# parallel to usb cable printing w/ cups?

## hunky

I'm wondering if possible to use one of those usb adapter cables to print with parallel printer (Epson 1520). When in cups webinterface, I don't get USB in the device list. I've been searching this problem but maybe it has to do with the cable.

Here's lpinfo -v:

```
lpinfo -v

network socket

network beh

network http

network ipp

network lpd

direct scsi

serial serial:/dev/ttyS0?baud=115200

network smb

```

Here's dmesg:

```
usb 6-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3

usb 6-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

drivers/usb/class/usblp.c: usblp0: USB Bidirectional printer dev 3 if 0 alt 0 proto 2 vid 0x4348 pid 0x5584

```

Here's lsusb:

```
lsusb

Bus 007 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 005 Device 002: ID 046d:c50e Logitech, Inc. MX-1000 Cordless Mouse Receiver

Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 006 Device 003: ID 4348:5584

Bus 006 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0409:0058 NEC Corp. HighSpeed Hub

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0bda:8187 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

```

And here's some kernel info:

```
cat /usr/src/linux/.config |grep USB

# CONFIG_USB_DABUSB is not set

# USB devices

# CONFIG_SND_USB_AUDIO is not set

# CONFIG_SND_USB_USX2Y is not set

# USB support

CONFIG_USB_ARCH_HAS_HCD=y

CONFIG_USB_ARCH_HAS_OHCI=y

CONFIG_USB_ARCH_HAS_EHCI=y

CONFIG_USB=y

# CONFIG_USB_DEBUG is not set

# Miscellaneous USB options

CONFIG_USB_DEVICEFS=y

# CONFIG_USB_BANDWIDTH is not set

# CONFIG_USB_DYNAMIC_MINORS is not set

# CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND is not set

# CONFIG_USB_OTG is not set

# USB Host Controller Drivers

CONFIG_USB_EHCI_HCD=y

# CONFIG_USB_EHCI_SPLIT_ISO is not set

# CONFIG_USB_EHCI_ROOT_HUB_TT is not set

# CONFIG_USB_EHCI_TT_NEWSCHED is not set

# CONFIG_USB_ISP116X_HCD is not set

CONFIG_USB_OHCI_HCD=y

# CONFIG_USB_OHCI_BIG_ENDIAN is not set

CONFIG_USB_OHCI_LITTLE_ENDIAN=y

CONFIG_USB_UHCI_HCD=y

# CONFIG_USB_SL811_HCD is not set

# USB Device Class drivers

# CONFIG_USB_ACM is not set

CONFIG_USB_PRINTER=y

# NOTE: USB_STORAGE enables SCSI, and 'SCSI disk support'

# may also be needed; see USB_STORAGE Help for more information

CONFIG_USB_STORAGE=y

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DATAFAB is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_FREECOM is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ISD200 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DPCM is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_USBAT is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_SDDR09 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_SDDR55 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_JUMPSHOT is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ALAUDA is not set

# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_KARMA is not set

# CONFIG_USB_LIBUSUAL is not set

# USB Input Devices

CONFIG_USB_HID=y

CONFIG_USB_HIDINPUT=y

# CONFIG_USB_HIDINPUT_POWERBOOK is not set

# CONFIG_USB_HIDDEV is not set

# CONFIG_USB_AIPTEK is not set

CONFIG_USB_WACOM=y

# CONFIG_USB_ACECAD is not set

# CONFIG_USB_KBTAB is not set

# CONFIG_USB_POWERMATE is not set

# CONFIG_USB_TOUCHSCREEN is not set

# CONFIG_USB_YEALINK is not set

# CONFIG_USB_XPAD is not set

# CONFIG_USB_ATI_REMOTE is not set

# CONFIG_USB_ATI_REMOTE2 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_KEYSPAN_REMOTE is not set

# CONFIG_USB_APPLETOUCH is not set

# USB Imaging devices

# CONFIG_USB_MDC800 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_MICROTEK is not set

# USB Network Adapters

# CONFIG_USB_CATC is not set

# CONFIG_USB_KAWETH is not set

# CONFIG_USB_PEGASUS is not set

# CONFIG_USB_RTL8150 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_USBNET_MII is not set

# CONFIG_USB_USBNET is not set

CONFIG_USB_MON=y

# USB port drivers

# USB Serial Converter support

# CONFIG_USB_SERIAL is not set

# USB Miscellaneous drivers

# CONFIG_USB_EMI62 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_EMI26 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_ADUTUX is not set

# CONFIG_USB_AUERSWALD is not set

# CONFIG_USB_RIO500 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_LEGOTOWER is not set

# CONFIG_USB_LCD is not set

# CONFIG_USB_LED is not set

# CONFIG_USB_CYPRESS_CY7C63 is not set

# CONFIG_USB_CYTHERM is not set

# CONFIG_USB_PHIDGET is not set

# CONFIG_USB_IDMOUSE is not set

# CONFIG_USB_FTDI_ELAN is not set

# CONFIG_USB_APPLEDISPLAY is not set

# CONFIG_USB_SISUSBVGA is not set

# CONFIG_USB_LD is not set

# CONFIG_USB_TRANCEVIBRATOR is not set

# CONFIG_USB_TEST is not set

# USB DSL modem support

# USB Gadget Support

# CONFIG_USB_GADGET is not set

