to share a printer, you must use Novell's NPRINTER Manager utility for Windows 95, which you can download free from Novell's FTP site (ftp://ftp.novell.com/pub/updates/nwos/inw411/nptr95.exe). You can also use a third-party print sharing utility for Windows 95, such as IQueue Server from Infinite Technologies.

In addition, you can install Microsoft's Client for Microsoft Networks on all of the Windows 95 workstations and set up Microsoft's File and Print Services for Microsoft Networks. You can then create a Microsoft network workgroup within the school district's intraNetWare or NetWare network. This solution would allow Windows 95 workstations to access shared printers using Microsoft's File and Print Services.

Mickey Applebaum

You Can't Touch This

I just want to let you know that NetWare Connection is one of the best technology magazines on the market. Each issue is very informative, providing useful information about upcoming products and issues such as network design and industry standards. I recently visited NetWare Connection's World-Wide Web site (http://www.novell.com/nwc) to browse articles from past issues, and I found more than enough information to help me with a presentation I am giving at one of Novell's TechShare '98 conferences.

I don't care what anyone says--Microsoft can't touch Novell in terms of product quality. During the last six months, Novell has released several new products, including BorderManager and NDS for NT, while Microsoft has essentially released nothing but updates of existing products. Eric Schmidt, Novell president and CEO, and the rest of the Novell team have vision. Microsoft is desperately trying to follow in their footsteps as Novell shapes the standards of tomorrow and the future of networking.

I hope to continue seeing great things from Novell. For a company that is one-tenth the size of Microsoft, Novell is doing a fabulous job.

Dave Jones

NetWare Connection, April 1998, p.4