1 – configuring your serial device – Keyspan USA-49WG User Manual

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4.1 – Configuring Your Serial Device

The COM port number and its COM port status message are very important to configuring your serial device.

The COM port status is the state of the Keyspan serial port. All serial ports have two states, BUSY (In Use) or IDLE
(Available). When the serial port is IDLE, the port is available for use by any serial device’s software. When a COM
port is BUSY, the serial port is in use by software and therefore not available to other programs.

The COM port number is the address of the Keyspan serial port. In order for any serial device to communicate via
the Keyspan adapter, that serial device’s software must be told to use the Keyspan COM port number.

Step 2 – Determine Where to Select/Configure the Keyspan Serial Port(s).

Prior to using your serial device with a Keyspan serial port, you must first tell that serial device’s software which
serial port your serial device hardware is connected to.

For example, if you have a Palm, you will have to tell the Palm Desktop software to look for your Palm handheld
(hardware) on a Keyspan serial port. By doing this, you establish communication between your serial device’s
software (the Palm Desktop software) and your serial devices hardware (the Palm handheld unit).

Most serial devices will have software that will allow you to select which serial port the device is connected to.
Depending on your serial device and its software, you may have to configure: a Control Panel (modems accessing
ISPs), an application (UPS systems), or some combination of these (modems accessing terminals using Zterm).

Please refer to your serial devices’ documentation on which method your serial device uses and how to access that
software’s serial port “configuration” screen.

Once you’re determined where to select or configure your serial device’s software’s serial port settings, please
proceed to Step 3.

Step 3 – Determine Which Serial Port to Select in Your Serial Device’s Software.

When you’ve found the port selection screen in your serial device’s software, you may be presented with a list of
COM port numbers, a place to type in a COM port number, or some combination of both.

At this point, you have to select or enter the COM port number of the Keyspan serial adapter you are connecting to.
Please note that you can see the COM port number in the Adapter Status tab in the Keyspan Serial Assistant.

Step 4 - Use Your Serial Device.

Once you’ve configured your serial software to use the Keyspan serial port, you’re ready to start using your serial
device.

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