Printer Cable

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What Does Printer Cable Mean?

A printer cable is a type of computer cable used for connecting a printer to a computer. It is used for transmitting print commands and functions from the computer to the printer. The cable has a connector at each end.

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Techopedia Explains Printer Cable

A printer cable works by connecting one end of the cable to the printer and the other end to a computer port. When a user sends a print command, it is transmitted via the printer cable from the computer to the printer, which then prints the data. The cable is also used to send back information and other messages from the printer to the computer, such as the ink level, printer and paper status, etc.

Printer cables are available in different types that vary in size, quality and transmission technology. These include serial, parallel, USB and FireWire. Serial and parallel port cables have mostly been phased out, and USB is currently the most common cable technology used in printer cables.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology expert

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.