3 best serial port cards

Serial port cards, also known as RS-232 or COM port cards, are expansion cards that provide additional serial ports to a computer.These serial ports are used for connecting various external devices, such as modems, printers, barcode scanners, and other specialized equipment, to a computer. Here's some information about serial port cards:

Purpose: Serial port cards are used to increase the number of serial communication ports available on a computer. This is especially useful when a computer lacks sufficient onboard serial ports for connecting multiple serial devices simultaneously.
Compatibility: These cards are designed to be compatible with the RS-232 standard, which is a widely used standard for serial communication. RS-232 ports are known for their versatility and can be used for various purposes.
Types: Serial port cards come in different form factors and connection types. They can be found in both internal and external variations.
- Internal Serial Port Cards: These cards are installed inside the computer's case, typically in an available PCI or PCIe slot. They are suitable for desktop computers and workstations.
- External Serial Port Cards: These are portable, external devices that connect to a computer via USB or other interfaces. They are useful for laptops and computers that lack internal expansion slots.
Number of Ports: Serial port cards may provide one or more serial ports. Common configurations include single-port, dual-port, and quad-port cards, but cards with even more ports are available for specialized applications.
Driver and Software Support: Serial port cards often come with driver software to ensure compatibility with various operating systems. Users may need to install these drivers to enable the functionality of the added serial ports.
Baud Rate: Serial port cards typically support a range of baud rates, which determine the speed of data transmission between the computer and connected devices. Higher baud rates allow for faster data transfer.
IRQ and I/O Address: Serial port cards may require users to configure IRQ (Interrupt Request) settings and I/O (Input/Output) addresses, especially for legacy devices or when there are conflicts with other hardware components.
Applications: Serial port cards are commonly used in industrial settings, laboratories, and for connecting older equipment that relies on serial communication. They are also valuable in scenarios where reliable, long-distance communication is necessary.
Legacy Technology: While serial ports have become less common with the rise of USB and other modern interfaces, they are still essential for certain legacy devices and specialized equipment that rely on serial communication.
Troubleshooting: Users may encounter issues with serial port cards, such as driver conflicts or port configuration problems. Troubleshooting may involve checking driver compatibility, IRQ settings, and cable connections.

In summary, serial port cards are hardware components that expand a computer's serial communication capabilities, allowing it to connect to a variety of external devices. They are especially useful in situations where legacy equipment or specialized hardware relies on serial communication protocols.

Below you can find our editor's choice of the best serial port cards on the market

Syba Single Port RS-232 DB9 Serial PCI-e 2.0 x1 Expansion Card MCS9922 SD-PEX15021

Syba

Based on 153 reviews Check latest price

Product description

MCS9922 is a single lane multifunction PCI express to I/O controller. It supports two serial ports and eight GPIO's. MCS9922 also provides an option for peripheral expansion through proprietary Cascade interface. The generic cascade interface allows interconnecting with similar chips like MCS9900 to expand the peripheral ports.The serial ports are compatible with RS232, RS422 & RS485 standards and supports throughput from 50bps to 16Mbps. All the GPIO pins are programmable and can be used as Input or Output. An I C interface is provided to configure MCS9922 device options through an external EEPROM.

MCS9922 Chipset
Compatible with Industrial Standard 16C550 UART. On Chip 256-byte Depth FIFO in Transmit.
Transfer data rates up to 250Kbps on each port. Supports hardware and software flow control. Supports 5, 6, 7, 8-bit Serial format
Fully compliant with PCI-Express base Specification Revision 1. 0a
Single-lane (x1) PCI-Express with throughput up to 2. 5Gbps
Form Factor: Low profile

User questions & answers

Question:	The description lists rs-422. however, the box and manual list only rs-232. will this card support rs
Answer:	Only RS-232 to my knowledge. I think the description is in error. Works well with RS-232,
Question:	Will it the card work on a windows xp
Answer:	Dear Customer,Yes, this card supports Windows XP.
Question:	Does it work with Windows server
Answer:	Do not know Jaime, I am using it with Windows 8.1. So far it works fine.
Question:	Anybody using this with a Mac Pro tower
Answer:	Dear Customer,This device uses a MCS9922 Chipset, and it does not appear that there are MAC drivers for it.

SIIG Legacy and Beyond Series 2 Port (Dual) Serial / RS-232 PCIe Card with 16C550 UART

SIIG

Based on 121 reviews Check latest price

Product description

SIIG’s Dual-Serial Port / RS-232 PCIe Card is designed to add two 9-pin RS-232 serial ports to your PCI Express enabled desktop computer. This dual port serial PCIe adapter card features 256-byte FIFO buffer to support fast data transferring to ensure optimal performance in multitasking environment. This is a high performance adapter card to add two RS-232 serial ports for connecting additional serial-based devices such as a POS system, industrial testing and control device, security system, logistic management equipment and more.

