Re: flexfax: Hylafax future

[Nico Garcia <raoul@cirl.meei.harvard.edu>]

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On Tue, 16 Sep 1997, Leslie Mikesell wrote:

> > I was thinking of a proper windows driver which would have an automatic
> > setup and only ran when the client printed or wanted to view the queue.
> > 
> > I've basically decided there are two ways to do this:
> > 
> > Method A - SMB, Samba method - You need to setup the server to run Samba to
> > do SMB networking, setup a SMB shared directory ie \\HylaServer\fax which
> > contains some special files through which server and client communicate ie
> > FIFOs sort of like /proc under linux(MS-Fax and response use this method)
> > Advantages - seems to be the standard way for windows network printers to
> > operate
> > Disadvantage - you have to get Samba working on your server as well
> 
> This may or may not be a disavantage, depending on whether you want to
> use samba for anything else.  It gives you the advantage of being able
> to store cover pages and lists on the server, usable by both unix and
> windows connections, although you need to work out a way to pass the
> commands to use them.  

A printer filter would seem the way to go: a script for this purpose could
be accessed by the lpd daemon for such print requests.

> > Method B - hfaxd method - directly contact the hylafax daemon, a sort-of
> > ftp code to communicate between client and server.(whfc uses this method)
> > Advantages - only need hylafax working(better security)
> 
> I haven't seen any security problems with samba, although I've always blocked
> access from the internet.

One flaw is that you'd have to leave the netbios open at the router to
take print requests, opening your local network to abuses. Another
risk is that it's easy to leave things too open with Samba, although
the password protection and access control, etc. is much better.

			Nico Garcia
			Engineer, CIRL 
			Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary
			raoul@cirl.meei.harvard.edu

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