I bought a manual switch box so I could use two printers with my Compaq desktop. I hooked up everything, but the printers won't work. Whether I switch to A or B it says the printer is not ready. No instructions came with the switchbox. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

My experience has been that you don't do much but sort of like putting your answering machine between your jack and phone or putting your VCR between your cable and TV. Two printers into back of switchbox, one cable from switchbox to printer. Bother printers must be "connected" in Printers-Setup to the same port. If you have HPs, I believe you might (tho I'm not sure if it's true) need to have a "special" or "expensive" cable. I've heard more than once that if you don't have the "better" cable, they just don't work. I think my cable cost a few more than the old generic one. I have a scanner and printer on a switchbox, and the printer and external Zip are on one cable. No problems.

What kind of cable did you get to connect the switch box to the PC? The most common cause of the error you are describing is getting a cable that has 25 pin connectors on the ends, but actually only has 9 pins inside it (a standard serial or modem cable). A printer needs more pins than that - you need a 25 pin wired straight through cable.

Okay! I think this info is correct: First of all both printers work when hooked up individually to the computer. The cable I have to go from the switchbox to the PC has 25 little pins in each end. Both printers go to LPT1 printer port. One printer is a Panasonic and the other is a Xerox. Thanks for trying to help!

Ok, so the cable has 25 pin ends - does it have all 25 wired inside? The package that you purchased the cable in should say what it is...

Everything else sounds right - so, either the box is bad or the cable isn't right.

I didn't buy the cable. Someone gave it to me. So I don't know. If I buy one, please tell me exactly what to buy. Thanks so much!

You want a 25 pin to 25 pin wired straight through cable. You'll have to look at the ends on the existing cable to see if you need a male to male or male to female though.

Don't let anyone sell you a "modem" or "standard serial" cable - these will only have 9 pins wired inside them, as the one you have now (I assume). Check the thickness, you should see that your current cable is much thinner than your printer cables - the right cable will be almost the same thickness.

The one I have now is a lot smaller than the printer cables. Thanks so much for your help! MLH

I got the right cable and it works! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! mlh
Now my sister wants me to ask a question for her. She has an older laptop, Compaq LTE ELITE. The roller ball has a mind of its own, and is hard to control at times. What can she do about that? Thanks!

I would suggest that you re-post this one in the Win9X Hardware where you will get more responses..

Thanks for letting us know that your original problem was taken care of..

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