Parallel port facts for kids

The parallel port was a special connection on computers that allowed them to talk to other devices, like printers. Imagine it like a multi-lane highway for data! It was called "parallel" because it could send several bits of information at the same time, side-by-side.

This type of port was very common on computers for many years. It became an official standard called IEEE 1284 in the late 1990s. This new standard meant the port could send and receive information, making it more useful.

Today, you don't see parallel ports much anymore. Newer, faster ways to connect things, like USB and FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394), have taken their place. Also, many printers now connect directly to computer networks using Ethernet.

The parallel port was first known as the Parallel Printer Adapter on IBM PC-compatible computers. It was mainly designed to work with printers that printed text. However, it could also connect other devices. Later, printers that could print pictures and many other devices were made to use this port.

Images for kids

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  A 36-pin female connector, often found on printers.

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  A Mini-Centronics 36-pin male connector (top) and a Micro ribbon 36-pin male Centronics connector (bottom).

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  An Apple II Parallel Printer Port card. It connected to a printer using a special cable.

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  An HP CD-Writer that used parallel ports to connect between a printer and the computer.

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  An Accton Etherpocket-SP parallel port ethernet adapter from around 1990. It allowed older computers to connect to a network.

See also

In Spanish: Puerto paralelo para niños