Two Printers, One Computer
I have a laser printer and an inkjet printer. How do I connect them both to one computer (by cable)? |
This should be pretty easy to do, unless both printers have the older style parallel port connectors. I say that because some computers have two parallel ports, but it's not common.
Modern computers typically have at least four USB ports, so if both printers have USB style connectors, or even if one uses a USB cable and the other a parallel cable, then you can just plug them both into the back of your computer, install the printer software, and you're done.
If you have two printers that require a parallel port connection, and only one parallel port on your computer, there's another option you can try. A parallel to USB adapter lets you plug your old parallel port printer into a USB port.
 USB Printer Cable |
 Parallel Printer Cable |
 USB/Parallel Adapter |
This article was posted by Bob Rankin on 13 Jul 2007
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Most recent comments on "Two Printers, One Computer"
Posted by:
S. Jack Lewtschuk
18 Jul 2007
Will printers work if they are connected to a USB 2 hub?
EDITOR'S NOTE: I don't see why not...
Posted by:
JOS MESSING
27 Jul 2007
HOW DO YOU DO THE REVERSE-TWO COMPUTERS ONE PRINTER
Posted by:
Gurmeet Singh
05 Nov 2007
I Have one computer and two printer one dot matrix and other bar code printer i want to give print command and simultaneously both the printers should print dot matrix on plain paper and bar code printer on labels, how can i do that
EDITOR'S NOTE: There's nothing built-in to Windows for that. I think you'll need some custom programming to make that happen.
Posted by:
Ken Kish
22 May 2008
I have the same situation as you mentioned in your Q&A - two printers (1 laser, 1 inkjet) connecting to one computer via USB. The Laser is the problem. The inkjet works fine.
Even though the usb ports are separate, when I install the laser it tries to install to the same USB virtual port as the inkjet. One is on USB001 and I choose USB002 to install, it still puts the laser on USB001. The installation completes, but when I print to the laser it tries to print on the inkjet and its garbled. If I manually change it after the install and print a test page, it doesn't send it at all and I get an error. Any advice would be greatly welcome. All the snickers you want on me!
EDITOR'S NOTE: I would try uninstalling both printers, then install the laser on USB001 (where it seems to insist on being) and the inkjet on USB002.
Posted by:
Michael Lucifer Gray
25 Apr 2011
I have one computer, two printers, an Epson and an HP. The Epson connects via USB and the HP via serial port. The HP and the PC are not communicating despite my attempts to download drivers, check the cable and even check the connection inside the PC itself. Does the active printer have to be designated as the default printer? I only want to use the HP now and then. Do I have to keep switching the default settings? I tried to print small documents, large ones, txt files, PDFs, wrd, files and even pictures. The PC keeps saying it cannot communicate with the printer. Yes, I've turned it off, waited and turned it back on. Nothing seems to help. I'm running WIN XP and the HP is an Officejet T45 All-In-One. Please help.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you remove the Epson and connect the HP, does it work?
Posted by:
Becky Weisenberger
02 Feb 2018
I have a Kodak All in one printer and was given a HP Deskjet 3700 All in one for my birthday. Can I use one for printing pic's and the other for everything else?