Open up Settings --> Printers, right-click on the USB printer, and select Set as Default Printer. Give this a try. If this doesn't work then repeat the process, but select Properties from the context menu. Select the Ports tab (this might be different on your OS) and click on the LPT1 box and press OK.

Note, that the DOS software must be configured to use the specific printer on your USB port. It needs to send the proper printer control sequences. If the software doesn't have your printer listed, I'd go with whatever is closest to HP compatible.

Good Luck,
Steve

If your printer has DOS window application support SteveGTRs idea might work.
However, it is not possible to print from your DOS application without Windows running.

This printer has Poscript Level 3 and HP PCL 6 support.

Try to set HP Laserjet or HP DeskJet printer in your DOS application.

To redirect your usb port you can try
net use lpt1:\\computername\shareprintername /yes
In this way your printer will work under 98

To get some usb devices to work under MS-DOS you can follow this link
http://www.bootdisk.com/usb.htm

Good-Luck

Dan

Well. It's good to know, it is possible to use USB drives to work in DOS. The problem is, it is drive support, not printer.

For-soft as Alokshah stated

**I also have Windows98 on a different system, and there are drivers for the printer for windows98**

Because Windows98 is still using MS-DOS and redirecting the USB port to lpt1 it should work

Just trying to help

Dan

I agree, network redirection is a good solution when working in DOS window of Windows 98.

About DOS drivers on www.bootdisk.com.
Those are drive support solution, not printer.

I tried to use  "dannykon" solution but I got a error saying "The network name cannot be found".

Moreover I don't have internet connected to the computer. Its just the cmputer and the printer and the printer is connected throught USB port in the computer. And the software I have only has options like LPT and COM. And I cannot have a network or anything unless I just have the router, and printer and computer connected to it. There is no way to get internet connected to it. So if there is a way to have just the routher and still make it work i would be happy. And the printer DELL 1600n does not have a LPT port.

And the software I use does not have the ability to add printer. So my dell printer cannot be added to it. The software has options like Standard printer, laser printers, Epson printer, and my old Okindata printer.

If you create on your computer network enviroment using Windows 98. It will be possible to share your USB printer. Then you will be able to connect LPT port to network printer on the same computer.
You can redirect LPT printer port to USB network printer. All you need is "one computer" network without any router or internet connection.

But how do I create the network environment. And how to connect LPT port to the network printer just by using the "net use" command or something else.

You can use "NET USE" command in DOS window of Windows 98. But first, it will be necesary to put a network card into computer for network enviroment to work.
 

Alokshah

"The network name cannot be found".

The command net use lpt1:\\computername\shareprintername /yes is not the real command sorry for not explaining
the computername = YOUR computer name
the shareprintername = the share name you give the printer

So to find your computer name type at the command prompt --> net view here you will find the \\computername
To find the sharename if you open the printer settings you can find a tab sharename
use this name in the net use lpt1 \\yourcomputername\hereyoursharename /yes
If you don't have the share name tab look at the following link and follow this steps
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/usingwindows/work/articles/906Jun/Shareprinter.asp

Good-Luck

Dan

I tried using the net use command but it says that "Network not responding properly" So the Net Use command does not work. And like I said my software does not have any usb port setting nor my printer has a usb port. So some how I need to redirect everything to USB printer.

How about the Ports tab under the printer properties?

for ports I have COM1,COM2,FILE,LPT1,USB001(Virtual Printer port for USB)

I also tried using "net use lpt1 \\home\dell /yes

home being my computer name and DELL being printer share name and it gave me an error saying

This operation cannot be performed to your own computer.It can only be performed on server

And I am running Windows 98.

I don't know what the problem is.

You are right. I get the same error on Windows 95.
The problem is, local network printer redirection is possible on newer windows versions only.
It is not possible to redirect disk drive also. So net command is useless.

It is possible, your DOS softwere prints to LPT port directly, simply bypassing bios and dos fonctions. In such case it is not possible to redirect printed data in any way.

I heard there is LPT to USB converter, but it works properly only in 10% of cases. It costs less than 5 EURO in Poland.

This is not true running myself win98 and here it is possible to do this command

can you type net use and see if there are any results and post them here

Also just try the net use command without the /yes

Dan

To be true, I did not try to redirect LPT port to network printer on Windows 98. But  received the same error message:
"This operation cannot be performed to your own computer.It can only be performed on server"

Maybe it is possible on Windows 98 SE, while it is not possible on older Windows 98.

For-Soft

Strange because i was just reading an artikel that it also is possible in 95 Nice problem !!

Dan

In some versions have to use a colon after the lpt command so command has to be

net use lpt1: \\home\dell /persistent:yes

This command has to work in all versions of 98 but is indeed not working in lower versions of windows

Danny

You cannot capture your own shares on Win 9x.

Where to Start
The first step is to install the USB printer normally into Windows. Once the printer is installed and the obligatory test pages print correctly, proceed to the following steps.

Assign the printer a shared name. Generally this happens during installation, but if you skipped that step or somehow installed the printer without giving it a resource name, do that now.

Share names should be alphanumeric (the first letter must be an alphabetic character). Even though share names can contain spaces, I recommend not putting spaces in resource names. The reason is because it's more difficult to use commands like:

net view \\my computer name  

If the Network Nazi for your system insists on names with embedded spaces, here's a way to do it:

net view \\"my computer name"  

Next, pick an unused LPT port.
At the operating system prompt, enter the following command:

net use  LPT1  \\computer_name\HP  /Persistent:Yes

where:

LPT1 is the name of the printer port. Note that a colon (:) does not appear after the port name on the command line.

\\computer_name is the name of the computer that is attached to the USB printer.

HP is the resource name of the USB printer.

/Persistent:Yes denotes that this connection should be reestablished when the system is rebooted.

The above command line can be inserted into the autoexec.bat or network login script, whichever is most appropriate for your installation.


To verify that the connection was successful, use this command:

net view \\computer_name

After the LPT port has been associated with the USB port, open the printer configuration panel (Start | Settings | Control Panel | Printers | Right Click on the Printer | Properties) and change the data stream from RAW to Text mode. Use these steps:
Choose the Advanced tab or button
Choose the Print Processor button
In the Data Type section, change the data type from RAW to TEXT.
Apply and Close the printer panel.


To test that the printer has been successfully configured, at the command prompt, execute:
dir > lpt1:

Small directory listings won't have enough information to force a page to eject, so you might have to repeat this a couple times to get a page to actually print.


Deleting the Connection
To delete the LPT port connection, use the command:

net use LPT1 /Delete
 

Scott. You cannot capture your own shares on a windows 9x machine.

Oh clever. Rather than using the name. Unfortunately, I am on Windows XP Pro, which DOES allow you to capture your own shares.

I'll have to remember this.

Richard.

glad to help there are many ways to skin the microsoft cat

I can't do it in Windows 95. Don't know about 98.

I thi k this works in 98 se

Yes, You can do it on the same PC the USB Printer is installed.

Steps to follow:

1. You have to edit the hosts file in your windows directory e.g. c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc(for XP), c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc(for W2k) and add the following entry
YOUR-SYSTEM-IP COMPUTER-NAME
Now save the host file.

2. Use following command
(For Temporary Basis)
Net Use LPT1 \\computername\printersharedname

(For Permanent Basis)
Net Use LPT1 \\computername\printersharedname /yes

I have tested it on my PC(XP) and it works fine.

Enjoy.

Ali Arsalan Junejo
Pakistan  

LOL RTFM ;)