[Dx4win] Multiple parallel ports with DX4WIN and WindowsXP

[Larry Gauthier (K8UT)]

I have three auxilliary devices (TopTen Devices antenna switch, ARSWin 
antenna rotor control, WaveNode remote wattmeter) that connect to my 
computer via a parallel port. Two of them (TopTen and ARSWin) are controlled 
via settings in DX4WIN.

The computer is a recent model Dell running Windows XP sp2. Unfortunately, 
DX4WIN ( or the control software that came with these 3 devices ) only 
functions when the controlled device is connected to LPT1 - the built-in 
motherboard LPT in the Dell. So -- ALL three devices/software work when I 
define them as being on LPT1; but NONE of them work when configured for 
either LPT ports #2 or #3.

I have purchased two PCI parallel port cards - the Byte Runner (dual serial, 
single parallel) and the NetMOS single parallel. I have spent countless 
hours trying to get these additional parallel ports to resemble "legacy" 
parallel ports, with selectable memory addresses. Unfortunately, Windows XP 
wants to "help" by intervening with its virtual port addressing... which is 
what seems to be defeating the software in DX4WIN, ARSWin and WaveNode. My 
diagnosis is that although the Windows Device Manager reports that these 
extra ports are on LPT2 or LPT3, they are not at the expected direct memory 
addresses that the vendors' software expects.

If anyone has successfully installed multiple parallel cards under Windows 
XP, and managed to get DX4WIN (or other software) to connect to those ports, 
I would love to hear from you.

-larry
K8UT