Optimizing network printing performance

Network-direct print devices

Most network-direct print devices have two modes: a queue-server mode (also called print-server mode) and remote-printer mode:

In NetWare 3 (TM) software, queue server mode was often up to 20% faster than remote printer mode. However, in NetWare Services versions and releases after NetWare 3.11, remote printer modes are nearly as fast as queue server modes, making the trade-offs fairly even between the two modes.

Remote printer mode allows additional flexibility in controlling printer forms and in monitoring printers via PCONSOLE and the NetWare Administrator utility.

NOTE: Using external network-direct hardware that still connects to the printer's parallel port will provide little improvement in printing speed over NPRINTER on printers that cannot accept data faster than 35KB per second through the parallel port. This includes most current printers.