How to Connect Cables From a Laptop to a Printer

Parallel printer cable

A printer connects to a laptop in the same way it connects to a desktop. The connection process only takes a few seconds once you have determined what type of cord to use. Some laptops and printers may not have compatible ports, but the proper adapter will let you connect them, regardless.

Instructions

1. 

   The USB logo is often used to mark USB ports.

   Determine what kind of cable your printer uses. Printers will use either a USB cable or a parallel cable. The USB jack on your printer will be square with two angled corners and will usually have a three-pronged logo nearby. If your printer has a parallel port, it will be a wide rectangular plug with a double-sided row of metal pins down the center.

2. 

   USB ports on a laptop

   Find the plug on your laptop. Most newer laptops will have a USB port but no parallel port. The USB port on a laptop is rectangular insted of square, and one half has a plastic tab inside. The parallel port is the same size as on the printer, but will have two rows of holes

3. Connect the printer to the laptop with the appropriate cable. USB connections simply press into place. A parallel connector has pegs to twist to screw it firmly into the comptuer, and the printer will have retaining clips to snap the connector into place.

Tips & Warnings

• Newer laptops may not have a parallel port and will require a USB parallel adapter. The parallel cable attaches to the adapter the same way it would attach to a computer, and the adapter plugs into a USB port on the laptop. Older laptops may not have USB ports. A USB PCMCIA adapter can be slid into the wide PCMCIA slot on the side of your laptop to provide USB ports.