USB to parallel adapter for a printer, how to configure?

sdowney717 · 03-30-2018, 12:26 PM

Example product idea is here.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/semoic-US...&wl13=&veh=sem

The printer in an IBM 4019 laser printer.
Since it will hook up through the usb port, how is it then configured?
Right now I installed the driver for it in Mint hooked up to the parallel port.

I imagine the device uri would need to say something about usb port instead of parallel port.

beachboy2 · 03-30-2018, 01:15 PM

sdowney717,

Try this:
https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...l-port-adapter

sdowney717 · 03-30-2018, 07:14 PM

Does not sound very encouraging!

I can hook this up to a win 10 PC instead, then share it using google cloud print.

I bought this one here, has had good reviews and sold a lot of them too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-USB-to-...72.m2749.l2649

michaelk · 03-30-2018, 07:50 PM

If the adapter chip set is supported and recognized the driver should be automatically loaded as well as the device ID created. Look at the output of the dmesg command to verify the device is recognized.

Your correct the only thing that should change is the device ID for the USB parallel port. Should be something like /dev/usblp0.

ferrari · 03-30-2018, 08:18 PM

Is the parport_pc driver loaded?

Code:

# lsmod|grep par
parport_pc             45056  0 
parport                53248  3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc

You might need to load the 'lp' driver manually first perhaps

Code:

modprobe lp

That can be automated to load at boot if necessary.

ferrari · 03-30-2018, 08:23 PM

Also, with the device plugged in, check if /dev/lp[0,1,..] exist?

Code:

ls -l /dev/lp*

This kernel guide has information on configuring a parallel port device...
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.1...e/parport.html