Have you tired another parallel cable? A bad cable will cause strange printing. Also check to make sure that the cable is properly plugged into the printer as well as the computer.
And make sure you are using the correct print driver.
Re: LPT to COMM by Stephen (edited 8/18/05 5:48 AM) reply
To use a parallel device on a serial port you need a special adapter that would be expensive. There is no way to convert a serial port to a Parallel port with just wiring.
If your PC has USB ports you can buy a USB to Parallel adapter, the only drawback is that all of these adapters I have seen use the older style printer connector, while some printers use the new smaller style connector.
Reading your post I think you are having a driver problem. Is your printer printing odd characters instead of what you are trying to print?
What printer do you have? If we know the make and model we might be able to help you.
Thanks for your anwsers, i has tried to do some test, but nothing is better!, change LPT cable, Install New driver, change port from BIOS (EPP, ECP, SPP...).
I am sure that error LPT port! In some option in printer properties have some port to printout (LPT1, COMM1, COMM2, FILE). I need to have the schematic to home make cable From LPT to COMM or USB to LPT..
I have to print my documents! I think that i do not have money to buy another mainboard, so i try to repair it, the Only way!
You can NOT make a home cable to convert a serial port to a parallel port.
You can buy a USB to Parallel adapter, it has circuits in it to convert the serial data to parallel data.
The 6L has the large Centronics connector on the printer, that will work with the USB to parallel converters you can buy.
The options in the driver are there for every printer, that does not mean that they will always work.
At one point you could buy serial to parallel converter boxes, with those you would attach a serial cable to a PC and run it across a room to a converter near the printer, the serial cable would puug in to the converter, the electronic circuitry in the converter would convert the data to the parallel format, a parallel cable would go from the converter to the printer.
If you disconnect the printer from the computer and print a test page how does the test page look? (push the button on the printer to print the test page)
I also recommend that you test your printer on another PC. (ask a friends or relative)
Re: LPT to COMM by Stephen (edited 8/19/05 5:21 AM) reply
Here is the pin out of a parallel port, notice that there are more than 9 lines:
Pin No (D-Type 25) Pin No (Centronics) SPP Signal Direction In/out Register Hardware Inverted 1 1 nStrobe In/Out Control Yes 2 2 Data 0 Out Data 3 3 Data 1 Out Data 4 4 Data 2 Out Data 5 5 Data 3 Out Data 6 6 Data 4 Out Data 7 7 Data 5 Out Data 8 8 Data 6 Out Data 9 9 Data 7 Out Data 10 10 nAck In Status 11 11 Busy In Status Yes 12 12 Paper-Out / Paper-End In Status 13 13 Select In Status 14 14 nAuto-Linefeed In/Out Control Yes 15 32 nError / nFault In Status 16 31 nInitialize In/Out Control 17 36 nSelect-Printer / nSelect-In In/Out Control Yes 18 - 25 19-30 Ground Gnd
pin Acronym Full name Direction Mean 3 TxD Transmit Data —» Transmits bytes out of PC 2 RxD Receive Data «— Receives bytes into PC 7 RTS Request To Send —» RTS/CTS flow control 8 CTS Clear To Send «— RTS/CTS flow control 6 DSR Data Set Ready «— I'm ready to communicate 4 DTR Data Terminal Ready —» I'm ready to communicate 1 DCD Data Carrier Detect «— Modem connected to another 9 RI Ring Indicator «— Telephone line ringing 5 SG Signal Ground
Notice that the signals on the serial port are DIFFERENT, you can NOT just connect wires and make a serial port act as a parallel port.
I already have a test by another computer, nothing happen, only some strange symbol and it will prinout 4 or 5 Pages. I do the test on Printer (disconnect from PC) the Print Page is OK. I connect 6L to other PC, OK.
that means that no way to change RS232 to Paralell?. I am also installed the 6L driver TM included with my printer.
As was stated your only choice if the printer worked with another computer is the usb adapter. One more test you can do if using Microsoft operating system just to make sure it is not your os is to go to a command prompt (start, run, command and hit enter or click ok) At the command prompt type cd\windows and hit enter. Next type dir >> lpt1 and hit enter. If the printer prints a directory of windows ok then your issue is not the port but your window operating system.
Re: LPT to COMM by Stephen (edited 8/19/05 6:19 AM) reply
I see your pictures, it's ready good but70$ for USB adapter or 39$? too expensive for me. In Real DOS, in prompt c:\>, i type DIR >prn and dir >Lpt1. the same result!
i whish i have the scheme that mr. strphen show me! i know it's difficul.
Now, can i change LPT1 to LPT2?, i use the software called PCCHECK to make the test, its result is Pass all bits (4 bits).
You cannot change LPT1 to LPT2. If the mainboard has two parallel ports, LPT1 and LPT2, then connect your printer to the functional LPT port and configure the printer driver accordingly.
Buying a USB to parallel port adapter will be cheaper than making your own. Sourcing the parts required to make the cable will be very difficult.
Re: LPT to COMM by Stephen (8/19/05 4:33 PM) reply
If the motherboard has an LPT port on it, then you can usually disable the port in the BIOS setup.
Then the remaining port will be LPT1.
I'm assuming you decided to do what none of us thought of, and that is to install a second parallel port in the PC, that is probably cheaper than buying a special cable.
