# I need a serial port for my laptop! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498 "2003-08-11T22:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/1 "2003-08-11T22:41:00Z")
You may remember my thread from a while back asking about getting a loptop vs. a desktop. Well, I went for the laptop basically cuz I wanted to just try something new. Anyway, I have some external devices that interface via a 9-pin serial port. The laptop has no such port. Are there adapters that can convert USB -\> Serial? Or perhaps a PCMCIA serial port? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/2 "2003-08-11T23:03:21Z")
When I read the thread title, I thought it said: “I need a serial port for my Pop Tart.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/3 "2003-08-11T23:11:23Z")
Yes there are PCCARD to serial port adapters but they usually are quite expensive ($100 - $150) as they are a somewhat unusual, low volume item. ie [Serial Port PC Card](http://www.mobileplanet.com/product.asp?cat_id=104&cat_name=Notebooks&dept_id=3210&pf_id=MP540101&listing=1&bs_id=MP540101) > [@](#): > > Now you can add a high-speed serial COM port for attaching external modems, bar code scanners, mag stripe readers, GPS receivers, court reporting stenograph machines or other RS-232 serial devices to your Windows 9x/2000/Me/NT 4.0 notebook! - $ 129.95 If it’s an older PDA you are trying to connect there are special purpose USB to PDA connection cables for some of the more popular serial based units that are USB based, but will mimic a serial port for the purposes of data syncing. These (if available for your unit) run around $ 20-30. Ebay is a good place to find a deal on these. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/4 "2003-08-11T23:14:16Z")
No, its not for any kind of standard device. Its just for various data acquisition-type interface devices. Dammit. I never even thought of this when I bought the thing ☹ ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/5 "2003-08-11T23:16:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trigonal Planar \* > \*\*You may remember my thread from a while back asking about getting a loptop vs. a desktop. Well, I went for the laptop basically cuz I wanted to just try something new. > Anyway, I have some external devices that interface via a 9-pin serial port. The laptop has no such port. Are there adapters that can convert USB -\> Serial? Or perhaps a PCMCIA serial port? \*\* I bought a new laptop about three months ago, and it came without a serial port and without a parallel port. So I bought this [USB serial/parallel port replicator](http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=294538&pfp=BROWSE) from CompUsa (not the cheapest place but they had it in stock). They also had a Belkin USB to serial port only version that was a little smaller and $50 instead of $80. One thing to note about the USB to serial/parallel adapters is that they don’t work for DOS applications. All of the Windows apps I’ve tried seem to work fine. PCMCIA to serial adapters, on the other hand, will usually work fine for both DOS and Windows, but they are more expensive. [This page](http://www.sealevel.com/product_detail.asp?product_id=609&PCMCIA%5FRS%2D232%5FSerial%5FInterface%5FCard%5Fwith%5FDB9%5Fcable%5F) shows a PCMCIA card for $200. Two years ago when I accidentally blew out the serial port in my old laptop, I found one for $150, but the place I bought it is no longer in business. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/6 "2003-08-11T23:23:13Z")
The PCCARD port card device I referenced should solve that problem and will provide a standard RS-232 serial port for connection to your DA device. Ebay may have less expensive or older versions of these cards. Here’s [one on ebay for $ 40.00 “buy it now”](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3426194687&category=3710) ---
**Author:** ![buckgully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@buckgully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buckgully)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/7 "2003-08-11T23:28:25Z")
I have a Keyspan USB-\>serial adapater, and though it’s marketed as a way to connect serial PDA devices, it works as a normal serial port. I’ve used it to get data from my GPS (Garmin E-Trex) and used it to connect my Lego Mindstorms IR tower. I also got it working initially (which wasn’t hard) by connecting to an old modem and checking AT commands, so I think it would also work OK for that. It might not support more obscure comm settings, but if the devices support normal connection settings, it should be fine. I think I bought it on sale around $20. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/8 "2003-08-12T00:07:27Z")
I’d just need normal comm settings. I’ve got the parallel port, but not the serial port. I’d just need the functionality in Windows so that USB -\> Serial sounds perfect. ---
**Author:** ![buckgully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@buckgully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buckgully)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/9 "2003-08-12T00:19:44Z")
Here’s the website: [http://www.keyspan.com/products/homepage-Serial.spml](http://www.keyspan.com/products/homepage-Serial.spml) I have the USB PDA one, but it looks like they’re not selling that one anymore. They have a faster model that’s replaced it, but it’s slightly more expensive. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/10 "2003-08-12T14:24:44Z")
How old is that laptop Trigonal Planar? I have one of those USB to serial, parl, more usb ports things in the shed gathering dust. ---
**Author:** ![pestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@pestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pestie)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/11 "2003-08-12T16:44:35Z")
For the record, I’ve bought USB to serial adaptors on eBay for under $20. I can’t live without serial ports. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/12 "2003-08-12T17:45:25Z")
It’s a brand new laptop. Just got it about 4 days ago. Toshiba Satellite A20, P4 2.66, 512mb, 40GB, CD-DVD/RW, wireless NIC. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-serial-port-for-my-laptop/194498/13 "2003-08-12T22:30:42Z")
I have one of those EasyDock thingies in the box, they do this sort of thing, here is another type unsold on ebay at the moment at $4.99: “Mobility EasyDock model IB0710 Docking Station/Port Replicator for IBM 600/600E Series Notebooks. It has the following ports - VGA, Parallel, Serial, external floppy connector, Audio, PS2 keyboard & Mouse, USB, Game/MIDI port and AC adapter plug. It is in excellent condition.” item 3426307230 category=31527