Well, I decided to live without a serial port for now, and bought a new HP machine. It's just a lot nicer than anything I could find with a SP. I'll try the converters 'til I find one that works. Now I have a new problem, I can't get the new laptop to share files on my network with my old Win98SE office box. Grrrr... It's always something. Time to upgrade the office box I know, but Uncle Sam just took a giant bite out of my wallet.
Thanks to all who replied with suggestions. js
Use the network wizard thingie on the laptop, it'll create a floopie that you just pop in the 98se machine and bada-bing youre done.
| >> RHC | >>
| >>> I have been looking for a new laptop, and almost bought one, until I | >>> realized that none of the ones I've seen have a serial port. Since I use | >>> my | >>> laptop program and download alarm controls through an external modem, | >>> the | >>> serial port would come in handy. I know there are serial port adapters, | >>> and | >>> I might settle for that arrangement if it works with my external Hayes | >>> and | >>> Practical Peripheral modems. OTOH, I have seen laptops on the internet | >>> with | >>> a serial port, but the selection is slim. | >>>
| >>> What are you guys doing? | >>> js | >>>
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| > I was faced with the same problem, when I got a new HP laptop last year. | > Bought it then went ah crap no Serial port, how can I download Napco | > panels and Silent Knight Fire panels. Tried a USB - serial it didnt work | > with certain cables. finally found the solution.....>
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Tried that a while back but couldn't get yhe XP machine to play nice with the 98SE machines. I'll give it a try again, though along with no serial port, there's no floppy on the new laptop. I'll have to try a CD. js
Getchurself one of those new fanagled USB chippie drives. Them's work better'n flooopies. It also helps (in some cases where you have a "mixed bag" of connected machines) to actually assign the IP addresses to each computer and set up the address range in the switch instead of having it automatically assign them. This has the added benefit of being able to block certain computers from using the internet. We do this with a couple of machines running 98SE we use to download panels 'n setch but grant them temporary access to upgrade the virus defs and Winders.
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