Chel,
I just looked in device manager on my Windows XP system, apparently I can decide which LPT port I want mine to be, I can pick LPT 1, 2 or 3. I'm not going to explore that feature at this time.
The I/O address of the built-in parallel on most motherboards may be changed to 378, 3BC, or 278. In a Windows OS environment I/O address 378 or 3BC is LPT1 and I/O address 278 is LPT2.
I interpreted Phuoctran statement about changing LPT1 to LPT2 by just merely assigning a different I/O address to the one physical parallel port on his motherboard. But it has already been establish that the parallel port is defective. So no matter what you call the parallel port it is still defective.
The easyway is replace the new mainboard or add PCI card!, but i do not do it. i am trying to repair.
the reason that i need the schematic of LPT->COMM is some of my friend is in the same my situation, i want to help them so sold the problem with less cost, we are student means no much money for buying the new one.
I am hoping someone here can help. I have a new External Modem which uses a 25-pin serial cable. My computer does not have any 25-pin serial outlet and the only 9-pin serial outlet is used for the mouse. The LPT-1 is 25-pin but is a parallel port used for the printer. So,I do not know what to do !
Question: is there a way to change the LPT parallel port into a serial port through BIOS or Registry editing? If not, what else can be done? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Just get a 9 pin to 25 pin serial adapter with the correct male/female ends to mate with your computer and device. They also come is cable lenghts in other words one end has a 25 pin db 25 and the other end has 9 pin db 9.
Re: LPT to COMM by Anonymous (4/16/06 2:14 PM) reply
The standard configuration for main board is normally 2 serial ports,one of them is already loacated at the rear of the computer,the other one is a 9 pin connector loacated on the main board (check the user mannual to find it's location). You have to buy a cable,one end of this cable (9 pins) is inserted to the connector and the other end is a DB25 connector mounted on a card-edge bracket, install the card-edge bracket to the computer chassis.
Sorry I did not notice that you used the only serial port available for the mouse. The simple solution if your computer has either a ps2 or usb input is to change your mouse to one of those and then use the 9 pin serial to 24 pin serial cable for the modem.
Re: Re: LPT to COMM by Anonymous (4/16/06 8:17 PM) reply
I do not know how to thank you. You really made my day !!! I followed your instructions. Sure enough there was an extra serial port mounted on the main board, as you said, and I happened to have a couple of those cable adaptors on a card-edge brackets.As soon as I connected the external modem to the port, it came alive !
But I am not out of the woods quite yet !! The modem works, I mean it tries to connect to the internet, I hear it dialing, but alas, it fails to connect to the internet. I mean the ISP server computer does not respond.
I know I have a good phone connection,etc. because I connect to the internet immediately using an internal modem, same phone number, etc. So, with my limited knowledge about these things, I think it might have something to do with the External Modem's software, or commands, etc. What do you think?
You seem to be a very knowledgeable person, and I am grateful for helping me. Thank you.
Re: Re: Re: LPT to COMM by moe (4/16/06 11:09 PM) reply
Having used DSL for years and recently having had to go back to dial up because of a moron screw up at Verizon, I can't imagine anyone willingly putting up with dial up. In our area dslextreme.com is offering DSL for $12.95 a month. 10 times faster than dial up and you gain a phone line to boot. I've been trying to get the Verizon morons to hook us up with FIOS for months. It's all a matter of talking to the right person. So far, I've spoken to a whole bunch of morons who have absolutely no idea what is going on. I even managed to get an appointment several weeks ago, that mysteriously got cancelled. FIOS is about 10 times as fast as DSL and 100 times faster than dial-up. You need to come into the modern world.
Re: LPT to COMM by Stephen (4/17/06 8:14 PM) reply
I've got FIOS 3 feet from my building. 5mb down/2 up for $29.95 a month. 15mb down/2 up for $39.95 a month. Might as well be 3,000 miles away. Absolutely impossible to find anyone at Verizon that has a clue how to hook it up. Know that tv commercial with the "network" behind the guy? That's me, only the network is all Verizon people who've promised to call me back. Verizon SUCKS!!! Unfortunately, they're the only game in town. Back to groveling....Meanwhile I'm cruising at a breathtaking 48K because some moron at Verizon flipped a switch. With any luck, I'll be back on DSL in another week and FIOS, it's just a dream, sigh....
i am have a problem with my computer,, my LPT port has break,, but I need this port,, there are 3 USB Port,, so i decided to buy USB to LPT Converter,,
but the problem is my USB2LPT has different address with LPT1 (378h),, so my project can't work,,
is it possible to change the address of my USB 2 LPT Conv become 378h ( same as LPT1 ) ,,?
my prject have almost finish and it can only access on addr 378h,,
Help,my UPS has gone asleep,mains in and mains out works ok,turn off the power and its dead.Batteries are ok. On the rear of the UPS is a [F9] pin socket marked 10101, and a small B shape 2 pin socket for R.E.P.O Can any body help, Thanks, in anticipation.
dear sir , i m installed the pci lpt card on my pc. crad is deffine the lpt3 port. but my dos software not support lpt3 port printing.i want to convert the lpt3 port to lpt1 port. so plz inform me this is possible.so suggest me any port converting software i m watting your respons .
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