 HP Network Peripheral Port Monitor Software, version A.00.01

 COPYRIGHT (c) HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY 1993.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
 11311 Chinden Boulevard
 Boise, Idaho  83714


* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  R E A D M E . T X T  * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


- Changes in version A.00.01

    Version A.00.01 will work on either Windows for Workgroups version
    3.1 or 3.11.

    The Setup program no longer automatically starts the Network applet
    of Control Panel.

    The default for MaxNumBuffers has been reduced from 15 to 9 (see
    Configuration parameters in SYSTEM.INI for more information).

    A new parameter called CloseDelay has been added that changes the
    amount of time the software will wait before closing the network
    connection (see Configuration parameters in SYSTEM.INI for more
    information).

    The status strings have been changed to match those of HP's JetPrint
    network printing software for Novell NetWare networks (see Status
    messages for details).

    Many new icons have been added.  This has one side effect - if you
    upgrade from version A.00.00 to A.00.01, the icons for any current
    network ports will not be preserved.



- Using the Microsoft DLC on Windows for Workgroups 3.11

    The Microsoft DLC that is installed for the HP network printing
    software is a real mode (NDIS 2) protocol.  This means that all
    other network components that talk to it, such as the network
    card driver, must also be NDIS 2 compatible.  These type of
    drivers are loaded into DOS memory prior to the start of Windows.

    Because of this, it is not possible to use the protect mode (NDIS 3)
    drivers that are new to Windows for Workgroups 3.11.  If the protect
    mode drivers were in use, a significant drop in the available DOS
    memory may be noticed after installing the DLC (since Windows will have
    replaced all NDIS 3 components with their NDIS 2 equivalent).



- Configuration parameters in SYSTEM.INI

    There are a number of parameters in the [HP Network Ports] section of
    SYSTEM.INI that can be changed.

    MAXNUMPORTS
        This parameter determines the maximum number of network ports you
        may have on your system at one time.  The default number is 5.
        If you wish to configure more ports on your system, you need to
        increase this number.

    MAXNUMBUFFERS
        This parameter determines how many buffers are allocated for use
        by the DLC protocol stack.  Buffers are used for both printing and
        receiving printer status.  The default number is 9.  If you have
        only a few ports configured (1-3) AND you don't print to more than
        one at a time, you might want to reduce this number and save
        some memory.  Try values between 7 and 9.  It is not recommended
        that you use a value below 7.

        If you have a large number of ports configured (more than 8) OR you
        print to more than two ports at the same time, you will probably
        want to increase this value for better performance.  Values in the
        range 15-25 should be sufficient.

    CLOSEDELAY
        This parameter tells the software how long to wait after the
        last buffer is transmitted before dropping the network connection.
        The default for this parameter is 5 seconds, and is NOT added
        to SYSTEM.INI during installation.

        If you notice that the last part of certain print jobs are not
        being sent to the peripheral, add this parameter and increase the
        value to greater than 5.  The maximum allowed is 1800 seconds
        (30 minutes) and the minimum is 1 second.



- Setting Print Spooler timeouts in WIN.INI

    If you're using the Peer-to-Peer network printing model, you may wish
    to increase the default Transmission Retry timeout of the Network
    Peripheral Port.  The default is 45 seconds.  Look for the section
    labeled [PrinterPorts] in the WIN.INI file.  You will find a line that
    looks like this:

    HP LaserJet IIISi=HPPCL5MS,NET1:,15,45

    where NET1: is the name of the port you defined in HP Network Port
    Monitor.  Change the default of 45 seconds to the new timeout value. A
    value of 300 seconds (5 minutes) should be good.  This should change the
    above line to look like this:

    HP LaserJet IIISi=HPPCL5MS,NET1:,15,300

    Increasing this value gives the network software more time to try to
    access the peripheral before Print Manager gives up.  If Print Manager
    is reporting problems printing to a device because the device is
    already in use by another user, then increasing this value will help.



- Waiting for printers to report their LAN Hardware Address

    If there are a large number of JetDirect cards on your network
    (greater than 15), it may take a few moments for any particular net-
    work address to appear in the Card Address field of the "Add a
    Network Peripheral Port" dialog box.  If you can't find the address
    you are looking for, wait a few minutes (leaving the dialog box
    up) and then look again.

    Additionally, you can increase the MAXNUMBUFFERS parameter in
    SYSTEM.INI which will allow more card addresses to be accepted (see
    the "Configuration parameters in SYSTEM.INI" section of this file
    for more information).



- Deinstalling the software

    1) First, delete all ports that have been configured using the HP
       Network Port Monitor program.

    2) Deinstall the DLC.  To do this, in Windows for Workgroups 3.1,
       run the Control Panel application and use the Network applet.  In
       Windows for Workgroups 3.11, use the Windows Setup program located
       in the Main group of Program Manager.

    3) After deinstalling the DLC, remove all the files in the HP Network
       Port Monitor directory where (the default directory is C:\HPNETPRN.W4W).

    4) Remove the following files from your Windows for Workgroups system
       directory (the default directory is C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM):

                              HPNPMAPP.CPL
                              HPVNPD.386
                              CTL3D.DLL

    5) Remove the [HP Network Ports] section from SYSTEM.INI.

    6) Finally, reboot your system.



- Working with Novell NetWare

    If you are using Windows for Workgroups on a Novell NetWare network,
    it is recommended that you use Hewlett-Packard's JetPrint utility
    instead of Monitor.  You should find JetPrint in the same disk pack
    in which Monitor came.



