Communications Failures - IBM 6400 series Maintenance Manual

Communications Failures

Many host–printer communications problems are complex. With the
exception of a defective interface cable, most communications problems are
not a result of a hardware failure. They usually result from an incompatible
configuration of the host computer system, network (LAN, print server,
controller, multiplexer, etc.), or the printer. Sometimes the print application
program itself is at fault.
If you have limited communications background experience, and the cause of
the problem is not readily apparent, do the following:
1. Print out the printer configuration.
2. Obtain a copy of the Device Host Configuration if possible.
3. Call your support group for assistance in problem analysis.
If you cannot obtain support, or you have previous experience solving
host–printer communications problems, the following additional information is
provided.
You can quickly check the ASCII portion of the printer logic by sending a
plain text file from a PC to the printer via the parallel or serial port. For a
description of each of the ASCII interfaces, refer to the Setup Guide .
Troubleshooting 133