Package Contents:

Dual-Serial Port / RS-232 PCIe Card

Driver CD

Installation guide

Quickly adds two serial ports through an available PCI Express slot
Supports serial port data transfer rates up to 115.2 Kbps, compatible with 16C550 UART
256-byte depth FIFO buffer supports fast data transfer especially in a multitasking environment
Perfect solution to connect with POS system, industrial testing and control device, security system, logistic management equipment, etc.
Chipset: ASIX/MosChip MCS9900CV-AA

User questions & answers

Question:	I have a Dell Optiplex 3040 with what looks like half-height ports. Would this fit half-height
Answer:	Yes, this will support half-height (otherwise known as low profile) card slots. As is indicated in the documentation: "Installs in standard height or low profile chassis with included brackets" I have used this card for years in our manufacturing plant. It comes as a full-height card, but includes brackets that can be swapped in (with a screwdriver) to reduce this 1 full height card down to 2 half height (low profile) slots. So you have to make sure you have 2 half height slots available to install them in.
Question:	is this a 5V
Answer:	PCIe does not have 5 and 3.3 volt options. Plain old 32 bit PCI does.
Question:	Does the parallel card come with a low profile adapter so the card can fit in a dell small form factor case
Answer:	Just received two of these, and they DO NOT come with low profile brackets :( Luckily I had some low profile brackets from our spare parts bin to get these to work. The card its self is short enough and fits just fine, so no reason for them to not include them.
Question:	Will it works with g540 cnc controller
Answer:	I'm not sure about a g540, but I do know that it works in a ex-win10 desktop running Linuxcnc, and it talks to the BOB boards I use to control my Bridgeport cnc. The LEGACY boards were the forth brand I tried, and was the first to work. Give them a try! They can always be returned.

PCIe Combo Serial Parallel Expansion Card PCI Express to Printer LPT Port RS232 Com Port Adapter IEEE 1284 Controller Card WCH382 Chip for Desktop PC Windows 10 with Low Bracket

Check latest price

Product description

Product Details

Fully compliant with PCI-Express Base Specification, Revision 1.0a

PCIe Multi Function Peripheral controller with x1 Lane Interface

Support for D1, D2, D3hot and D3cold

Support PCIe Power Management

Serial Port

16C450/550/Extended 550 compatible UARTs

Supports RS232, RS485 & RS422 modes

Bi-directional speeds from 50 bps to 16Mbps/Port

Full Serial Modem Control

Supports Hardware, Software flow control

5, 6, 7, 8 and 9-bit Serial format Support

Even, Odd, None, Space & Mark parity supported

Custom BAUD Rates supported with external clock or by programming internal PLL

On Chip 256 Byte depth FIFOs in Transmit, Receive path of each Serial Port

Supports remote wakeup and power management features

Serial Port transceiver shutdown support

Support slow IrDA on all Serial Ports

IEEE 1284 Parallel Port

Multi-mode IEEE 1284 compliant controller (SPP, PS2, EPP, ECP)

Faster data rates up to 1.5Mbps for parallel port

Operating System:

Windows 32bit 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista and 64bit XP/2003 Server/Vista/WIN7/WIN8/WIN10/Linux

Package Included:

PCIe Combo Serial Parallel Expansion Card X 1

Parallel Port Bracket X 2

Driver CD X 1

This card capability allow for upgrade with additional serial or parallel cards to your computer easily.
Multi-mode IEEE 1284 compliant controller (SPP, PS2, EPP, ECP), Faster data rates up to 1.5Mbps for parallel port.
Plug and Play, Automatically selects IRQ & IO address, Supports IRQ sharing.
Compliant with ExpressCard/34mm Standard; Compatible to 1-Lane (x1) PCI-Express Throughput.
Operating System: Windows 32bit 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista and 64bit XP/2003 Server/Vista/WIN7/WIN8/WIN10 / Linux. If there was any problem with PCIe combo serial parallel expansion card, pls feel free to contact us, we will provide a solution within 24hrs.

User questions & answers

Question:	Is this a bi-directional parallel port that will work with iomega zip drives
Answer:	No reason why it wouldn't, although I haven't used a Zip drive in years.
Question:	Will this work with security dongles
Answer:	Yes
Question:	Does it work with freedos
Answer:	Sorry，it does not work with freedos.
Question:	Anyone have a driver? The CD that came with this was cracked and i can't find them online
Answer:	Here is the link to download new driver for PCIe Serial Port Card: https://www.mediafire.com/file/x15fk44ivhpcd2p/-E38X.EXE/file