I have a Dell XPS system running Win. XP Media Center. I have an old HP LaserJet 4 printer running from the parallel port. After a lightening storm my parallel printer port stopped working. The printer runs normally with another computer so I know its not the printer. I need to know if I can connect the printer through the serial port. My computer has a nine pin male serial port and the LaserJet has a 25 pin female serial port. Do I just switch the printer port setting from LPT1 to COM1, and where can I get the correct serial cable? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Another option would be a USB to parallel adapter. Several companies sell them.

Several years ago I used a HP LJ 4's serial port to print out results from MOSTLY HP test equipment and that worked fine. But I SEEM to remember some quirks to using the serial port with NON HP devices.

Look for an HP JetDirect internal card for the printer or a JetDirect Converter box which converts the printer to ethernet. Then you just PLUG it into the router and install the JetDirect driver software. I've got a 300x and it works GREAT. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetdirect