Mac OS X and HP LaserJet 4ML Printer

In article
<jsuyehara27-9C937A.20180606112005.TakeThisOut@news1.west.earthlink.net>, Joy
Suyehara <jsuyehara27.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Can an HP LaserJet 4ML be connected to an iBook with Mac OS X 10.4.3 via
> USB? Is there an adapter to convert the 8-pin serial cable to USB? I've
> had the 4ML for over 10 years, but it still works great, and I'd like to
> be able to use it with Mac OS X.

I use a LaserJet 6MP with my modern Mac, and was able to connect it by
way of a Farallon iPrint LT. It's long out of manufacture, but I see
someone has two of them for sale on eBay for a buy-it-now price of $25
each. (Item 5821880064 if you want to take a look.) They're
sometimes hard to find, but they're often floating around the used
market.

The device has an RJ-45 Ethernet jack on one side, and a standard RJ-11
phone jack on the other. It was designed to interface with the old
Farallon PhoneNET networking hardware, which uses straight telephone
cable instead of the more expensive 8-pin cables Apple was selling.

So... for the adapter to work, you'll also need a PhoneNET connector
(or one of the many compatible knock-offs out there) plugged into the
printer's 8-pin port, and a simple telephone cord between it and the
iPrint LT. Another eBay search reveals LOTS of PhoneNET-compatible
connectors out there. One company's selling for $3 apiece plus $6
shipping to the US.

Another product you might consider is the AsanteTalk adapter, if you
can find it. Same basic idea, but the output is an 8-pin connector, so
you won't need the PhoneNet connector -- you'll just use your existing
cable. There area few of those on eBay as well, most well under $40.


Hope that helps! The iPrint adapter has allowed me to keep using my
6MP that I've had for almost ten years now. It's been working great.
It's a terrific printer, and with the adapter, I have no reason to get
rid of it until it finally dies or my needs change.

--
Garner R. Miller
Clifton Park, NY =USA=
http://www.garnermiller.com/