How to Connect Serial Cables for File Transfers
Serial cables transmit secure data between digital devices, such as two computers, a computer and printer, or PC and a Personal Digital Assistant, or PDA. Serial communication is a useful option for data transfer because almost all computers are equipped with one or more serial ports and only a single cable is needed to do the job.
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Instructions
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Attach the plug on one end of a serial cable to a free port on the back of a computer or other device with the wider end of the plug turned upward. The nine holes in the plug must be aligned with the nine brass pins inside the port on the back of the computer or other component.
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Tighten the locking screw on each side of the serial plug to secure the connection to the device. The screws tighten clockwise by hand.
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Connect the plug on the other end of the cable in the same manner to the other device.
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Turn on the components and prepare for the data transfer by double-clicking the name of the file-transfer software on the computer.
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Tips & Warnings
Connect serial cables together for an extension, or use a longer cable to avoid moving computers closer together.
Serial port connections are secure but slow for data transfer. This type of connection is not recommended for transferring enormous data files such as digital video from one device to another.
