USB to Parallel cable not communicating with CNC machine? Virtual port issues?

[sportjet]

Hello.

I recently bought a CNC-Multitool 4-axis hot wire foam cutting machine and I have it all assembled.

This machine uses a parallel port for communications, however my computer does not have one. I bought a USB to parallel adapter thinking that this is all that would be needed to allow the CNC machine to communicate with the computer, however I still have not managed to make that happen.

The adapter cable shows up in the Device Manager (I use Windows XP) in the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section as "USB Printing Support", not as a virtual port in the Ports section.

The cable did not come with any software and I do not know what to do now.

I have gone through the Mach 3 options to see if there was any setting that I could try to tweak to see if I could make them communicate to no avail. I have also tried DeskCNC and Jedi Cutter. None of them seem to communicate with the machine.

I could be wrong but I am pretty sure that the problem is the cable and/or its lack of software to turn it into a virtual lpt port.

I am looking for any suggestions and I need to get this machine working ASAP.

Help, please

Thank you

sportjet

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[Kenny Duval]

Nope. Won't work. You need an actual hardware PP or you ne something like smoothstepper or UC-100 if you want to use USB.

[sportjet]

Nope. Won't work. You need and actual hardware PP or you ne something like smoothstepper or UC-100 if you want to use USB.

Smoothstepper?

[Kenny Duval]

Smoothstepper

If you have a PCI-E slot you can just add a hardware card.

SYBA PCI-Express 1-Port Parallel/Printer Card with Low Profile Bracket - RoHS Model SD-PEX10005 - Newegg.com

[sportjet]

Smoothstepper

If you have a PCI-E slot you can just add a hardware card.

SYBA PCI-Express 1-Port Parallel/Printer Card with Low Profile Bracket - RoHS Model SD-PEX10005 - Newegg.com

Its a laptop, so no free slots.

I'll See if I can source the UC-100

[s00073055]

Its a laptop, so no free slots.

I'll See if I can source the UC-100

If your laptop has an express card slot you can use this I use it for software which uses a software security parallel port dongle other option get desktop with parallel port.

StarTech.com 1 Port ExpressCard Laptop Parallel Adapter Card - SPP/EPP/ECP - 1 x | eBay

These express cards are not all the same some work and some do not.

[sportjet]

Wow, this is an interesting option...and cheaper than the UC-100 too.

Anyone see a reason not to use this?

sportjet

[Kenny Duval]

As long as it presents to the OS as a physical PP and gets a hardware address there is nothing wrong with using it.

[s00073055]

has you laptop got the express port slot? the express card for a software dongles needs to be bi directional or it will not work i hope this info helps.

[mactec54]

Wow, this is an interesting option...and cheaper than the UC-100 too.

Anyone see a reason not to use this?

sportjet

I have tried a few different Express cards for laptops,like this, ( waste of money/time even trying them ) and they do not work as they should, the UC100 is your best choice and they run really great

[A_Camera]

Wow, this is an interesting option...and cheaper than the UC-100 too.

Anyone see a reason not to use this?

sportjet

I can see plenty reasons for not to use it, though I have not tried it before. My main reason is that for just a few more money you can get a MUCH better solution, which is also more universal.

Get a UC100 or UC300 instead and you will never regret it. I don't have the UC100 but have a UC300 and that is just outstanding. The disadvantage of UC300 compared to UC100 is that there is no case, but you can put it in any box you like, so that's not a problem. The HUGE advantage of the UC300 compared to UC100 and many similar solutions is the HUGE number of inputs and outputs you get with the card which you can use any time in the future, in case you want to upgrade your machine. I have just recently upgraded my CNC from using parallel port to using the UC300 and I could never be happier. I decided to make a control box and I still have a huge number of inputs and outputs for future expansions. My CNC runs also faster (about 50-60%) and much smoother than it did using a PCI parallel port of the same desktop computer. I managed to replace that old desktop with a laptop with the UC300 also. One of the alternatives I looked at was a similar option you are looking at now, but I decided I will not take another chance with an unknown Express card with parallel port for my laptop so I went on with the UC300. No regrets about that decision.

Anyway, if you think the UC300 is too expensive I think you should still go on with a UC100, which is basically the same but has only one parallel port.

[ger21]

Wow, this is an interesting option...and cheaper than the UC-100 too.

Anyone see a reason not to use this?

Over the years, many people have tried this, and the results seem to be about 50/50. Some work, and some don't.