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Adding Serial Ports to a Computer with Only USB Ports
You can use a USB to Serial Adapter to easily and quickly add a serial port to your laptop. The nice thing about the adapter is that you can use multiple adapters on one machine (using a hub or an add-on card) and dynamically set the COM assignment.
Adding USB 2.0 Ports
The process of adding USB 2.0 ports took no time and the backup system is mighty fast. If you add USB 2.0 ports with a PCI port card, then you'll still have your USB 1.1 ports, so whatever is plugged into those can stay.
Rob Foster from the UK sent me a port PCI USB card since he had a few extras. Thanks again, Rob. When installing hardware or devices, most situations require loading the software FIRST before doing anything else. This one didn't - so be sure to check this out before attempting to put the card in. Before starting the process, be sure you have an open PCI slot, a standard slot that has one big connector with a small one behind it.
Turn off the computer, if it is not already. Take off the CPU case. How this is done depends on the CPU. If you lost or misplaced the manual, I'm sure your computer manufacturer has info online. Google it, if needed. Slide the PCI card into the open PCI slot.
At this point, you can cover up the CPU, but some people leave it off until turning on the computer and checking all is OK. When turning on this little feller, it found the new card right away and worked. I didn't even have to run the software. The card came with four USB ports, one of which holds the backup system. It took under two hours to back up the computer (get size), faster and easier than the tape back up.
Well, it only took a year or so to get around to adding the USB 2.0 ports as that's about how long the back up system has been sitting here taunting me.
USB Hubs and Ports Explained
The USB standard has become the universal means of connection peripheral devices and equipment to the computer. Computers have either two or four USB port connectors. Each of these can support a large number of connections but to be able to attach more than two or four devices requires a multi-connection hub. There are many different types of hubs and this article seeks to explain some of the important considerations in selecting the best choice of hub for your system.
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