Question StarTech components and lies

[Raul_McCai]

Linux Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS
Trying to run my HP llaserjet5 A beast of a workhorse printer that uses a parallel port.

I've purchased StarTech components before when I ran windows and I purchased one very recently that is advertised to run on Linux
It is a PCIe parallel port card PEX1S1P950 .
I had two chats with their support . The first guy, after expressing shock and awe that it didn't work, that the drivers would not compile when I followed the directions. the very first command would not work - well the first guy said some nonsense about the kernel not being supported.
Mind you they don't ask for the kernel right off and there is nothing in the advertising material that speaks to which kernel you have.
But he claimed that because the kernel doesn't have "LTS" he says they don't support it.
My kernel is 5.15.0-46-generic Does anyone have LTS in the kernel identifier?
Going once - - - -going twice - - -

Then he told me that maybe the downloaded drivers had a hiccup in the download and to try it again. I did, no joy.

The next guy seemed like he was really trying until he looked up my dialog with the first guy and just repeated the nonsense about the kernel.

So the StarTech PCIe card does not work on Linux in spite of them claiming that it does

Oh and the cards I've purchased for Windows applications in the past also did not perform as advertised.

BUT to be fair I do have a windows 7 Home premium OS on a drive that I use for some software for which there is no Linux corollary and the card does work on the windows OS when I use the Windows drivers. but the drivers they have for Linux Will not compile and they have the weakest of excuses as to why. I think they are lies.

 

[kanewolf]

Linux Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS
Trying to run my HP llaserjet5 A beast of a workhorse printer that uses a parallel port.

I've purchased StarTech components before when I ran windows and I purchased one very recently that is advertised to run on Linux
It is a PCIe parallel port card PEX1S1P950 .
I had two chats with their support . The first guy, after expressing shock and awe that it didn't work, that the drivers would not compile when I followed the directions. the very first command would not work - well the first guy said some nonsense about the kernel not being supported.
Mind you they don't ask for the kernel right off and there is nothing in the advertising material that speaks to which kernel you have.
But he claimed that because the kernel doesn't have "LTS" he says they don't support it.
My kernel is 5.15.0-46-generic Does anyone have LTS in the kernel identifier?
Going once - - - -going twice - - -

Then he told me that maybe the downloaded drivers had a hiccup in the download and to try it again. I did, no joy.

The next guy seemed like he was really trying until he looked up my dialog with the first guy and just repeated the nonsense about the kernel.

So the StarTech PCIe card does not work on Linux in spite of them claiming that it does

Oh and the cards I've purchased for Windows applications in the past also did not perform as advertised.

BUT to be fair I do have a windows 7 Home premium OS on a drive that I use for some software for which there is no Linux corollary and the card does work on the windows OS when I use the Windows drivers. but the drivers they have for Linux Will not compile and they have the weakest of excuses as to why. I think they are lies.

I would suggest you just buy the network interface card and put your printer on the LAN. Those old printers, you can buy used network cards for $20 on E-Bay.
Check your printer manual for the supported part numbers.

 

[Raul_McCai]

etwork interface card

thanks for that. network interface card like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Port-Gigabit-Network-Express-Ethernet/dp/B09D3JL14S/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=network+interface+card&qid=1661471804&sr=8-4

What do I plug the printer into?
a parallel print server? Like this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1154909190...QSfZAibV0K8CQtZmXKHGNi4+0P5z|tkp:BFBMjKqZ99pg
or this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2523207764...nXOJa3013CA8xyRXffLTmJ0EVj|tkp:Bk9SR4qqmffaYA

 

[kanewolf]

thanks for that. network interface card like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Port-Gigabit-Network-Express-Ethernet/dp/B09D3JL14S/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=network+interface+card&qid=1661471804&sr=8-4

What do I plug the printer into?
a parallel print server? Like this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/115490919065?epid=2164333826&hash=item1ae3cb9299:g:tz0AAOSweNli88yM&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA4E7RWx06YTdvDK2C5FLjmaNLo9J5kwPzg01I4nR+iZSTUCXRi7nE0rNnUR9FIG0fxhViCC39OczWwM/rrzidYks/HPCYRG9+rqe72Y0ywIyUpDIa2clonyOe6htf5YaZ2ZctAqSo+s8+6pDEr15PywPIA3RjAzamUSjn6Z0ySuGdZNeKSgiM48usMHQjw0id2jO4rvJ21jAnwdcNqjZp0VfWx2KWYraNl7Ywsbgs/TGjI00/djPQ8A+Qgwy7sRB9ae6FlFDTkEDF+02eQSfZAibV0K8CQtZmXKHGNi4+0P5z|tkp:BFBMjKqZ99pg
or this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/252320776473?epid=18033642374&hash=item3abf7d8119:g:qcEAAOSwci1cyLPE&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA4KBbc59y8k3/o1JqMnHIRw74LYADLmRivlUHAcN829ZPtsDXoi34JzRGIugujRChGxNTsKI0idng9Egv3RGPnnXtAM5BcoxgVnl5wMMikj3b/Rt6pA0EqOmoI81w+4MNPTJgovqmK2DE0fzADijH/G4FPed6OkS5vHMpUeLQkRH0pvSlpnI8/7+5x6qqAwEPdq0icyN+OGjEjBiPt2cB4v2NPNrizJroqiRNkPXYmrJoHjY4WoQz1Si+mwMFozdhxNIvYbFNA6nxUmHaPHnXOJa3013CA8xyRXffLTmJ0EVj|tkp:Bk9SR4qqmffaYA

It has been a while, but I think the lasterjet 5 will support a jet direct card in the back of the printer. Something like this -- https://www.ebay.com/itm/184066798490

 

[Alabalcho]

So the StarTech PCIe card does not work on Linux in spite of them claiming that it does

It work(ed) for their Linux installation. it's true that 22.04 LTS rought some changes in character devices support (renamed fields in struct's etc) which makes just recompiling a kernel driver problematic.

I have similar problem with serial port card, and this keeps me on 20.04 LTS for now, until I find the time to recompile their driver for 22.04 (and time to down the server where this serial port card is installed on).

 

[palladin9479]

The ancient and venerable HPLJ's that refuse to die off, I swear when the world ends it'll only be cockroaches and HPLJ's remaining.


As kane mentioned there should be a network port on the back, and if not then you might be able to hunt down a JetDirect card that adds one. HP JetDirect is amazing in that it "just works" with very little OEM driver shenanigans.