[Gllug] USB -> serial converters

[Julian Somers]

On 22:54 Sun 03 Sep     , Mike Brodbelt wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'd like to but a USB to serial converter. I want to be able to
> connect my laptop to various serial kit, mostly Cisco network
> hardware, and Sun and Linux machines. I've never bought one of these
> before, and I've no idea what the support is like, apart from seeing a
> list of hardware in the kernel configuration - but I'm sure there must
> be at least a few people on this list that use console cables with
> some regularity :-).
> 

I bought dozens of these things recently, just the cheapest ones from
ebuyer. Almost all of them have been PL2303, and worked fine.

Almost all: I have had three out of one box of 10 which use an FTDI chip
(forget which) which I could not get to work (didn't try very hard,
though). Unfortunately the FTDI ones are identical on the outside to the
pl2303 ones, so it seems manufacturers just use whatever cheap chip
works with windows, without changing model number. 

Serial port roulette. Fun!

> Does anyone have any recommendations? They don't appear to be that
> expensive, but I'd rather avoid having to return ones that don't work
> properly.... and I'd also like a cable long enough that I don't have to
> actually crawl into the rack to use it....

I've never found a long one. I use USB extension cables with really
short RS232 cable at the device end to avoid RF interference on RS232
cable. (My devices live on ships, though, so unless you have radar in
your server room, you can probably ignore this top tip.)

Julian

> 
> Mike
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-- 

Julian Somers
+44 208 265 5407
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