How to Connect a Laptop to Switch Without a DB9
Although the serial port used to be the primary method of connecting peripherals, such as modems or networking equipment, to computers, USBs have since replaced it to become the new standard. Because serial devices are now much rarer, most laptops and desktops no longer have built-in serial ports to connect to serial devices. On desktop PCs you can add a serial card to connect a hardware serial port to your computer, but this option is usually not available for laptops. Instead, you can use a USB-to-serial converter to add a serial DB9 connecter to your laptop to enable communication with a serial device.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Purchase a USB-to-serial converter online or from a computer or electronics store. These low cost interface leads have a USB connector at one end and a DB9 serial connector at the other.
-
2
Purchase a null modem cable, which is a special type of cable with the transmit and receive pins at one end connected to the opposite pins at the other end, allowing the serial port and device to communicate with each other. You can usually purchase these with the USB-to-serial converter, and again, they should be fairly inexpensive.
-
-
3
Plug one end of the null modem cable into the serial port on the switch and the other end into the serial connector on the USB-to-serial converter. You can connect either end of the null modem cable to the switch as the cable direction is not important.
-
4
Plug the USB plug on the USB-to-serial converter into a USB port on your computer. Some converters are auto-detected by Windows, which automatically installs the drivers. If Windows cannot detect your converter automatically, install the driver from the CD provided. Once installed, a virtual COM port is added to your system that can be used in any applications that require a serial port.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Change the settings for the virtual COM port from the "Ports" section in the Windows Device Manager if necessary.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Medioimages/Photodisc/Valueline/Getty Images
