Usb To Lpt Port Emulator Download
USB to LPT port emulator download
If you have some legacy software that only prints on printers connected via a parallel (LPT) port, but your computer does not have a parallel port, or your printer is a USB device, you may wonder how to make them work together. Fortunately, there are some solutions that can help you simulate a parallel printer with a USB printer, or connect a USB printer to a legacy parallel port.
Usb To Lpt Port Emulator Download
How to simulate a parallel printer with a USB printer
One way to trick your computer into thinking that your USB printer is hooked up to the LPT port is to use the USB printer as a dummy "network" printer connected to LPT1. Here are the steps to do this:
Share the USB printer. Use a share-name easy to remember, such as "Printer".
Connect the shared printer as LPT1. Open a command prompt and type: NET USE LPT1: \\[Computer-Name]\Printer /PERSISTENT:YES
Test the printing from your legacy software. It should print on the USB printer as if it was connected to the LPT port.
This method works for most Windows versions, and does not require any additional hardware or software. However, it may not work for some time-critical or hard-coded applications that need direct access to the parallel port.
How to connect a USB printer to a legacy parallel port
If you have a legacy device that has a parallel port, but no USB port, and you want to connect a USB printer to it, you may need a special adapter that can convert the signals between the two ports. One such adapter is called LPTzUSB, which is available since 2006.
LPTzUSB is a small device that plugs into the parallel port of the legacy device, and has a USB connector for the printer. It can handle most standard USB printers, and supports bidirectional communication. It does not require any drivers or software on the legacy device, but it may need some configuration on the printer side.
To use LPTzUSB, you need to do the following:
Connect the LPTzUSB device to the parallel port of the legacy device.
Connect the USB printer to the LPTzUSB device.
Configure the printer settings according to the instructions provided with the LPTzUSB device.
Test the printing from the legacy device. It should print on the USB printer as if it was connected directly.
This method requires an additional hardware device, which may not be easy to find or purchase. It also may not work for some non-standard USB printers or parallel ports.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed two ways to connect a USB printer to a parallel port, or vice versa. Depending on your situation, you may choose one of these methods to make your legacy software or device work with your modern printer. However, both methods have some limitations and drawbacks, so you may want to consider upgrading your software or device if possible.