From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Oct 19 14:06:46 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D62C616A41F for ; Wed, 19 Oct 2005 14:06:46 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from nalists@scls.lib.wi.us) Received: from mail.scls.lib.wi.us (mail.scls.lib.wi.us [198.150.40.25]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 21C7643D4C for ; Wed, 19 Oct 2005 14:06:45 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from nalists@scls.lib.wi.us) Received: from [172.26.2.238] ([172.26.2.238]) by mail.scls.lib.wi.us (8.12.9p2/8.12.9) with ESMTP id j9JE6iG1086820; Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:06:44 -0500 (CDT) (envelope-from nalists@scls.lib.wi.us) Message-ID: <435652F4.2080103@scls.lib.wi.us> Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:06:44 -0500 From: Greg Barniskis User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0.7 (Windows/20050923) X-Accept-Language: en-us, en MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Eric Schuele References: <20051018091959.6a303d86.wmoran@potentialtech.com> <43564EEE.6010408@computer.org> In-Reply-To: <43564EEE.6010408@computer.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: questions@freebsd.org, Bill Moran Subject: Re: How well do USB -> parallel adapters work for printers? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 14:06:46 -0000 Eric Schuele wrote: > Bill Moran wrote: > >> This will be FreeBSD 5.4 machine. >> >> I need to hook a printer to a server (actually, it's a "plotter", an HP >> inkjet plotter). The server doesn't have a parallel port, and the >> printer >> doesn't have a USB port. >> >> The guy who provides our hardware recommended a USB -> parallel adapter, >> but I've got no experience with these. I've been warned about USB -> >> serial adapaters and how the translation isn't always 100%, so I'm >> trying to gather some information before I go forward with this plan. >> >> Anyone use one of these? How well do they work in general? How well >> do they work under FreeBSD? >> > > There are definitely 'some issues' with USB -> Parallel port adapters. > I've had good luck printing, but obviously others have had plenty of bad > luck. And they (the adapters) definitely have difficulties with other > parallel devices (think security dongles, data acquisition, etc). Yes, there are 'some issues' and they are by no means limited to FreeBSD. I have seen numerous odd behaviors from all kinds of USB-to-somethingelse adapters under Windows, too. If you have to buy an adapter, get it from a vendor that lets you return products if they don't work out in your specific environment, and do a lot of stress testing as soon as you connect things up. > I believe there are some PCMCIA -> parallel adapters that should work > better. Though they are a bit pricey. More basic PCI parallel port cards are very common throughout my network, and we get them for under $15, IIRC. As cheap (or cheaper) and far more consistently well-behaved than most USB adapters. -- Greg Barniskis, Computer Systems Integrator South Central Library System (SCLS) Library Interchange Network (LINK) , (608) 266-6348