[SOLVED] printer connection question

Hi, I just had to replace my printer. The new one uses an USB cable. I only have 2 slots on my computer for a USB cable and both are in use. Is it possible to add more USB plug ins or attached an adapter of some kind to my printer and plug it in to another type? Is a ASB PCI host card the thing I would need to buy and if so, how would I install it? Thank you for your help in advance.

 

You can buy a USB hub and that should take care of the problem. Plug the hub into your PD and external devices into the hub.

 

Yes, you can get a USB hub. You plug it into one of the ports, then plug USB devices into it.

 

Thank you both for the super fast reply.

 

Well, nuthin aint easy is it? I got the USB hub and plugged it in my pc. I plugged in my 3 devices. They are my printer, a kodak camera/docking station and an Amazing Box (a converter box used to transfer embroidery designs to disc). I then attempted to reinstall my printer. It starts to install files then stops. When I open the Amazing Box it opens but gives me the message "cannot open com port to access converter box. The camera opens but sits there doing nothing and looks as if I have no camera. What did I do wrong? When I look in Device Manager the Amazing Box was listed under USB device but now isn't. I need all 3 things. Any suggestions?

 

Try disconnecting everything, the hub and all devices. Then shutdown and restart. Plug the hub in, is it recognized and installed?

 

Thank you AcaCandy. I just tried that. I replugged in the hub and it showed up in device manager. I then restarted and tried the Amazing box first. After plugging that in the hub has a yellow ! on it and says "due to hub transfer request failures, a hub has been disabled. Check computers cabling and devices then restart computer".
This Amazing box worked fine until I started trying to add a 3rd device with a USB connection. The hub has a little plug in on the side of it that looks like a power connection place possibly but none came with it. At any rate, it seemed fine until I tried to plug something into it.

 

The hub is going to more than likely need to be powered. I know there are some cheapie $5 after rebate hubs out there, but you are going to have to have it powered.

You could try plugging the Amazing box into the other USB port on the computer. Then plug the other two devices into the hub.

 

I plugged the printer into the hub port on the computer and the Amazing box into the hub. The printer installed and printed a test page but in device manager it still has a yellow !.
The Amazing box now loads without the error message but the selection keys are dead. I don't have the camera plugged in right now.
BTW the amazing box is now listed under USB in device manager and so is the hub. They were there before.

 

I think we'll still have to get a powered hub, however, you can play around to determine which is drawing the largest power by plugging two that work back into the computer direct, go to device manager and I believe somewhere there on each device you should be able to see how much it is drawing. I am assuming that the printer has its own power source? What about the amazing box? Sorry, I don't have time to google so it's easier to ask you

 

What brand/model computer do you have. What brand/model uSB hub did you buy? A USB port has 500mA available. A scanner, digital cameras and other devices CAN (not always) draw UP TO 800mA. You should use a "self-powered USB hub, plugging it into one of the USB ports on your computer and the power supply into the electrical outlet ( a self-powered hub is ~ $30.00). The printer should be plugged DIRECTLY into the other USB port on the computer. I'm not familiar with the "Amazing box", but I know there are incompatiblities/some problems with some digital cameras (some Kodak) and trying to run through a hub. What version Windows are you using? How much and what speed system memory? How many watts is your power supply?

 

I am clueless as to some of your questions. The ones I know how to answer are
computer+Compaq Presario 5441
Win 98SE
USB hub=Asound
printer does have a power cord as does the camera dock. The Amazing box does not
I don't know how to answer the rest.

 

I see SL has signed off. Can you test this setup:

Hub into computer
Amazing device into computer

other two devices into hub.

 

Just tried that setup but still not working. The printer opens but gives the message that it "cannot communicate with the computer"
Amazing box opens but in 1 sec the keys die and are unusable
The printer icon on the lower right of my screen now has a red ? on it

 

Ok, can you get rid of the hub for the moment, and go back to a setup that used to work.