Subj : DIY Laplink cable results
To   : All
From : kirkspragg
Date : Fri Aug 15 2025 21:15:35

Hi everyone, hope your weekend has started off well & that your weekend is good to you.

So i got round to putting together the 5m long laplink parallel port data transfer cable. I ended up using the 'Parallel Transfer Mode 0' cable schematics from docs.kernel.org/networking/plip.html and used 3 parallel runs of some cheap 4 core shielded speaker wire from our local hobby electronics store:
https://www.jaycar.co.nz/4-core-round-screened-audio-cable/p/WB1510

Soldering 12 wires from 3 different multi-core cables into the DB25 plugs was a bit of a hassle & with three runs of cable between the plugs.  The cables barely fit in the plug housing -but they did fit with some light encouragement. I just tested it out & it works!

Getting around 20KB/s between dosbox running on my main PC and my 386DX40 & I think that a reasonably speed to get form the old standard parallel port in my 386, I'm stoked! 

Supposed I should put together a serial null modem cable and try that out as well. I expect the speed will be quite a bit less.

.... A friend asks only for your time, not your money.

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