Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of IT Guy
IT GuyFlag for United States of America

asked on

URL to purchase Ethernet to 25 pin male parallel printer cable adapter box from Amazon or New Egg

Please provide me with the URL address to purchase a converter box that converts an Ethernet cable to a 25 pin parallel printer cable.

This needs to be used so that this box or adapter can be assigned an IP address and then it can have an Ethernet cable plugged into one end and a 25 pin male parallel cable plugged into the other end.

A picture with this type of printer cable is included below.

These used to be called ESI boxes.

User generated image
Avatar of John
John
Flag of Canada image

Parallel cables do not convert to Ethernet.

You can use a Print Server or Scanner Server where the printer or scanner has a parallel interface. I have done this a lot in past. HP make Print Servers.

What are you trying to connect?
Avatar of William Fulks
If you're wanting to network an old parallel printer you can use something like this, as John Hurst mentioned above - https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-PS110P-parallel-ethernet-Internet/dp/B003CFATR4/ref=pd_sim_147_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Y1C01KE9P3R00QH1Q6M7

If you could tell us a little more of what you're trying to accomplish, we could help better. I don't believe the cable your asking for actually exists.
Avatar of IT Guy

ASKER

There is no cable that does this.

It is a converter box where an IP address can be programmed into a network box and then this network box can have a male 25 pin parallel cable plugged into it (the type of cable shown in the picture).

The adapter shown in the posting by William Fulks won't work since the adapter connection shown in the picture won't allow a 25 pin parallel network cable to be plugged into it.
It must be a very non-standard parallel cable (that you infer is a network cable). So you need to go back to the converter box manufacturer and look for the conversion kit you want. I have never seen one like this.

Perhaps get a newer converter box?
Why do you think the adapter William Fulks provided a link to won't work?

It accepts an Ethernet cable on one side; and plugs into a parallel port printer on the other.    It's a standard network print server, so it will indeed have an IP address assigned via DHCP that your computers can access to use the connected printer.
@Knowledgeable  - Is your converter box a print server (answers abound here) or what is it?
Except for the JetDirect 300X, you're going to also need a 25 pin to Centronics cable.
The link from William Fulks is for a 36 pin centronics connector and you'll need an additional converter like the following.  https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Female-Parallel-Printer-Cable/dp/B008LTISFQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484712023&sr=1-2&keywords=25+pin+parallel
Of all of the devices posted, the 300X is the only one that will directly take a DB-25 cable. But I will warn again, it's an old, discontinued device that will only be found used or refurbished.

Everything else will require an adapter of some sort. Print servers with DB-25 connectors died out a while ago, so you cannot really expect to find them that commonly now.
As serialband noted, you have a DB25 parallel connection,  NOT a Centronics connector.    My mistake -- indeed the adapter William Fulks linked to is for an Ethernet to Centronics connector, so it will not work directly.    [You could of course add a Centronics -> DB25 adapter or cable.]
Avatar of IT Guy

ASKER

Actually what I'm looking for is a device like the DLink DP-300U print server (see the screenshot). But I only need one parallel port connection. Read the description of this device here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/D-Link-DP-300U-10-100TX-1-USB-Port-2-Parallel-Port-Print-Server-Unopened-/252724211059?hash=item3ad7896d73:g:i~MAAOSwopRYehWT

The adapters listed in the postings above won't work.

This has to accept the type of parallel printer cable shown in the screenshot that was posted with this question.

Please provide me with URL addresses of where I can purchase this type of print server from Amazon or New Egg.com that have only one parallel port printer connector.

User generated image
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of masnrock
masnrock
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
If the device does not have an Ethernet port (I don't see one) then you need to get a print server that does (HP)

You cannot covert printer parallel to Ethernet
Avatar of IT Guy

ASKER

masnrock,

I'm trying to find a print server that isn't quite as expensive as the DLink DP-300U model.

Do you know of any other such print servers that aren't quite as expensive?

As I have mentioned I only need to be able to plug in one parallel cable to it.
Look for HP print servers perhaps on eBay
Knowledgeable,

I gave you the HP unit earlier, but it's not cheap. The only products that exist that will suit your need WITHOUT adapters are going to cost considerably more than you want to spend because the few people who have them want to maximize what they charge. Another option would be to go somewhere like eBay or a thrift shop and you could luck out. Or better yet, find a local e-cycler.... something they will have them, but since they know nobody wants them, will charge very little for you to take it off their hands.

If you want something new with a warranty and has a reasonable cost, go with either William's suggestion or the Startech that I mentioned, and get the DB25-Centronics cable. Will save you a lot of heartache and money.
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
"... If the device does not have an Ethernet port (I don't see one) then you need to get a print server that does  " ==>  The DLink DP-300U linked in the posts above your comment DOES have an Ethernet port.   Is that what you were referring to ??
If it does, the connect the device to the parallel port and Ethernet to the network and configure it. Give the Print Server a static IP address and then address the computer driver to that IP. Works fine.
Here's something that costs less than $100, but bear in mind it will *still* be necessary to have the DB25-Centronics cable that I had mentioned earlier.

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Ethernet-Parallel-Network-PM1115P2/dp/B00HJZEAC8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484770396&sr=8-2&keywords=parallel+print+server
The cheapest print server was suggested by William Fulks, the very 1st link.  You just need the cable I suggested as well as Windows Systems.
@Knowledgeable - Lots of advice and solution here. Any feedback?