Connecting Your Printer to a PC | IBM EasyCoder 3400e manual

Getting Started	1

Connecting Your Printer to a PC

You can connect your printer to either a serial port or parallel port on your PC. You must provide the correct cables for connecting the printer. See the following sections for cable information. Contact your Intermec representative for ordering assistance if you do not have the appropriate cables.

Connecting the Printer to a PC Serial Port

To connect the printer to your PC serial port, you need a shielded EIA RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485 electrical interface with a 25-pin D-style subminiature connector. It must have pins on the printer end and an appropriate serial port connector on the other end.

Use the following table to determine the correct Intermec cable for your application. You cannot order an Intermec cable for the RS-422 interface, but there is a schematic in Appendix C that you can use to purchase or make your own cable. Also see Appendix C for the RS-232, RS-422, and RS- 485 serial port pin assignments.

PC

Printer

3XXXU.009

For Connecting To	Use Intermec Cable Part Number
IBM PC	048668	(25-pin printer to 25-pin serial port null modem)
IBM PC	048693	(25-pin printer to 9-pin serial port null modem)

To connect your printer to a PC serial port

1.Turn the On/Off switch to the off position.

2.Plug the 25-pin connector into the serial communications port on the rear of the printer.

3.Plug the other end of the cable into a serial (COM) port on the PC.

4.If necessary, change the PC serial port configuration to match your printer. See “Configuring the Serial Port for Communications” later in this chapter for more information.

