Auto Parallel switch probs

[em]

Hi
I go sick of having to switch bewteen my canon laser LBP 460 and my HP deskjet 710C so bought an auto parallel switch box. I have all the leads plugged in, but now cannot print from either printer. Are there special drivers, or programs needed to run this switch box correctly. I would think it needs to be told somewhere which cable runs to which printer?
Thanks for any suggestions. Emma

[Gameguru]

There shouldn't be a switch or anything that I know of. What model are you using? Does the switch have led indicators and if it does are they relaying(flashing in sequence)?

[Platypus]

Parallel switches can be cranky with modern Windows based printers. Has the switch been proven to be operating, on another system or with a simple dot-matrix printer? Is there any claim for the switch that it should function properly with Enhanced ports and Windows bi-directional operation? If it is a plain Parallel switch the printers may not be able to communicate properly with their drivers. Another thing to try is the alternative Parallel port settings in the BIOS setup. One may offer a protocol that will keep both the switch and the printers happy. Also will the switch allow either of the printers to function on its own? Different brands of printer may interfere with each other's operation through a switch.

Edit: For cable query below, yes normal printer cables from switchbox to each printer, straight-through (pin-for-pin) cable from PC to box (not a Laplink cable or similar...). Make sure the "switch-box" cable is a pin-for-pin connection.

[em]

Hi
The switch box has no brand name or model type listed on it. It just says AUTO SWITCH PARALLEL. It was bought 2nd hand but in working condition. It has 2 leds, neither of which lights up. I will try looking at the BIOS settings and see if I can do something there. The other thing is I have used a "switch box" cable between the box and computer, but just standard printer cables between the 2 printers and the box. Are these the correct cables to use, or should they all be specail switch box cables.

[Sowulo]

I haven't used one of these in ages but the ones I used did require software to ensure the correct printer driver going to the correct port on the switch....

[DonJ]

It depends on the switch box. The cheap Auto ones that I've seen were designed for two or more PC's to share one printer. It would take the first active port and route it to the printer...when that print job was finished, it would then wait for the next active port. It doesn't work the other way around with two printers on one PC. It is possible that is what you've got...
Concerning your cables, <a href="http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/bpd05815.html#P75_1669" target="_blank">the product specs for your DeskJet</a> specifically state that you need a printer cable that supports bidirectional communication (IEEE-1284-compliant). Go here to read up on <a href="http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/bpl02455.html" target="_blank">the IEEE 1284 Parallel Interface</a>. Lots of good background info there...

[Platypus]

If it won't work, or it turns out to be for using one printer with several PC's, you could install a second printer port instead. You can get a PCI parallel port easily enough, but if you've got a spare ISA slot in the PC, you should be able to get a used multi-IO card for practically nothing. If you get one with the printer port mounted on the card, set it to LPT2 & jumper off all the other functions, you wouldn't have to switch between printers, just set the one you use most as the Windows default & select the other one in the Print dialogue the times you want to print with it. If the drivers don't offer LPT1/LPT2 selection, you may need to re-install one of the printers.

[MacGyver]

[quote]Originally posted by DonJ:
<strong>The cheap Auto ones that I've seen were designed for two or more PC's to share one printer....It doesn't work the other way around with two printers on one PC. </strong><hr></blockquote>

That's exactly what I was thinking. We used to have one of these at my High School. Two IBM PS/2 model 30's sharing a single dot matrix printer.

[TheLow1]

I had one and it never worked. Platypus beat me to it on adding another port. That is really the way to go.