Parallel Ports

A parallel port is used to connect external devices such as scanners and printers. The 25-pin port is sometimes called a printer port. It’s also known by the gruesome name: IEEE 1284-compliant Centronics port.

The port is sometimes also called more simply a “printer” port. There are two variants for this type of interface. The ports look exactly like the traditional parallel port but are called ECP (Extend Capabilities Port) and EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port). These interfaces are ten times faster than the older printer port and can support two-way data so that computers can ask for information from a printer as well as send it.

Add a second parallel port to your PC: Startech parallel port adapter

Connectors index – Serial port – Parallel port – USB port – PS/2 port – DB15 video port – Power port – Modem port – Ethernet network port – Firewire/IEEE 1394 port