How to Connect a Printer to an HP Pavilion

By Stephen Lilley

Older printers connected to computers via a type of data transfer cable called a "serial" cable. To use these printers, your computer had to have at least one serial port installed on its case. Now, printers connect via a regular USB data transfer cable. This means that if you want to connect a printer to your HP Pavilion desktop computer, all you need to do is have an available USB port on the HP ready to be used by the printer.

Locate the USB printer cable that came with your computer printer. This cable will take one of two forms. Some printers come with a cable that has a regular USB input on one end and a dedicated printer input on another. Others come with a cable that has a regular USB input on both ends. Both types of cables will work with the HP Pavilion desktop.

Insert the end of the printer cable that looks like a USB plug into a USB port on the HP Pavilion. If both ends of your cable are identical, it doesn't matter which end you use.

Insert the other end of the printer cable into the printer's data transfer port. Typically, this port will be found near the printer's power cable. Consult the manual's diagram of the printer to find the specific location. Once this connection has been made, the printer is now properly connected to the HP Pavilion desktop computer.

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