Many printer that require bi-directional cables do not work well, i.e. usally
some error message occurs if you use a switch box and even more so if you use a
pass-through connection on a scanner, zip drive, etc. The reason is because of
the data timing. This is also the same reason you cannot not use a total cable
length of over ~20 feet. It takes too long to get the message and the printer
gives an error message. HP seems to be the worst for this from my experience
even if you use their scanner with pass-through port. Go figure <G>

Daniel Wysocki
Twin*.*Star Computers

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From:  Elliott Ryder [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]

        Not quite the same question as last week. If I have a Lexmark 3200
printer
which requires a bidirectional cable, what will  happen if I use a
non-bidirectional switch box to couple it and an Epson 570+ Dot Matrix
printer to the computer? What will happen if I daisychain the Lexmark
printer with a UMAX scanner, 1200P; the daisychaining works fine currently
with the Epson mentioned above. The technicians at Lexmark  tell me that I

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