```

thanks for any help.. /jd

----------

## spectre5

were you able to fix it? I've got the same problem

----------

## hunky

no - pretty frustrating. I have to boot into windows.

I am thinking of just buying a parallel port card to stick in - probably fairly cheap - but haven't done the research yet on which ones work under linux (possible that most do..).

Let me know if you find anything.  cheers, JD

----------

## ziggysquatch

Maybe:

```
# CONFIG_USB_SERIAL is not set 
```

should be turned on?  Just an idea.

Is the printer using some kind of adapter or does it have the USB capability built in?

----------

## hunky

I missed that one - maybe I'll compile the kernel again this weekend - see if it works.

It is just a parallel port printer (DB9?) and I bought a cable that is supposedly an adapter to plug one end into the printer port and the other into USB. Printer therefore has no USB capability.  thanks for the help - /jd

----------

## spectre5

I just tried activating USB_SERIAL as a module. Didn't help.

But I've found an ugly(!) workaround. I installed virtualbox-bin and activated the USB-Support. Windows found some new Hardware (I used virtualbox before (without USB-Support)). It was not able to detect the printer but I could manually add the printer and I successfully printed the Windows testpage. I don't really like this solution and I hope there is a better way. But it is cheaper than to buy a new printer and much better than to use Windows.

----------

## hunky

 *Quote:*   

> But it is cheaper than to buy a new printer and much better than to use Windows

 

Isn't using virtualbox using windows? You still have to install windows is my understanding. I'm using vmware-server and am not yet able to get it working there - though I can read my camera cards there (I use it for photoshop and autocad).

----------

## spectre5

Yes, I still have to use windows but only inside Virtualbox and no rebooting is required.

----------

## danvari

are there some other - native ways to get the printer working? i have also an parallel to usb cabel in hope to print with my old printer. but it is not working under gentoo (linux?)...windows does of course.

----------

## hunky

I couldn't get my cable to work in linux, on my Readynas USB print server/file storage, or in vmware-server winxp. So I finally tried it last night by shutting down gentoo and booting natively into winxp. It found new hardware, but afterward I still could not talk to the printer. Maybe it is a defective product. So I'm just going to buy a card and stick it in - more difficult to do if you're using a laptop although I see there are express cards for the purpose.

Here's a card example but a bit pricey - I'll have to search out more options:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158005

----------

## stegerpl

Hi 

I am using my usb-2-parallel adapter and it works but there is a conflict with the mouse/keyboard driver - I am still digging for the real reason/solution.

For me it turned out that I had only to  activate the kernel modules PARPORT_PC and PPDEV as modules (not compiled in!!!). on the other hand USB_SERIAL_GENERIC and USB_SERIAL may be deactivated.

Does anyone else have some experience...

Peter

----------

