[ale] USB to parallel port for a printer

[Watson, Keith]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of Pete
> Hardie
> Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 08:57
> To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux!
> Subject: [ale] USB to parallel port for a printer
> 
> All,
> 
> I recent;y got a new desktop box, (happen twice every decade), and it
> naturally has no parallel port, and my old HP DeskJet812c can't
> connect
> directly.
> 
> So I bought a cheap USB-to-parallel cable.
> 
> But it does not seem to be successful - the test page print job does
> not progress.
> 
> So my question is - has anyone used the cheap USB:Parallel cables
> successfully before?  Or will I need to buy the $40 one?  Or worse
> yet,
> need to buy a new printer?
> 
> thanks,
> 
> 
> --
> Pete Hardie

Pete,

The problem I have found with USB adapters is that they are driver dependent. At some point an operating system upgrade renders them useless. To solve this problem for my printer I used a print server with a parallel port. This means my printer interface will be compatible until they get rid of TCP/IP which I don't think will happen any time soon. Hmmm.... I wonder if it's IP6 compatible?

I got the print server at Microcenter for not much more than $40. It has a web interface for configuration. I can't remember the make and model. Let me know if you're interested and I'll get the info tonight.

keith

--

Keith R. Watson                        Georgia Institute of Technology
IT Support professional Lead           College of Computing
keith.watson at cc.gatech.edu             801 Atlantic Drive NW
(404) 385-7401                         Atlanta, GA 30332-0280