Two printers on USB hub?

[Jonathan Sachs]

I have two printers, both with parallel ports. My new computer has no
parallel connectors, so at present one printer is plugged into a port
replicator, and the other is idle. I would like to attach both to my
USB hub through USB-to-parallel cables.

I'm concerned about this because the printer attached to the port
replicator is identified as USB001, not as LPT1. Another printer-like
device with a USB interface is identified as USB002, although it is
plugged into one of the middle connectors on the hub. Apparently the
USB device names are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis,
rather than being bound to physical connectors, as they are with
genuine parallel ports.

If I attach my printers to the hub and have to take a printer off-line
for some reason, what's going to happen? Is Windows smart enough to
reserve the printer's device name and give it the same name when it
comes back online? Or will it rearrange the device name assignments
for me, forcing me to reconfigure all of the drivers?

My mail address is jsachs177 at earthlink dot net.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Depends on the printer itself. Some have a unique ID hard coded into the
printer... so that if disconnected, and then reconnected on a different USB
port, the PC will recognize that you have just 'moved' it and XP will
'transfer' the drivers as it knows it's the same printer.

Others do not. Therefore if you connect it to a different USB port, XP will
assume that it is a new printer and ask for it to be installed again.

Cari
www.coribright.com

 

[Jonathan Sachs]

Depends on the printer itself. Some have a unique ID hard coded into the
printer... so that if disconnected, and then reconnected on a different USB
port, the PC will recognize that you have just 'moved' it and XP will
'transfer' the drivers as it knows it's the same printer.

Others do not. Therefore if you connect it to a different USB port, XP will
assume that it is a new printer and ask for it to be installed again.

Is there any way to tell, without paying $60 or so for two specialized
cables and seeing if it works right?

My mail address is jsachs177 at earthlink dot net.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Ask the printer manufacturer. A quick email should do the trick.

Cari
www.coribright.com