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Contents

EasyCoder 3400e Bar Code Label Printer Page Contents Optimizing and Maintaining Print Quality Inspecting the Printer Tools for Cleaning the Printer Printer Specifications A-3 Using Test and Service Mode Procedures Extended Character Sets B-6 Bar Code Symbologies Supported A-8Communication Protocols C-3 Printer Serial Port C-11 Vii Full Ascii Table D-3 Full Ascii Control Characters Table D-5Page Safety Summary Warranty InformationBefore You Begin Avertissement EasyCoder 3400e Bar Code Label Printer User’s Manual What You Will Find in This Manual About This ManualFor Information On Refer To Terms Terms and ConventionsConventions Convention Description Xiii Other Intermec ManualsPage Getting Started Page Getting to Know Your Printer LED Back View Plugging In the Printer Preparing the Printer for InstallationTo plug in the printer To open the printer Opening the Printer To load media for fanfold printing Loading Media for Fanfold Printing Head lift lever To print the hardware configuration test label Printing the Hardware Configuration Test LabelHardware Configuration Test Label What the Hardware Configuration Test Label Tells You Connecting the Printer to Your SystemIf a Hardware Configuration Test Label Does Not Print Connecting the Printer to a PC Serial Port Connecting Your Printer to a PCUse Intermec Cable Part Number To connect your printer to a PC serial port Connecting the Printer to a PC Parallel Port Connecting Your Printer to a NetworkTo connect your printer to a PC parallel port Connecting Your Printer to a Network Connecting the Printer to an AS/400 Cabling in Noisy Electrical Environments Connecting the Printer to a Mainframe To configure the printer serial port Configuring the Serial Port for CommunicationsDIP Switch Setting Descriptions Parameter Description Bottom Bank Switch Number To verify communications with your system Verifying Printer Communications With Your System At the DOS prompt, type this command and press Enter Operating the Printer Page Understanding the Front Panel Learning How to Operate the Printer LED Understanding the Front Panel LEDs Printer Mode You Want To What to Do Using the Feed/Pause Button Loading Roll Media for Straight-Through Printing Loading Media Into the PrinterTo load the media Loading Roll Media for Straight-Through Printing To load self-strip media Loading Media for Self-Strip Printing Loading Media for Self-Strip Printing To load thermal transfer ribbon Loading Thermal Transfer Ribbon Loading Thermal Transfer Ribbon Setting the Media Sensitivity Number To print a software configuration label Setting the MSN for Intermec Media and RibbonSensitivity Media or Ribbon Number Description 3400e Printer Direct Thermal Media Sensitivity Settings Setting the MSN for Other Media and RibbonApproximate Sensitivity Maximum Numbers Setting Direct Thermal Media Print Speed Using Third-Party Software Using the PrintSet SoftwareUsing Intermec Printer Language IPL Commands Communicating With the Printer To print the test label Printing a Test LabelPage Maintaining the Printer Page Inspecting the Printer Tools for Cleaning the Printer Printer Component Maintenance Period Maintenance Schedule Locating the Printer Parts You Need to Maintain To clean the printhead Cleaning the Printhead Cleaning the Printhead Cleaning the Printer Covers To clean the drive roller and tear bar Cleaning the Drive Roller and Tear Bar To clean the media guides and media path Cleaning the Media Guides and Media Path To clean the label sensors Cleaning the Label Sensors Cleaning the Label Sensors Page Troubleshooting Page Printer Operation Problems Troubleshooting ChecklistTroubleshooting Symptom Possible Causes Solution Troubleshooting Printer Operation Problems Print Quality ProblemsSymptom Possible Causes Solution Symptom Possible Causes Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Communication Problems and Preventing Data Loss To check for communication problems Optimizing Printer Performance Page Correcting Uneven Print Quality Optimizing and Maintaining Print Quality To adjust the bias adjust screw To adjust the print darkness Adjusting the Print Darkness To adjust the label mark sensor Adjusting the Label Mark Sensor Platen roller How Is the Printer Storage Memory Used? Using the Printer Memory EfficientlyMaking the Most of Your Memory How the Image Bands Command Works What Is an Image Band?Increasing Throughput To optimize the number of image bands for your print speed Optimizing Print Speed and Image Band Setting Using Test and Service Mode Page To enter Test and Service mode Using Test and Service Mode ProceduresTo exit Test and Service mode Tests Test and Service DIP Switch Settings To enter Data Line Print mode Using Data Line PrintPrinting Test Labels To print a test label Resetting the Memory on Your Printer Setting Configuration Commands in Test and Service ModeTo use memory reset Configuration DIP Switch Settings Setting the Number of Dot Increments Bottom Bank To set the number of dot increments Adjusting the Label Rest Point Top Bank To adjust the label rest point To set the printer to Emulation mode using DIP switches Setting Emulation ModeSetting Description Format Using Forms Adjust To set the X forms adjust Forms Adjust To set the Y forms adjust Specifications Page Specifications Printer Specifications Printhead 400 dpi Printhead 200 dpiRibbon Printing Speed Number Description Minimum Maximum Media Communication Interface Printer OptionsFinishers Signal Pin Return Direction Description Specifications Hibc Bar Code Symbologies Supported 2D Stacked Symbologies 2D Symbologies2D Matrix Symbologies EasyCoder 3400e Bar Code Label Printer User’s Manual Character Sets Page Advanced Character Table International Character Sets IBM Translation Character Table Emulation Mode Character Table Code Page 850 Character Table 10 x 14 Standard Extended Character Sets Monospace fonts 6 point to 36 point OCR a Characters in Font C24 Page Communications Reference Page Intermec Standard Protocol Communication ProtocolsPrinter Status Character XON/XOFF Protocol Software and Hardware Flow Control XON/XOFF, No Status Protocol Polling Mode DMulti-Drop Protocol User-Defined Protocol Character Protocol Affected Host Requirements Communications InterfacesCommunications Boundaries RS-232 Serial Interface RS-485 Serial Interface RS-422 Serial InterfaceInterface Pin No Name Operation RS-232 Null Modem Cable for PC/AT Part Number RS-232 Null Modem Cable for PC/XT Part Number PIN Plug D-SUB Metal Backshell RS-422 Intermec Pin Assignments Printer Serial Port Page Full Ascii Table Page Full Ascii Table Full Ascii TableBinary0 Hex1 Dec2 C393 Binary0 Hex1 Dec2 C393 Control Character Definition Full Ascii Control Characters TablePage Glossary Page Data Line Print mode ConfigurationGlossary G Backing Direct thermal Emulation modeFeed/Pause Field Human-readable Image bands Glossary G GraphicImaging Ips Media EasyCoder 3400e Bar Code Label Printer User’s Manual MarginMnemonic code Multi-Drop protocol Glossary G Point size Polling Mode D protocolPrint speed Printhead EasyCoder 3400e Bar Code Label Printer User’s Manual Scan SymbologySelective transfer Self-strip User-Defined Fonts UDF User-Defined Characters UDCVariable data field XON/XOFF protocolPage Index Page Index Numbers EasyCoder 3400e Bar Code Label Printer User’s Manual LED RAM XON/XOFF