serial to usb ports

[Ratz and company]

🙄
just got a new computer and it does not have any serial ports. My
GPS and PDA are both serial port units. I bought a converter cable,
down loaded some PDA drivers but can not get the things to work
together. I could not even find software for my magellan 315 to work
with the USB port. PLEASE HELP. I am fairly computer literate but
this is beyond me. Thanks in advance. Pam, ratz and company

[greyhounder]

I had a similar problem with my first PDA. The hot sync cradle was serial. I bought the serial to USB connector, but could never get it to communicate with my Mac! In the end I could use it with my old laptop, but now I no longer have that laptop and have a new PDA with a nice USB cradle.

That was my solution. So no help, but lots of sympathy.

Bec

[EnergySaver]

I’m wondering why you had to “download” drivers?

I’ve purchased 3 such units (1 at home, 2 at work) … in a 3 cases the unit came with a driver CD … all 3 times it worked right out of the box, using the CD that came with it.

This is the most recent unit we purchase … a whole $14 and it worked great … nothing to download … I quote: “The onboard, proprietary circuitry under the DB9 hood guarantees 100% compatability with all serial RS-232 devices. Installation is easy.” … http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=767105

[bandits]

We also purchased a serial to USB converter. We had to install the converter as a seperate device before loading our device drivers. Also, the converter will only work in the USB port it was originally set up on, you can not plug it into just any com port. We are running XP with service pack 2.

Bandits

[Johnny Cache]

Another option would be to add a PCI Serial Port card. A couple of months ago I added a combination (Parallel/Serial Port) card to a PC and it did the trick. I picked it up from Newegg for $13.

Newegg has the single serial port card for $7.99. (RC-300)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815166003

[Jeremy]

@Ratz and company wrote:

I bought a converter cable,
down loaded some PDA drivers but can not get the things to work
together. I could not even find software for my magellan 315 to work
with the USB port.

With a converter cable attached and the driver for it properly installed, you should have a new COM (serial) port in Windows with a high number like COM5. You can treat this as if it were a “real” serial port with a low COM number… to other software (like GSAK, Palm Hotsync manager, etc.) you specify that you have a serial connection and give it the COM number assigned to the converter. There is no need to download different (USB specific, etc.) drivers or software for your devices.

How do you tell what the COM number was assigned to the USB to serial port converter? Usually they appear in Device Manager under “Ports”… this quote from a web page explains how to get there:

Open the Device Manger to confirm the port is installed correctly. This can be opened either through Start->Control Panel->System then select Hardware tab and select Device Manger in the middle right of the window or if there is a My Computer icon on the desktop then right click on it select Properties and this will bring up the System window as above select Hardware tab and Device Manager. Click the + sign beside the Ports(COM & LPT). With a USB connected receiver there should be a “USB Serial Port (COM X)” listed as one of the devices.

Send me a PM if you need more assistance…

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Boy…. I’d love to help on this one, but I still have issues of my own!

[Author]

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