Serial-USB

Joe

It's been a while since I've had to think about this, but I've been looking at new, inexpensive laptops and it seems that most of them don't have a serial port. I remember way back that the USB-Serial adapters did not work with Netlinx Studio, but I'm not sure if anything has changed since. This would be for basic setup of IP in a master so I can then use ethernet to do everything.

Thanks.

Joe

vining

Wow, you haven't been looking at laptops for a while cuz I stopped finding DB9 serial jacks about three laptops ago.

I've been using an ATEN USB to serial bridge for years w/o any problems.

[Deleted User]

Dell still sells laptops with a DB9 connector. Mine is a Latitude D820.

The USB to Serial adaptor proven to work with Studio is made be Keyspan.

vining

B-Clements wrote:

Dell still sells laptops with a DB9 connector. Mine is a Latitude D820.

Was that a build option or a standard feature?

The ATEN GUC232A I use is made by IOGear.

LegacyUser

A DB9 serial port is standard on the Latitude D8xx and D6xx series. My D810 has one too.

bano

Joe wrote:

It's been a while since I've had to think about this, but I've been looking at new, inexpensive laptops and it seems that most of them don't have a serial port. I remember way back that the USB-Serial adapters did not work with Netlinx Studio, but I'm not sure if anything has changed since. This would be for basic setup of IP in a master so I can then use ethernet to do everything.

Thanks.

Joe

I use the keyspan usb to serial adapter....works perfect.

John Gonzales

I'm also using a Keyspan USA-19HS with Windows Vista with no problems.

--John

Marc Scheibein

Other idea would be a PCMCIA RS-232 card. They have a real UART chip, so it is a real RS-232.

Our experience is that a USB-Serial is working for simple things like terminal, but runs into problems i.e. for firmware downloads or diagnostics. This we found is caused by the fact that some USB-Serial adaptors are not capable to transmit and receive the same time (simple test: short TX and RX and check what's coming back...)

Other laptop with real RS-232 is from Acer Travelmate 6460 series (I applied the 6465 as my new notebook from our IT - hope I get it :-)).

Thomas Hayes

I had nothing but problems with my USB-serial interface so I got an unit that plugs into the same slot as my DVD player, works great !! All I need to do now is remove it if I need to use the DVD.

DHawthorne

I'm using the Keyspan as well; but once in a blue moon if I try to download from a device (like a Lutron system) at high speeds, I'll get a blue-screen crash. If I lower the baud rate when that happens, it's fine.

GSLogic

I had problems with the USB converter but since getting the PCMCIA RS-232 card, it works great..

ryanww

I have a couple like this:
http://www.usbgear.com/computer_cable_details.cfm?sku=USBG-4&cats=199&catid=199%2C461%2C106%2C1009%2C601

I have used them for a couple years, and I have yet to run into a time when they did not work. I have ran it at 115.2 kilobaud a few times as well and it has worked flawlessly. They are also cheap which is nice. It is any of the ones that use the FDTI chip for 232.

Ryan

RVance

I'm trying to capture IR codes with an IRIS and IREdit using a USB to serial adapter. Anyone have any tips or tricks for this? IREdit keeps giving me this error message: "Error getting com ports. Received the following error message: Unknown error occurred." and when I hit "Send" on the IRIS the nd led flashes at me. I have the IO Gear GUC-232A, and it works find loading code and IR files. I also have a Radio Shack USB to Serial adapter, but it seems pretty flaky, it keeps timing out when transferring large code files and ir files. I also have a Micro Innovations USB610A, but I can't find a free driver online for it, so I haven't had a chance to test it.

Thanks!

[Deleted User]

Signed MS Drivers

Make sure your adaptor has Windows drivers that are Microsoft XP signed and tested. I once had a cheap adaptor that only had 98 and NT drivers. It never did work properly so I ended up buying the Keyspan adaptor.

Prodigal

I've got myself an Asus with a RS 232 on it.
It's an Asus Z91F

Don't know if it was a limited edition or whatever tho. But Asus sometimes does Laptops with 1 conector optional, where you choose what you'll get there.

Had any luck at all with Serial-USB adaptors.

VLCNCRZR

serial port solution

Hey Joe,

When I got my newest laptop (6 months ago), I was able to locate
a dual-serial port card for the ExpressCard-34 size format.

The card is made by SIIG Inc.

It is a CyberSerial Dual ExpressCard.

Having 2 active serial ports comes in very handy.

Daniel Tehan

Serial ports

IBM has a plug in device that goes in the same slot as your CD/DVD drive on a Thinkpad. All of our service techs got them and say they are really nice, works just like a hardwired port, DOS prompt and all.

I have a Keyspan, haven't had it fail on me yet.

kbeattyAMX

vining wrote: »

Wow, you haven't been looking at laptops for a while cuz I stopped finding DB9 serial jacks about three laptops ago.

I've been using an ATEN USB to serial bridge for years w/o any problems.

I purchased an ATEN USB to serial but the master keeps going offline when I use it. I fiddled with the transfer buffers and now I can't seem to get it to work. I'm sure there is something I'm not doing right. It runs a console window just fine and RealTerm works. Model UC-232A

vining

I'm pretty sure that's the one I'm using (label is gone) and have never had any problem.