Best Network Print Server

HP JetDirect EX Grabs Top Honors

You have hundreds of printers that aren't networked. That means they can't be shared, which is expensive. It also means they can't be managed remotely, which is perhaps the more costly of the two. If your network is populated by standalone printers, then run right out and get yourself a Hewlett-Packard JetDirect EX.
HP offers the best integration of external print servers, especially if you already have HP's popular networked printers. With the addition of the JetDirect EX, any printers that weren't networked may be added and managed through the same, user-friendly JETADMIN utility.
In addition, HP offers a wide range of support for network protocols beyond just NetWare, including AppleTalk, NetBIOS and TCP/IP. All network protocols except IP are configurable from JETADMIN. We are quite familiar with the IP configuration additions and we had the JetDirect EX printing from three protocols in no time. IP address configuration requires BOOTP or DHCP. We would like to see another option, such as configuration through a serial terminal or JETADMIN.
Using JETADMIN, almost everything about a NetWare printing environment can be managed, including attaching printers to queues with a simple point and click. There is even a Windows front end to the print queues that allows most of the same operations as PCONSOLE.EXE.
Our only wish is for more parallel ports. Additional parallel ports on the JetDirect EX will not only cut the cost of print services but also add features such as picking the most appropriate printer for the current print job and moving jobs from busy to idle printers.
Although offerings from Digital Products and Intel Corp. have a bit more features, HP offers the basics in a form most common to users.

HP JetDirect EX, $369-$619,
Hewlett-Packard Co., Direct Marketing Organization, P.O. Box 58059,
MS511L-SJ, Santa Clara, CA 95051. (800) 752-0900; fax back (800) 333-1917.

Runners-Up
NetportExpress Print Server,
Intel Corp., 5200 N.E. Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124. (800) 538-3373; fax (800) 538-3019.

NETPrint/200, Digital Products, 411 Waverley Oaks Rd.,
Waltham, MA 02154.
(800) 243-2333; fax (617) 647-4474.