[melismak]

Hello!

I have a new printer (refurb HP 1200 laserjet). I am trying to get it to work with my airport express. However, it's a parallel port printer so I got an adapter that's USB on one side and parallel on the other and proceeded to plug it in to the AE.

I couldn't get it to work. Every time I tried to add the printer in the printer utility, I got the message "there was an error trying to add the printer -50." And it doesn't react at all when I try to print.

I'm sure I am missing something obvious, though I've set up parallel port HPs before with few issues. Please help! I'm sure I have neglected some pertinent information, which I can provide if prodded. Thanks in advance

[ghporter]

I would distrust that USB/parallel adapter in this problem. I think it's not that the adapter isn't working, but that it won't do what is needed. The USB interface in the printer is what your AE is looking for, not the adapter, and what data a parallel interface can provide back is very limited. Maybe a $20 ethernet/parallel adapter is more what you need for this printer. By the way, that little 1200 is a nice desktop printer.

[mduell]

Umm, yea, you can't just plug any generic parallel<->USB adapter into a printer and an Apple product and expect it to work... shell out the $$$ for a JetDirect if you want to use that printer over the network.

[melismak]

OK--tell me more about this JetDirect. I just looked it up on HP's website. I guess I need an external one, to connect via USB to my laptop? Am I right? I don't have a desktop to connect my printer to--this is a first for me, so that is making it more difficult.