Using the LPT Port Connection
The LPT port on your motherboard can be used to connect an older style of printer to the computer.
The LPT port contains a 25-pin layout. If you want to add an expansion bay, you can connect it to the motherboard using this LPT layout. Attach the expansion bay to the back of the computer and run the connector cable to the motherboard's LPT port.
Sean advises that LPT is not the best way to connect a device such as a printer. Most new printers use a USB connection, which is faster and more convenient. Whereas a USB connection works as soon as you connect the devices, an LPT connection requires that both devices be powered off before you connect them.
References
Meet Our Experts
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Sean Hewitt
Meet Sean Hewitt, a Mahalo Software expert. Sean has spent most of his career in computer construction and repair, working intimately with every version of Windows (from 3.1 to Windows 7) in the process. "Coming from a consulting and repair background," says Hewitt, "I can better understand computer issues and education from a user's perspective."