- Working with IBM OS/2 and Microsoft Windows NT (connection states)

    The HP Monitor software has adopted a model where a connection is estab-
    lished with the remote peripheral, data is transferred, and the con-
    nection is dropped.  If another system has a connection to
    the peripheral, Print Manager will continue to retry the connection until
    it gives up (see the "Setting Print Spooler timeouts in WIN.INI"
    section of this file for more information).  In Monitor, the status
    of a peripheral that is connected to another system will be shown
    as "Not Available".

    However, currently released versions of the HP network software for OS/2
    LAN Manager and LAN Server use a different model.  They establish the
    connection to the remote peripheral at initialization time and never drop
    it.

    This means an OS/2 system may establish a connection to a peripheral
    and the Windows for Workgroups system will never be able to break that
    connection or print.

    To avoid this, make sure an OS/2 system and a Windows for Workgroups
    system running Monitor never configure the same peripheral (that is
    they are not using the same card address).

    In Windows NT, the user is given a choice of connection models.  If
    "Job Based" printing is chosen, then the Windows NT network printing
    software behaves almost identically to the Windows for Workgroups
    software.  If "Continuous" is selected, however, the Windows NT
    network printing software behaves like the OS/2 software and the
    warnings given above apply.



- Error log grows without bounds

    The error log maintained by Monitor is not limited in size.  Any
    new errors are always appended to the end of the existing error log
    file.  Thus, it is possible (although improbable) that you may run
    out of disk space if the error log gets too big.  It is recommended
    that you occasionally clear the error log to avoid the possibility
    of this happening.

    Information on how to clear the error log can be found in your
    manual or in the online help for Monitor.



- Starting network before running Windows for Workgroups masks DLC

    In version 3.1 of Windows for Workgroups, if you start the networking
    software before loading Windows (by typing "net logon" for example),
    the DLC protocol stack will be hidden.  Thus, once Windows is started you
    will not be able to print, and Monitor will report that HPVNPD.386 is
    not loaded.



- Running out of buffers causing "Status Not Available"

    It is possible that while printing, the DLC will temporarily run out
    of DLC buffers.  This may cause a status of "Status Not Available" to
    appear in Monitor for some ports.

    The problem should only occur when there are a large number of ports
    configured, or you are printing to more than one port at a time.  Once
    printing has finished Monitor should resume reporting status correctly.

    If you are frequently seeing this problem, it means you probably need to
    increase you MAXNUMBUFFERS parameter in SYSTEM.INI.  See the "Configur-
    ation parameters for SYSTEM.INI" section of this file for more infor-
    mation.



- Disabling the 3D interface

    If you wish to remove the 3D interface to Monitor, add the following
    line to the HPCFG.INI file (usually located in C:\HPNETPRN.W4W):

    Use3D=0

    You might want to do this on certain LCD or other monochrome monitors.



- Status messages

    Monitor has the ability to report the following status messages:

    Offline
        The peripheral is offline.  The peripheral must be online to
        continue.

    Paper Out
        The peripheral has run out of print media.  Add more media
        (e.g. paper, envelopes, etc.) to the peripheral in order to continue.

    Manual Feed Needed
        The peripheral requires a manual paper feed.  Insert the
        correct media into the manual feed area to continue.

    Paper Jam
        The peripheral has a paper jam.  Clear the jam to continue.

    Toner Low
        The peripheral has a toner low condition.  The peripheral
        may continue to operate, but output quality may suffer.

    No Toner Cartridge
        The peripheral has no toner.  The peripheral requires the
        proper printing toner be inserted in order to continue.

    Page Protection Required
        The peripheral lost a page because data was not received
        fast enough to keep up with the print engine.

    Out of Memory
        The peripheral does not have enough memory to generate the
        desired output.

    Busy
        The peripheral is processing data.

    Initializing
        The peripheral is initializing.

    Warming Up
        The peripheral is warming up.

    Cover Open
        The peripheral's door is open.  The peripheral's door must
        be closed to continue.

    Printing
        The peripheral is currently printing a job.

    Output Bin Full
        The peripheral's output bin is full.  Clear the peripheral's
        output bin to continue.

    Not Available
        The peripheral is not available.  This condition generally
        arises when another system has obtained ownership of the peripheral.

    Paper Problem
        The peripheral has a paper problem such as paper out.
        Correct the problem to continue.

    Online
        The peripheral is ready to accept data.

    Status Not Available
        The state of the peripheral cannot be determined.  Check
        that the peripheral is turned on and properly connected to the
        network.



- Receiving status from different peripherals

    Many peripherals do not have the ability to report the entire set of
    status messages listed in the "Status Messages" section.

    In general, the HP LaserJet 4 and LaserJet 4Si are able to report
    all of them.  Other peripherals may report only a subset of the
    available status messages.  For example, the LaserJet IIISi can only
    report Offline, Paper Out, and other simple status messages.



- Using Monitor with older JetDirect cards

    HP Monitor will work fine with older versions of the JetDirect card
    (those that support only one protocol per card).  You should have
    no difficulty adding ports and printing.

    Older cards, however, cannot report the full set of status
    messages listed in the "Status Messages" section.  The only ones
    older cards will report are:  Offline, Paper Out, Online, Status Not
    Available, Not Available, and Printing.




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