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System Administration Guide: Printing

ProcedureHow to Check the Printer Hardware

  1. Check that the printer is plugged in and turned on.

  2. Check that the cable is connected to the port on the printer and to the port on the system or server.

  3. Make sure that the cable is the correct cable and that it is not defective.

    Refer to the manufacturer`s documentation. If the printer is connected to a serial port, verify that the cable supports hardware flow control. A NULL modem adapter supports this. The following table shows the pin configuration for NULL modem cables.

     

    Host 

    Printer 

    Mini-Din-8 

    25-Pin D-sub 

    25-Pin D-sub 

    -  

    1 (FG) 

    1(FG) 

    3(TD) 

    2(TD) 

    3(RD) 

    5(RD) 

    3(RD) 

    2(TD) 

    6(RTS) 

    4(RTS) 

    5(CTS) 

    2(CTS) 

    5(CTS) 

    4(RTS) 

    4(SG) 

    7(SG) 

    7(SG) 

    7(DCD) 

    6(DSR), 8(DCD) 

    20(DTR) 

    1(DTR) 

    20(DTR) 

    6(DSR), 8(DCD) 

  4. Check that any hardware switches for the ports are set properly.

    See the printer documentation for the correct settings.

  5. Check that the printer is operational.

    Use the printer's self-test feature, if the printer has one. Check the printer documentation for information about printer self-testing.

  6. Check that the baud settings for the computer and the printer are correct.

    If the baud settings are not the same for both the computer and the printer, sometimes nothing will print, but more often you get incorrect output. For instructions, see How to Troubleshoot Incorrect Output.