USB printer

[patrickt]

I have a basic computer with an Intel processor and motherboard. I built it about two years ago so it isn't the cutting edge. Yesterday I bought an HP Laserjet 1020 printer.

I have four USB ports at the read of my computer and none will run the printer. I have a powered USB hub plugged into one of those four USB ports and the printer works when plugged into the hub. Sooo, I'm guessing the USB port doesn't have enough power.

Is this something that can be fixed or am I stuck till I get a new computer?

[juppy]

Does the printer not have a power adapter of it's own? I've never seen a laser printer that runs solely off of USB power.

[XenaWP]

If it works when plugged into the hub, isn't that your solution?

[TwoRails]

Yes, it has a wall plug and draws about 3.5 amps according to it's spec sheet. Perhaps it needs both?? I don't know why it would, though...

[glc]

The printer will not work without being plugged into the wall. It is definitely NOT a USB-powered printer.

[patrickt]

Of course, it's plugged into the wall. And, I can use it with the hub but it would be more convenient to have it plugged directly into the back of the print. I use the hub for other devices.

The only difference I can see between plugged into the mother and plugged into the hub, which is plugged into the motherboard, is power.

[sgtspector]

That usb hub is powered with 5 volts just like the usb ports on your motherboard. It is very unlikely that the power is the problem. Do the ports on the motherboard work for other devices? Maybe the ports are no longer working or the power pin is bent or broken off the connector.

[patrickt]

The ports work fine for some devices, such as the keyboard, and don't work for other devices, such as my new mouse and my printer. They all work well with the hub, which is plugged into the USB ports on the motherboard.

It seems to me the USB hub is simply a pass-through device, except with power.

[glc]

Right - it ensures the full 500ma of power is available on ALL ports.

[Staren]

How old is this computer? And what is the model of the printer? If the USB ports on the computer are 1.1 and it's a somewhat cheap new printer, it might not have enough speed on 1.1 USB to be happy if it wasn't designed as well as it could've been. Putting it on the hub might be working around that problem.

[patrickt]

Home-built computer two years ago. Intel 915 motherboard. HP Laserjet 1020 printer.

[patrickt]

I'm not sure why but I got it working. This morning I tried USB ports and kept getting the same message that the device wasn't recognized and then discovered that apparently the drivers are port specific. I entered the drivers again for that specific port and it works.