Thread: Laptop problems...

Hey all...

We are getting a laptop... Sweeet!!!!

But its got ZERO serial ports... Its a new one...

So with a USB port, how do i get the information into the CNC machine with its serial port ?

Also we are using older dos spftwre for file transfer...

Will i need a newer windows based one ?

Can you guys suggest a program for transfer and an adapter for the UBS please ?

thanks a lot

Solar

I had the same problem, and found an adapter (USB to RS 232) at radio shack. It comes with a driver.
No problems so far with it.

hope this helps

I recently bought a usb to 9 pin rs232 at best buy for about $36. It works much better than the hub I used in the past.

Rosie

On this same note, I just bought a new laptop with no serial ports. My Mastercam dongle is serial, and I'd rather not switch to a USB dongle.


Anybody know if there's a USB-to-serial adapter that will work with a dongle?

(It's the large serial port, however many pins that is).

Hi

Solar be aware that some USB-serial converters dont convert all the signals properly particually if you are downloading to a Fanuc machine and it needs the DTR/DSR signals (can be a pain on CTS/RTS too)

Dan is the guy to ask since he's the resident communications guru

Boris

And alas my DNC software cant cope with a USB port

I bought one from Radio Shack that works fine with my Haas machines but I have not used it with my Fanucs.
Joe, I think (but you need totalk to your reseller) that you are going to go to a USB dongle. They don't support the serial ones anymore.

PCMCIA to serial, it's the ONLY reliable way to go. Search sleezebay, they are there.
Dave

The one I got from radio shack goes from USB to RS232. I made a cable which goes from RS232 to DB9 (I think that's what its called. 25 pin?) Anyways, it works fine with my Fanucs. I had to figure out the cable configuration myself. What the setup guy left with me didn't work with this adaptor, and subsequently what the dealer setup didn't work either.

My dad's a computer programmer and he wrote a little downloader program. Works like a charm.

Evan