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Dusty

Schwag Merchant

From: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Registered: 2004-01-18

Posts: 5,986

Website

parallel port to usb cables

Hi guys,

I just bought a new PC for my parents (Dell Inspiron, Merry Christmas...), and realized only this morning that it doesn't have a parallel port to support their antique laser printer (which still works well).

I did a quick search and found these Parallel Port to USB cables:

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/ … &CatId=471
http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Produ … ct=2608263

I prefer the latter because tiger direct charge way too much for shipping and there's a The Source in town here.

Will these work with Linux -- they claim its seamless, but I can imagine cups possibly getting confused if it expects a parallel port and gets USB? Any idea how they work?

Also, the printer is from 1994, will it work with a IEEE-1284 parallel port, or were they using EPP or something else back then?

I could also get a PCI parallel port adaptor, but you've probably heard my horror stories every time I open a case. ;-)

Thanks for any advice!

Dusty

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badger

Member

From: Melb

Registered: 2004-07-21

Posts: 76

Re: parallel port to usb cables

I'm also interested in this- my ebay-bought lexmark t614 has 2 nics, but they are both very flaky, so using the parallel port may be an option.

Cheers.

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: parallel port to usb cables

I was just given an old Canon BJC-1000 printer with a parallel to USB adapter today. Cups does find the printer and will print on it. My only problem so far is that the page is shrunk down to about 1/16 of its original size! It's very funny but not real convenient.

Edit

Never mind that. It works!!! Readjusted everything in the CUPS config, restarted my application, and all is well.

Last edited by skottish (2007-12-26 01:49:54)