For your USB/parallel unit to work you need the parallel equivalent of USBCOM.SYS - USBPAR.SYS?

?
Somewhere I've read USBPRT should work for USB/Parallel bridges (this bridge
only work with printers, even on Windows)... That's why I've asked.
In some ways it is unfortunate you went the Intel route as there are several motherboards for the AMD processors that have both parallel and serial ports. I've recently been through the process of building a couple of machines that required both parallel and serial ports. Both machines have AMD multi core processors - one 4 core, the other 6 core, also both have 4 GB ram, could go to 16, because that is more than enough for their intended purpose.
Well, I went to Intel route for one single reason: every Intel motherboard I
have found is able to run eComStation in SMP mode... not quite the same
with MB for AMD processors (in fact, I have not found one yet). I know there
are boards which will work ok... but I was not in the mood for gambling.
(And it is not that easy to "select whatever board you want" in Brazil...
most motherboards simply cannot be found in the market).
I am telling this because I am not a big fan of Intel processors and
chipsets - the computer where I am writing this is an ancient Athlon XP 2600+
on a ASUS board with nVidia chipset... which is still working nice.

It will become my backup hardware.
I am trying just to take a safer route... which doesn't mean I'll be successful.
Heheheh... Maybe the new machine not even boots eComStation. :?
Rob's idea of the HP etherjet adapter may be the only way that you will be able to run your printer, although if you have a NAS box with a USB printer port you might be able to use your adapter with that but the setup could be a pain.
Hummm... Well, I will try to find one. I have searched for a LaserJet 5 ethernet
adapter, but no luck so far. They are not common in Brazil, and whenever
someone has one to sell, it's not for less than 200 dollars.
Anyway, my other printer, HP CP1515n, works very well through the network.
It would be nice do the same with HP LaserJet 5, too.
