The serial input format used to be the standard connection for many computer peripherals including mice, keyboards, printers and game pads. Serial connectors have now been replaced by PS/2 and USB connections. While some desktop computers do still contain one serial input, most laptops do not contain any. Some desktop manufacturers have also eliminated the serial connection from their computers.

If your business has a critical piece of equipment which uses a serial connection, you can still connect this equipment to a desktop or a laptop using a serial PC card. Upgrading to modern equipment is a good idea if your business relies on a certain type of equipment heavily, but if your business only needs to use a serial device here and there, a serial port card is an efficient alternative to buying new equipment. Consider this options when adding serial PC cards:

1. Use a PCI serial card to connect serial devices to a desktop PC.

2. Add a PCMCIA serial card to a laptop to connect serial devices.

3. Expand a laptop or desktop's serial device capacity with a USB serial adapter.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find serial PC card suppliers to give your business's desktop a serial input

If a desktop does not have any serial inputs or if it has only one but you need two or three, you can purchase a PCI serial card which plugs into the desktop's motherboard. You can then plug serial devices into the the PCI card.

I recommend: Newegg.com offers a single serial pc card as well as serial pc cards which contain two inputs in case you need to connect two serial devices to a desktop. Sewell Development Corporation's Sewell Direct also offers a single and double serial adapter PC card. They also offer bulk discounts if you need to install serial PC cards in all of your business' computers.

Purchase PCMCIA serial adapter cards for a laptop

Laptop computers do not have PCI slots. But you can install a PCMCIA card which contains serial inputs. PCMCIA serial PC cards, like PCI serial PC cards, are available in single- and double-input versions, but some suppliers offer PCMICIA serial PC cards with as many as four inputs.

I recommend: Quatech offers single input PCMCIA serial PC cards. PCMCIAgear.com offers PCMCIA serial adapter cards with up to four inputs. They also offer bulk discounts.

Expand a computer's serial capacity with a USB serial port card

A USB serial port card is an external device which plugs into a USB port of a computer and has inputs for serial devices. You can use these USB adapters to connect serial devices to desktop or laptop computers. USB adapters offer a convenient way to expand serial capacity without installing an internal card.

I recommend: TigerDirect offers USB to serial cables which turn one USB port into one serial port. Super Warehouse offers USB hubs which allow you to connect as many as four serial devices using only one USB port.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ensure you have an available PCI slot before purchasing a PCI serial card for a desktop. Desktops usually ship with several free PCI slots, but over time these can get filled up with add-on's.