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December 29, 2005 9:02 AM

So we just got a new printer at work. It has a standard USB printer cable. But I somehow need to connect it to our linksys print server which has the old-school 25 pin female printer cable receptacle -- you know, looks like this. Can this be done? And how? Thanks as always...
posted by Heminator to computers & internet (6 comments total)

if the printer also has a serial port you'll be fine. otherwise you'll need to find an adapter cable. From what I understand these don't always work with direct connections, how it will deal with being connected via a print server is anyone's guess.

Example product
posted by tiamat at 9:12 AM on December 29, 2005

on further thought, you're going the opposite way from most. Most people want to use an old serial printer with a USB port, I think that's what the cable has in mind.

I don't think the port on the print server will be able to properly power a usb cable, assuming you can even find an adapter cable with the female USB end.
posted by tiamat at 9:15 AM on December 29, 2005

ITYM parallel.
posted by kcm at 9:18 AM on December 29, 2005

newer printers are USB only. to be honest, for the amount of money you'd spend getting a parallel-to-USB-type-A cable, you could get a newer print server.. (link goes to newegg search) are you wedded to the linksys device?
posted by mrg at 11:37 AM on December 29, 2005

Also, parallel print cables max out at around 100 or 200 kbps, while USB 1.1 goes to 12 megabits per second. USB is a fairly complex protocol, while parallel is just an electrical interface, so an adapter is likely to be as complex as a whole print server. As mrg suggests, just get a new USB print server. It will be much better that way.
posted by b1tr0t at 2:28 PM on December 29, 2005

Combining my experience in computers and networking with my experience in retail computer sales here:

No, you can't get your exisiting equipment on speaking terms. You'll need a USB-capable print server.
posted by CrayDrygu at 3:06 PM on December 29, 2005