i am trying to change my breakout bored from parallel port to usb or Ethernet im confused the smooth stepper looks like a separate drive for the parallel  port  breakout bored am i wrong or what whats the best way to go ?

The alternative to parallel port operation is an External Motion Controller. There are a number of different External Motion Controllers for you to choose from but, from reports given by others, the Ethernet versions are preferable to the USB versions.
In addition some External Motion Controllers work only with Mach3, some only work with Mach4 whilst others work with both Mach3 and Mach4 - everybody seems to have their own preference.

Perhaps do some research and forum reading to help you decide on which type or make is best for your application.

Tweakie.

the more i read the more confused i get

I will make wild assumptions...

Mach3
Not using an advanced THC like an MP3000-DTHC2 (if using plasma)
Windows operating system


I would get a UC100 motion controller - it plugs into your existing BOB and converts connection to USB.

I have just used my first unit and it works perfectly and very easy to set up, but as I assumed above will not work on advanced THC units I think.

Takes 10 minutes to install.

as i can see smooth stepper convert your parallel port BOB to  Ethernet on my PC is the write or wrong ?

I upgraded to the Ethernet Smooth Stepper, CNC4pc's BOB, and PMDX-134.
I previously had a parallel port.
I chose the ESS because for ME being a HOBBY user it was widely approved.
I chose CNC4PC so I would have access to all of the ESS's ports.
I chose the PMDX-134 for ease of installing the Gecko drives.
All the above companies have great support for my needs.
Hope this helps.
olf20 / Bob

But that is installing more components and more £££ or $$$

If its a simple install with average BOB already, a device like the UC100 is just one component and you are up and running USB in no time.

Very true. I was only giving my situation so the original
poster could have more information. Just what I did.
Worked for me.
Thats the great thing about CNC stuff today. So many
options.
olf20 / Bob

The SmoothStepper can be plugged in exactly the same way as the UC100.
Way back when I was Beta Testing the USB SmoothStepper on my Bridgeport I would change between PP and SS simply by shutting Mach down, hauling the PP cable from the computer and plugging it into the SS then restarting Mach and choosing the SS plugin rather than the PP driver.

Hood

if i was to go smooth stepper i could use more than one breakout bored for auto tool change and other stuff