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Having trouble installing a piece of hardware? Want to know if that peripheral is compatible with Linux?
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I need to connect parallel printers to computers with no parallel port. Can anyone recommend a USB to parallel adapter that's supported by Linux, and works well? All the ones on Ebay say they support Windows only.
I may be uninformed, but looking at the offerings at tigerdirect.com, it's just a cable with a usb plug at one end and a parallel plug at the other. It's just hardware; no software; therefore not OS dependent.
I may be uninformed, but looking at the offerings at tigerdirect.com, it's just a cable with a usb plug at one end and a parallel plug at the other. It's just hardware; no software; therefore not OS dependent.
A look at the pinouts of USB & parallel interfaces will make it clear there has to be some circuitry involved. Some come with a driver CD, some don't.
There are several threads here about problems some have had with USB to parallel adapter cables. What I'm looking for is a recommendation for a particular one that's known to work well with Linux.
They do contain electronics which require drivers and in general are supported. Without knowing the chipset inside or the manufacture it is difficult to tell if a particular adapter cable works.
Its been awhile since I've played with them but about the only manufactures I know for sure works are Belkin and Radio Shack as well as those that use the Prolific and FTDI chipsets. I quick search found logilink adapters work too.
Some PCs are supplied without a parallel port connection on the case, but it may be possible to purchase a kit that will plug into the motherboard and give you a parallel port connection.
allend is on a preferred track; if you have an empty slot, a parallel port expansion card will be far more reliable than an a converter dongle and the lpt modules are already part of Linux.
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