Adding a Serial Port

Question

Hi everyone.  I have had an XPS Gen 5 for a few months now and I am trying to add a serial port.  I have tried a serial PCI card with two sockets but cannot get this recognised.  I have since bought a serial port backplate with a cable to plug into the motherboard but this socket, located using the handbook, is a [ : . : : : :] configuation but the cable supplied with the serial port backplate is [ : : : : : ], but only uses nine pins.  Any suggestions as to where I can buy the correct cable to socket set-up?  I have twice email tech support for help but other than an acknowledgement heard nothing in the last two weeks.  When I did call I got told to buy a PCI card and that was all.  Surely if it is described in the handbook then it should be available. Thanks in advance Ian

Georgia_Rebel · Answer

I know this sounds stupid but did you use the manual search for new hardware and choose the device and when it came to loading drivers choose dont search...and then you show the path to the drivers,,weither they are on the hard drive or a floppy or a cd...sometimes this will work...sometimes it dont...also have you tried to install it in safe mode....be sure to turn off virus scanners when you install any drivers..they can cause problems when installing drivers...specialy video and sound drivers

also you can go here http://groups.msn.com/HardwareJunkies/general.msnw join this group and get some if the best support for all PC questions and problems....its free...and its rum an managed by a few PC techs......I have been a member there for years and have gotten great help from others ....

Message Edited by Georgia_Rebel on 10-16-2005 01:36 PM

ianhatten · Answer

Sorry G_R, just read your reply, don't know what happened to the 'notification email'.  Looks like I might have to try a totally fresh install in Safe Mode. Thanks Ian

tc3tc3 · Answer

ianhatten, I have the same question / issue (see my post of Oct 28).  I bought a PCI adapter card with a parallel port and 2 serial ports.  My computer recognized everything and the resources weren't conflicting, etc., but only the parallel port actually worked.  The serial ports didn't.  You can try a USB to serial adapter, which is an extra expense too, but it may be worth it.   Can you post more specific info on the cable/port you bought?  I can't find any other info except for the short and uninformative blurb in the manual, and nothing on the Dell website.   Thanks, Tony

ianhatten · Answer

Hi Tony

I cannot see a USB adaptor working for what I need. It is a pocket PC that connects only via serial port and when I run ActiveSync on the new PC it does not find the pocket PC connected via a dedicated USB sync/charging cable. I have even tried IR, this works with the old PC as I am able to change the connection type after it has been established, but until I can get the pocket PC established to the new PC I am stuck.

What I bought was from Lindy (www.lindy.co.uk ) and is a PC Serial Port Backplate part no. 33135. It is meant to plug directly into the motherboard but my motherboard connector has a pin configuration of [ : . : : : : ] 2 x 6 pins with 1 missing. The cable on the end of the Serial Port has [ : : : : : ] 2 x 5 but, I have been advised, has only 9 pins connected. I have even tried sending photos of what I am looking for to another supplier but no luck there either. I don't know this motherboard connector is unique to Dell but it might mean another call to tech support.

tc3tc3 · Answer

No, the adapter is USB-to-serial: http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1104139&Sku=C250-1162, for example.  (I bought mine locally for C$13.99 as these things are readily available at any decent computer shop.)   As for what you bought, I have a few of those lying around, and it was clear when I opened up the case that the new interface is different, as you note.  No, this is something Dell should be able to provide or at least make the spec'n available so we could go out and find something.   However, why, when I called and spoke to customer service, was I not alerted to this option?  I didn't bring it up in order to not confuse the situation (and the cust.svc.rep.), but I would expect it as a question when diagnosing a serial port problem.  Maybe another call just for this......   [Aren't there any moderators watching these threads?  Anyone?  Bueller? :smileywink:]   Cheers, Tony

ianhatten · Answer

Hi Tony

I have seen this sort of thing but assumed that it would act the same way as the "USB Sync" cable I have just bought and that ActiveSync would not detect the Pocket PC as it is only meant to be able to be used via serial connection.

Ian

tc3tc3 · Answer

Nope, it's a regular serial port, RS-232 standard, just that it is connected via USB, rather than on the motherboard by cable or expansion slot.  My Dell detects it no problem, but, like I said, it just doesn't do the communication stuff, which is why I thought it may have been some Win XP software issue.

ianhatten · Answer

Ah, I assumed that anything connected via USB would "automatically" identify itself to the main pc. I was under the impression that because the pocket PC was old it would not identify itself via USB. When I try to run ActiveSync" it goes through the process of checking and I get the message "Your device was not detected" and the undernoted reported back for the COM ports:-

1 Not available

2 Not available

4 Available

5 Available

Infra Red not installed

USB is available

If I get nowhere with tech support I might have to resort to putting pen to paper to someone higher up.

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Adding a Serial Port

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