Get a 4 port hub as long as you don't use the USB port for high speed devices.
The 2 port usb serial at home is connected via a Belkin 4 port USB2 hub through
a Belkin USB2 PC card. The port is shared with 2 printers and a ZIP drive and
another hub daisy chained for a usb mouse. I have 2 USB ports, but at home they
are connected to external disk drives. On the boat 1 port is dedicated to
serial devices, the other to wireless network adapter. If I need more devices,
will add a hub to the usb serial port.
"Steve" wrote:


"larry" wrote in message
oups.com...
For the last four years and three computers, I've had two serial
periphals to interface with ship's laptop. A GPS and a PTC IIe Pactor
modem. The first two of the laptops had a DB-9 input and I used a
belkin serial to USB adaptor. XP seems to have a habit of not
recognizing a device and requires the driver to be re-installed. At
times I have had a "memory mini dump" - "blue screen" crash as a result
of a failure of interface with the GPS and nav pgm. I thought it to be
the OS and installed 2000 on my last laptop and it was no more stable
in terms of crashing than XP. I am considering getting a USB port
replicator as I tried to run two different serial to USB converted
devices at once and had major crash and config problems. Any advice on
units and ARE THER ANY units with 2 DB-9 serial plug-ports? TIA, Larry


My situation is identical to what Larry has described and so far I have only
been able to resolve it by switching DB-9 cables and running only one
application at a time.

I have also noted the same problems with XP when I have the GPS and a mouse
plugged into the USB ports. Since my Compac only has one USB, I have tired
using a PCMCIA card with dual ports. This only adds to the problems. I have
yet to try the mulit USB hub solution.

I'm now looking at the 4 port Edgeport USB-Serial solution that 'sded'
recommended. This would solve my serial port problems but still leaves me
with the single USB port limitations (I prefer the mouse to the 'scratch
pad').

I'm wondering if I should/could use a USB hub between the laptop USB and the
USB-Serial Converter, thus allowing additional USB connections.

I note that Edgeport offers more complex (expensive) converters that have
additional serial, parallel and USB outputs but this seems like a lot of
over kill and expense.

Comments and suggestion welcome.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions