Help needed - Using a USB to serial adapter

[dsm]

One of our newcomers (HelpMeBreath) has a laptop with a USB port but no serial (9-pin Serial).

He also has a Vpap III that has a serial port & normally this can easily be connected to a PC via a null modem cable.

I have not actually tried using a USB to serial adapter (although I think I have one in a cupboard) but I know others here have used them.

Are they straight forward to set up. Does he need to do any fancy config in regard to the USB port the adapter connects to or does it just show as a particular com port ? (I seem to recall there may be a need to access some driver settings to set speeds etc: )

Do these adapters need software drivers ?

Has anyone else got a USB to serial adapter working with Resscan software ?

Cheers

DSM

[dunnwes]

I purchased the IOGEAR USB 1.1 to Serial/PDA Converter Cable from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000067VB7 for my GoodKnight machine. I think with the Windows XP you just need to insert the plug into the USB port. It did include the driver software if needed.

I just make sure that I use the same port on my computer each time I plug it in.

I have not had any problems with it. Worked every time I have used it.

Wes

[HelpMeBreath]

This looks like just the ticket. Thanks for posting that.

[billbolton]

Are they straight forward to set up.

Usually they are.

I don't think it will matter for the relatively simple serial comms that is likely to be needed in this instance of communications with a flow generator, but for some serial communications applications (particularly for real-time control purposes) the common USB to serial convertors can cause problems. This is because they simulate a UART (serial comunications hardware chip) in software, and that does matter in some cases.

Cheers,

Bill

[ozij]

I needed a driver for mine, and the driver lets you select which com port you're emulating.

No problems running Sliverlining on an XP pro laptop.

O.

[ColinP]

I've used some that worked out the box with no need to install drivers, I've used some that needed drivers to be installed first and I've had one that wouldn't work on the PC I needed it on even after the drivers were installed. It worked on another PC, and the converter from that PC worked fine when swapped over.

Mostly it's a fairly painless process though.

Colin