[c-nsp] Laptop USB-to-serial adapters - Break sequence?

[Fred Jordan]

We had two issues with various USB - DB9 dongles.
1) Wouldn't send a break no way no how.

2) If the laptop running windows went to sleep, windows
    wouldn't talk to the adaptor when it woke back up. Required
    a frigging reboot to get windows to recognize the USB
    adaptor again. This was a real pain!

Bought the Hawking USB Serial Converter # HUC232S.
Doesn't have either problem described above. Also works on my
laptop when running Debian (dual-boot ssetup on my laptop)
using minicom.

Had so much that wouldn't work at first with Debian on my laptop
(sound card, modem, touch pad, etc...) at first. Finally got everything
working though. Cannot remember if I had to do anything special
with the USB drivers though. However these were all unix issues
I had to resolve to finally get everything working on unix on my
laptop.

Hope this is helpful,
    Fred

Jay Hennigan wrote:

>It seems that my trusty 1999-vintage laptop is on its last legs, and
>the phrase "RS-232 port" draws even blanker stares than normal from
>the salespeople at most computer stores.  Serial ports on laptops are
>becoming rather scarce.
>
>One of the main things for which I use a laptop is field service of
>Cisco gear, which usually involves console access and occasionally
>the need for sending a break sequence.
>
>Apparently the preferred method of dealing with this problem is the
>use ofa dongle that plugs into the laptop's USB port and provides a
>9-pin serial plug.  There seem to be a plethora of these available
>at various prices.
>
>Who has gone down this road before?  Any recommendations or warnings?
>Ideally something that is compatible with BSD or Linux and minicom,
>although I'm actually beginning to like the new Mac laptops which
>are BSD under the hood.
>
>--
>Jay Hennigan - CCIE #7880 - Network Administration - jay at west.net
>WestNet:  Connecting you to the planet.  805 884-6323      WB6RDV
>NetLojix Communications, Inc.  -  http://www.netlojix.com/
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