USB to serial converter

emeryco · Post by **emeryco** » 23 October 06 10:28 pm

I have a simple USB to serial port cable. Is there software to make my PC see this as a com port so I can connect to my etrex?
Otherwise I will go ahead and order a cable and software from GPOZ. I just thought I would try to get this cable working first.
Any ideas gratefully received.

Team Piggy · Post by **Team Piggy** » 23 October 06 11:03 pm

It may help if you possibly posted what exactly it is. EG Brand, model etc.

If you have those details try google for those names/numbers with drivers or software at the end , it should find everything you need (if they exist that is!)

riblit · Post by **riblit** » 23 October 06 11:08 pm

emeryco wrote:I have a simple USB to serial port cable. Is there software to make my PC see this as a com port so I can connect to my etrex?
Otherwise I will go ahead and order a cable and software from GPOZ. I just thought I would try to get this cable working first.
Any ideas gratefully received.

What operating system is on your PC? If its Windows XP, the cable could work without a special driver. I'm sure I just plugged mine in and it worked.

Team GeoCoopers · Post by **Team GeoCoopers** » 24 October 06 10:03 am

emeryco wrote: Is there software to make my PC see this as a com port

Did it come with drivers ?

emeryco · Post by **emeryco** » 24 October 06 10:20 am

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. The conversion cable that I have is one that I found in my "box of wires" I think a work laptop supplier included it when we got our first lap top with no RS232 port. It has never been used and did not come with a driver. My laptop is a fairly new toshiba with Windows XP. My etrex works OK using GSAK and my home computer with a serial to etrex cable (that I made up with a little plug from Brian at GPOZ). I am thinking its probably best to spend the $50 and get a new cable with software from GPOZ as long as I know it will work OK. Suprised there is no USB cable that connects straight to the laptop and the Etrex

Cheers ..... Emeryco

riblit · Post by **riblit** » 24 October 06 10:41 am

When you plug the USB cable in, does the computer detect a new device?
Have you looked under com ports in device manager to see if the serial port is there?
Have you tried booting the computer with the USB device attacted?

emeryco · Post by **emeryco** » 24 October 06 6:12 pm

I am not all that literate with device manager etc. It looks like I have a Com 1 port and that the PC recognised a USB device (unknown) when I plugged in the cable with the Etrex connected. It says that it doesn't have a driver for the connected device.

juzmac · Post by **juzmac** » 24 October 06 10:17 pm

Sounds like it needs the vendor drivers to get it working (even under Windows XP) which is surprising as Riblit already noted, Windows XP is pretty good at recognising everything...

If you're not sure of the vendor, you could try runing a Windows Update and check the hardware section to see if Microsoft have a driver for you (will need to do it with the USB converter plugged in and device manager showing the device as unknown still)... I've used that method a few times at work with success.

Cheers
Justin

emeryco · Post by **emeryco** » 25 October 06 12:28 pm

Thanks everyone for the help. I managed to find a driver (probably not the exact right one) that worked on the USBgear.com website. I now have a com port 7 that I didn't have before and it works!!

Geocaching Australia

USB to serial converter

USB to serial converter

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