# [SOLVED] How to setup serial port printer

## Joseph_sys

I have a new box - but it doesn't have parallel port anymore, only one serial.

So, I got a serial cable 25-ping to 9-pin and I'm trying hook it up with my old printer that is HPIIIP 

Adding printer via KDE - Printer Add - Local Printer (serial, usb, parallel) is grayed out so I'm trying to set it up via "localhost:631"

```
Description: HP III P printer

Printer Driver: HP LaserJet 3P w/ PCL5 Foomatic/ljet4 (recommended)

Printer State: idle, accepting jobs, published.

Device URI: serial://dev/ttyUSB0/?baud=1200+bits=8+parity=none+flow=none
```

but when I sent a test page to a printer I get:

```
"Unable to open device file "/ttyUSB0/": No such file or directory"
```

I know, some of you might be wandering what is ttyUSB0.  I got this Serial to USB cable converter from:

http://www.pfranc.com/cgi-bin/P/USB_G4/garmin-GPS-cables

If you dig around this web-page you will find that this cable converter works with Linux:

http://www.pfranc.com/usb/usb.shtml#Linux

It is using: "mct_u232 driver in drivers/usb/serial" and I can confirm it.

I tried it with my serial cable with "APC UPS" it is working, I connected my external modem via this cable and "faxaddmode ttyUSB0" work perfectly. 

But I'm not able to get my printer going I don't know if it is related to KDE - Local Printer (serial, usb, parallel) being grayed out or I'm inputing wrong command in URI, "serial://dev/ttyUSB0

Can anybody help me out here please?Last edited by Joseph_sys on Sun Oct 12, 2008 2:52 am; edited 1 time in total

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## Joseph_sys

I've tried setting it up on a different box and I think the correct command to setup serial printer is:

```
serial:/dev/ttyS0
```

as I'm getting only permission error:

```
"Unable to open device file "/dev/ttyS0": Permission denied"
```

Does anybody know how to setup permission for serial printing?

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## yabbadabbadont

Try adding the lp user to the uucp group.

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## Joseph_sys

 *yabbadabbadont wrote:*   

> Try adding the lp user to the uucp group.

 

I think I've solved this problem.  I forgot to enable printer support in the kernel so the only printer available was the network printer; parallel, serial and/or USB were grayed out in KDE setting.

Yes, I could still setup the printer via "localhost:631" but it wouldn't print anything. 

Once I enable the kernel printer support the "parallel, serial and USB" showed up as enabled; and I was able to print OK but I only tested it via parallel port.  

I've installed parallel PCI card to keep my 18-year old "PH IIIP" going as most of the newer PC's are coming without parallel or serial ports (at least ASUS MB).  Too much problems switching it back and forth, especially that I have two other serial DB9 devices connected to the PC so adding serial printer DB9 port was too much.

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