How do I test a Serial Port

[DeonH]

Hi there.

I have a good suspicion that my on-board Serial Port has been permanently disabled by lightning. My on-board LAN was also permanently disabled by lightning.

I need to use a serial port for my UPS to communicate with my PC and visa versa.

So, I have bought myself a Vantec USB to Serial Adapter.
The manual does not say anything about Win 7 but also did not moan about incorrect installation or something.
So now I have, after restarted my desktop PC, ran the "Auto find Com Port" maybe 10 times. It could NOT find the UPS. Is there some way I can test to make 100% sure that my newly acquired USB to Serial Adapter is working?

Thank you so long.

Deon

 

[upup]

Did you install the converter driver.
Then , switch pc off. Connect device. for xp, you go to control panel, device manager, ports and see if your device is there [say com1]. then put your ups on that com port.

The ups will not stop surges, unless it have that feature.
Will only keep pc on after power drops.

 

[DeonH]

hi Robert and thanx for yor reply.

it is Win7 and I have already done everything you have suggested.

Deon

 

[chopsuey]

Is there some way I can test to make 100% sure that my newly acquired USB to Serial Adapter is working?

A simple test is to short/bridge pin 2 and 3 on the serial port adapter. ( this will connect RX and TX pins together and create a simple loop-back connection)

Fire up a terminal emulator and make sure hardware flow control and local echo is turned off (settings 8N1 , any speed)

Use Terminal program to connect to "virtual" com port and type something into the input/send window.

As you type, each character will be displayed in the terminal Receive window. If you remove the bridge/short no characters will be displayed on the screen as you type. (if pins are bridged and local echo is turned on, you will see each character being repeated twice on screen as you input data)

As I said, this is only a basic test and do not test stuff like the RTS/DTR/etc pins.