Print servers are IEEE1284 bi-directional compatible. This means that data can be sent and received in both directions between the printer and the print server.

Toner status, paper level, etc., will not be communicated back to the PC. In order to get printer status information, the proprietary printer driver has embedded code that needs to be passed on to the print server, decoded, then interpreted by the print server. Trendware print servers do not support embedded driver codes. Trendware print servers, whether in Gateways or Stand Alone, are plain TCP/IP print servers.