Selecting the Best Type of Printer for Your Setup

The following information compares parallel and serial printers.

Parallel Printers

Parallel port speeds vary greatly, but are mostly much better than serial port speeds. Here are some characteristics of parallel printing:

• Much faster than serial
• Ten feet maximum standard distance; some cables guarantee 150 feet
• Limited error checking but relatively error-free
• Interrupts set by the installer
• Universally compatible

Laser printers that seem otherwise similar may have varying maximum parallel port speeds. Consult with your printer vendor if this is a major issue for you.

Serial Printers

Here are some characteristics of serial printing:

• Transmits data more slowly than parallel
• Standard maximum distance 25 feet; some cables guarantee 500 feet
• Has better error checking capability
• May require less expensive cabling
• The installer sets interrupt, XON/XOFF, parity, baud rate, data bits and stop bits

See Cabling Printers for more information.