Parallel to Ethernet port converter?

[5tephen]

A customer of mine has several machines in a workshop that all have parallel port connectors for downloading NC codes from a computer. At present there is a standalone computer out in the workshop with two 4-way switches to select which machine to transfer code to. What we want to do is transfer the files directly from the server in the office, and rather than running 10-odd parallel cables for 10's of metres (which parallel cable can't do anyway), it would be nice to have all parallel cables running into the same switch as before but then convert the switch connector from parallel to ethernet and run this cable into the office.
Suggestions would be appreciated. Would a parallel print port server do this sufficiently well?

 

[PinkFloyd]

Could you not just get a few Ethernet cards and use them? Should be able to get those for a few quid each now if you look around.

 

[bitslice]

(I'm assuming these are not PC's, the post wasn't very clear )

I'd use an ethernet print server at each machine,
then connect the whole lot to the office network.
I'm not sure what the shopfloor PC would do...


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at one point you say you want to get rid of the 10m cables,
then you say it would be nice to keep them ?

"NC codes" ?

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option two would be a 8 port serial card on a host PC,
with serial to parallel convertors at each machine

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