IBM ThinkPad and Garmin Geko

Aushiker · Post by **Aushiker** » 12 September 04 11:49 am

Hi

I have a Garmin Geko 301 and a IBM ThinkPad laptop. The IBM does not have a DB 9-pin serial port. Rather it has a DB 25 pin port. I have tried a RS232 Serial Port Adaptor DB25 pin to DB 9-pin to make the connection to from the laptop to the Geko, but ExpertGPS does not find the GPS.

Anyone have any ideas on how I might get the connection happening

At the moment have a work around of a old desktop, but it is not online so involves burning CD to transfer data etc.

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

GammaPiSigma · Post by **GammaPiSigma** » 12 September 04 1:34 pm

Hi Andrew,

I have a Magellan so I don't know if this would apply to a Garmin. I use a USB to RS232 adapter, Jaycar cat # XC4835. It works fine between my Mag the desktop and the Dell notebook I use for caching. The adapter comes up as a com port and I just set the port in which ever application I am using. The Jaycar description states that it is for Win98 but it works on W2K and XP for me.

Hope this sheds some light on your problem.

Mike.

EcoTeam · Post by **EcoTeam** » 12 September 04 6:41 pm

There is no electrical difference between a D9 and D25 serial port, so either your D9 to D25 adapter is cactus or you have the wrong serial port chosen in your options. Try COM2 or COM3 settings. Laptops often have the mouse set to COM1 for instance.

It's uncommon for a laptop of any vintage to have a D25 serial port and not a D9. Sure it's not a Female D25 parallel port?

EcoDave

pyrenees kid · Post by **pyrenees kid** » 12 September 04 7:44 pm

EcoTeam wrote: It's uncommon for a laptop of any vintage to have a D25 serial port and not a D9. Sure it's not a Female D25 parallel port?

EcoDave

I have the very same laptop and the 25 pin is the female printer port and it cant be used.
What I have is a Belkin adapter that converts USB to the 9 pin. Sorry I cant give you the model number as its mounted our of sight in the car.

Aushiker · Post by **Aushiker** » 12 September 04 7:51 pm

Thanks for the suggestions. I suspected the 25 pin port was printer only as it is female as has been indicated. I will try changing the ports but pretty sure I did this before. Otherwise will get the USB converter.

Thanks for the help.

Andrew

alex · Post by **alex** » 12 September 04 11:44 pm

I think you will need a USB/Serial adaptor (available most electronic shops or Carto Graphics {08 8357 1777}) from your laptop USB to the GPS serial cable and try setting Com port 3 or 4 in the download program.

Aushiker · Post by **Aushiker** » 29 October 04 4:58 pm

malapertmike wrote:Hi Andrew,

I use a USB to RS232 adapter, Jaycar cat # XC4835. It works fine between my Mag the desktop and the Dell notebook I use for caching.

Mike.

Hi

Sorry for the delay in replying, but got a chance last week to get into Jaycar and got the recommended adapter. Works sweet, as long as I use the same port each time (otherwise wants the software reinstalled)

.

Thanks Mike for the suggestion. Life is such much easier now.

Andrew