                           EPSON AMERICA, INC.
                        Product Support Bulletin

 Subject: Maximum Number of Printers Supported 
          by Current Equity Computers

Date: 02/06/91                                 PSB No: S-0128
Page(s): 1 of 1                                Originator: KAS

As computing environments increase in complexity, there has been
an increasing number of instances that require the support of several 
printers by one computer. One common example is that of using Novell
Netware's print server capabilities to provide printer access to a 
large group of users with differing printer requirements. Netware is 
capable of supporting three (3) parallel and two (2) serial printers 
on one server. Recent testing has shown that the Equity 386/25 Plus, 
Equity 386/25, Equity 386/20 and the Equity 386SX Plus will
support three (3) parallel ports along with two (2) serial ports.
The key factor in providing support for a third parallel port is the 
need for a parallel interface card that can be set to the IBM Monochrome
Graphics/Parallel printer I/O address at 3BCh. The computer looks for 
this address first and, if present, will assign the parallel port on 
that card as LPT1. The built-in parallel port (I/O address 378h)
will then be addressed as LPT2. We also had an AST I/O Mini
serial/parallel card addressed at I/O address 278h, which was
then reassigned to LPT3. Each of the three parallel ports was attached
to a printer. There was also a printer attached to each of the two serial 
ports. All five printers were then set to print simultaneously under 
Netware Version 2.15 Rev. C using PCONSOLE.
All five printers were able to print the documents assigned to
them, simultaneously. The units wore then tested using WordPerfect 5.1
on the network and again were successful in printing to the five (5) 
printers at the same time.
The last tests were run with the units booting under DOS 4.01 and
screen prints being directed to each of the printers. Wordperfect 5.1 
was also used to direct documents to each of the printers. Again all 
five (5) printers were able to print the files that were sent to them.

Although not all Equity computer models were tested in this
situation, the Equity models 386SX, IIe, III+ and II+ should work
in a similar manner if the instructions above are used as a guide. 
There is one item of which to be aware when using the this setup and
that is the system will complete the RAM count and lock up if using
a monochrome monitor. If you need to use three parallel ports, 
USE A COLOR MONITOR.
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