When choosing a cable for the printer, you need to consider many nuances. This includes not only the model of the printing device, but also the type of wire and its length. Consider the features of the choice and how to find out that the cable is selected incorrectly.
Printers have long come into the everyday life of every working person, and are also actively used at home. Using a printer, you can print not only documents, but also take a lot of photos on special photo paper without going to a photo studio. Most printers are connected to a computer, from where the task of printing with a cable is directly conducted. But there are modern devices that work using the Wi-Fi network, because technological progress does not stand still.
Printer wire features
The printer usually comes with the wire that suits it in all respects. But often it happens that he is lost, out of order, mechanically damaged or his length is insufficient for convenient use of the device. Therefore, in specialized stores from the available variety, you can choose the appropriate power cable for the printer. It is important to purchase it in specialized stores of computer equipment that have certification for the goods and provide a certain guarantee.
Typically, the length of the wire for connecting the printing device to the computer is 2-3 m. The maximum length can be 5 m, which directly affects not only the price, but also the quality of data transfer. Its appearance and coloring can be very diverse, which does not affect the functionality.
One end of the wire with the appropriate size is inserted into the computer, the other into the printing device. But you should understand that after connecting it is important to install printer drivers, and only after that you can start the printing process.
Power Cord and Interface
When choosing, for example, a wire for an HP device, it is important to focus on the need for an interface rather than a network cable for the printer. Often they are distinguished by color. So, for the interface connection, the wire is gray, and for the network - black. But it could be the other way around.
They also have a USB connection. It can be a micro or mini connector, which depends directly on the technical features of the typewriter.
Types of cables
Most often, cables for the printer, which are produced by leading manufacturers, are universal. That is, they are suitable for different models and types of devices. The external interface wire with Mini Jack is suitable for all typewriters. The same can be said about the products of the parallel port.
LPT may not be available, but the power cord, which is suitable for all computer equipment, meets common standards.
The wider the cord, the higher the quality of its work. Wide wires are also called high-speed.
Selection factors
When choosing a cable for the printer, it is important to pay attention to the interface, the length, the data transfer speed and the correspondence of the selected wire to the model of the device.
What to look for when buying?
- The generally accepted standard is a wire for a USB 2.0 AB printing device (if you select a different type, it is possible to reduce the data transfer speed or operate the machine at incomplete power).
- Length - it depends on how far the printer will be installed from the computer (the average wire length is 2-3 m, but there are cables up to 5 m long). It is important to choose the appropriate length, since in the case of installing adapters or extension cords, the quality of information transfer is lost, the operation of the device itself may be impaired.
- Ferrite rings on the cable, which come as an addition, will not be superfluous. They cope well with noise currents, that is, reduce the influence of various electromagnetic interference (some modern printer models will not work without such an addition). The more of them, the clearer and faster the transmission of information, since there is no interference in this case.
- When choosing a cable for connecting the printer, it is important to pay attention to the marking, which determines the data transfer speed, as well as to additional screening of the cable.
How to determine the length?
Before deciding which cable is needed for the printer, you should pay attention to its length. The shorter the wire, the better and better the data transmission through it occurs, especially with regard to the USB connection. But not all users have enough of one meter, so the average cord length is 2-3 m.
Users note that a five-meter cable most often fails and data transfer is intermittent. The optimum length for good and high-quality cable operation should be 2-3 m, no more. In addition, the shorter the cable, the lower its cost.
How to choose a USB cable for the printer?
Now almost all modern devices come with a USB cable. If it is improperly selected, the data transfer speed from the computer to the printer is reduced, and the printing device itself may not be recognized by the system, even if the necessary drivers are installed.
When choosing, it is worth paying attention to the marking, which indicates the following:
- HIGH-SPEED 2.0 - data transfer rate.
- 28AWG / 2C + 28AWG / 2C is the American standard for measuring conductors, which, depending on the length of the wire, can be from 20 to 28.
- IEEE1284 is a set of specific requirements established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The marking on the wire should correspond to standard sizes:
- 28 AWG = 0.81 m;
- 26 AWG = 1.31 m;
- 24 AWG = 2.08 m;
- 22 AWG = 3.33 m;
- 20 AWG = 5.00 m.
Sometimes manufacturers do not adhere to standards, which is fraught with poor-quality and unsatisfactory operation of the device in the printing process. It may be noted that some printers think for a long time before starting printing. Most often this happens with the wrong choice of wire, and not from technical problems in the typewriter itself.
It is also worth paying attention to the appearance of the USB cable for the printer. The thicker the shielded wire, the higher the quality of its work, and fewer cases of failure.
Also, on each wire there is a ferrite barrel, which is responsible for minimizing interference during operation. This is not such an important indicator, but its presence will not hurt.
How to find out that the cable is selected incorrectly?
If you select the wrong cable for the printer, the following messages are possible that are displayed on the computer:
- port error LPT1;
- despite system requests, the printing process on the printer does not start;
- no two-way data exchange;
- paper is not being picked up, or, conversely, several sheets are rolled through the cartridge at once.
The nature of the errors allows you to track the service functions. In case of physical damage to the wire, which happens during prolonged or incorrect operation, the print job is not sent at all. In this case, the reasons must be sought in the cable itself, it may be damaged.