Choosing a cable for the HP printer

There are many aspects to consider when choosing a cable for your HP printer. The purchase of a cord is based not only on the printer model, but also on the type of cable and its length. This article will discuss the purpose of wires for the HP printer, as well as the types and selection criteria.

Sometimes it happens that the cord that came with the device is lost or damaged. In this case, you need to purchase a new cable, which is better to buy in specialized computer stores. Printer wires are divided by type of destination. Power cords are for powering the equipment and are connected to the mains. They have a plug on one side and a 2-pin connector on the other.

A USB cable connects the printer to other devices to transfer information. Modern USB cables are Plug and Play. Thanks to the interface, the computer automatically recognizes the connected printer, its model and searches for the necessary drivers for correct operation. All this is done without user intervention.

There are LPT wires. This type of cord is designed to transmit a signal at a speed of 12 Mbps, which is sufficient for multitasking work. The network patch cord is used to connect the printer to the network. It can be a local Internet network in an apartment, house or office.

Types of wires for the HP printer:

• parallel wire;
• USB wire;
• power cord;
• LPT cable;
• patch cord.

A parallel cable has a USB connection, but is significantly different from a regular cable. A regular USB cable is equipped with a typical connector that everyone is familiar with from a USB flash drive. The parallel cable has several standards and three types: regular, micro and mini USB. The choice of cable is based on a number of requirements and data rates.

The parallel cable and the USB cable are used for power and connection to the computer. For HP printers, the first option is preferable. The transmission speed is much higher due to the support of the parallel data transfer LPT port. When buying a parallel connecting cable, you should check with the seller that you need an interface cable, not a network cable.

The power cord is used to connect the printer to the mains. Some wires have a power adapter that is compatible with a particular model. The use of a power supply from other equipment is strictly prohibited. LPT wire is considered to be an older option. However, it is still used to connect office equipment to a computer. The transmission speed is sufficient for a stable signal and for many tasks. The disadvantage of such a wire is its length - no more than 1 meter.

The network patch cord connects the printing device to the internet. The cable has a second name - Ethernet. This connection option is no worse than a USB connection. The cable consists of insulated copper conductors. All wires are twisted under a protective, flexible plastic layer. The thickness of the wires is 1.5 mm. Despite this, the conductors are strong and reliable. The length of the patch cord varies from 30 cm to hundreds of meters. Leading cords are suitable for almost all models.

When choosing a cable, you need to decide on the length.The assortment of computer stores has wires of various lengths that allow you to connect devices at the required distance. The optimal wire length is 2-3 meters. There are cords up to 5 meters. It is important to choose a suitable length so that you do not use adapters and extension cords in the future. When installed, the quality of the signal transmission is lost, and the operation of the printer may be disrupted.

Also it is worth paying attention to the data transfer rate. This option is selected based on your printer model. The quality of the wire depends on its width. The wide cable has a high data transfer rate. The HP printer uses a high speed cable. When choosing a USB cable, you need to pay attention to the connection standard. A USB 2.0 A-B cable is the optimal solution. There is a higher standard, 3.0. The difference between the interfaces lies in the speed of data exchange - 370 Mbit and 5 Gb.

The optimum length for the USB cable is 1.8 m. There are wires 3 meters long. But it is worth remembering that the shorter the cord, the better the transfer of information. The presence of ferrite rings on the cable is an important factor when choosing. The rings are capable of reducing noise emissions as well as suppressing electromagnetic interference. A large number of ferrite rings on the cable are characterized by clear and fast information transfer. Another aspect when choosing a cable for an HP printer is shielding. Thick, durable wires have high signal quality and long service life.

There are criteria for choosing a power cord. The power cord can have multiple conductors. The thickness of each of them should be 0.5 millimeters. The higher the value, the better the cable. When buying, you need to check that the bending does not leave marks on the insulation. If the cable is deformed or small cracks appear, then you should not purchase the product. The material of the mains wires is copper. Such a wire is safe and able to serve for many years.

The choice of wire is based on the purpose and model of the HP printer. There are different wires for different purposes. They have their own characteristics and features. The choice of wire for the printer must be done with great care. The cable must comply with the technical requirement. The device and cable must be compatible. Poor selection can lead to malfunctions and malfunctions of equipment.

How to install and connect a printer using a cable, see the following video.