IOGEAR USB to Serial/PDA Converter Cable (GUC232A) Reviews

• Blue Screen of Death

  
  By A1DK9XL75O6R8B on 2005-04-08
  This does not work under win XP. It seems to work, but frequently crashes the OS with the infamious windows "Blue Screen of Death".
  
  This is even true with the latest drivers downloaded from the IOGear web site as of 4/2005.
  
  IOGear tech support does not respond to error reports on this device.
  
  RUN AWAY!
  
  

• Doesn't Work

  
  By A2V6ER5NTG7H6E on 2005-02-05
  I should have believed those other reviews that says this Serial Adapter doesn't work on XP, because it doesn't. The driver included on the CD does absolutly nothing, and the adapter simply will not work. Do not buy it if you are running XP.
  
  

• Does Not Work With Windows XP

  
  By A3LK0SYNG2CDQK on 2005-02-12
  Trust the other reviewers. This does not work with Windows XP. Even though on the outside of the box it states it will work with XP on the inside it says "We have developed a walkthrough for our customers wishing to use the USB/PDA adapter with Windows XP. Although we currently make no official guarantees of functionality, many people have had success when installing the Windows 2000 driver." They can't even say it will work. Many hours of attempting to get this to work for my Palm Vx, I was about to give up UNTIL I saw on Amazon an adapter that Reviwers said worked with Windows XP. I bought it and it does!! So, save your money from IOGEAR and purchase the CABLES TO GO USB to Serial Adapter. It is so much simpler to install and it works!!!
  
  

• This product DOES work with Mac OS X

  
  By on 2003-06-20
  Hello,

  This is to contradict a negative review for using this product w/ Mac OS X 10.2. I have successfully used it in combination with ZTerm to configure a Cisco router. It certainly works fine for me. I just had to install the os X driver from the iogear website.

  Thank you,
  
  

• Works great in Win ME and XP

  
  By A3K86VAX6GP4K9 on 2004-03-17
  I was a bit concerned about how well this adapter would work after reading about some of the installation problems below ... but no problem ... it installed automatically in XP on my new Dell Dimension 2400 in seconds. Apparently the drivers have been updated for XP. The installation on my old Compaq laptop (Win ME) took a few clicks and a reboot (don't forget that) but was also quick and easy. It works great with my serial GPS. I like it.
  
  
• Beware -- does not work with MAC OS X!!!
  By on 2002-12-11
  It gets one star because amazon won't let you give something zero stars.
  Basically, this is one of the first peripherals I've tried that does not work with a OS X Jaguar. (It works with Mac OS 8.x and 9.x, but not with Jaguar.) After searching the Iogear support site, they have a one sentence tech note "regretting any inconvenience" that they don't support it.
  
  
• Oh well, works in Win ME, and somewhat in XP
  By A3K86VAX6GP4K9 on 2004-03-29
  I regret having to amend my previous recommendation. The adapter still works fine on my laptop in Win ME, but in Win XP on my desktop it has some problems. When I plug in the adapter, sometimes XP puts it in COM4, but sometimes COM5. Either way, it will not work unless I reboot XP with the adapter connected. I think this is an XP problem, but it certainly makes using the adapter less convenient. I have found Win XP to be about as awful as previous versions of windows ... it is true that it seldom goes blue screen ... but I still have to reboot a couple of times a day, and hardware installation is still "plug and pray". To think Bill Gates is the richest guy in the country ... maybe Marx was right after all.
  
  
• Works GREAT under Linspire!
  By A16UJ76AFPJGEX on 2005-09-27
  I have a laptop and recently thought about getting rid of Windows XP and putting Linspire on here. The only thing holding me back was getting a modem to work under Linspire. Well, I have a Zoom 3048 serial modem, so I decided to take a chance and bought the IOGear USB 9-Pin Serial Adapter so I could connect my serial modem to a USB port. Well, all I had to do after booting into Linspire was go into the File Manager, delete the /dev/modem file, open the Console and type "ln -s /dev/ttyUSB0 /dev/modem", reload my File Manager, and test out the connection. IT WORKED! Well, that was about 3 weeks ago. For the last 3 weeks, my laptop has been running Linspire as its exclusive OS! Thanks IOGear for setting me free from the Microsoft Empire of DOOOOOM!!!
  
  
• Works just fine under XP for me, even better under linux
  By A11MB7DHWIM22Z on 2006-01-19
  I must be the exception here, but this adaptor worked fine for me in XP and 2k. XP didn't even need the driver disk, but pulled a working driver off of windows update automatically. Worked with my old USR modem perfectly, and even worked connected to the console port of a Sun Ultra Enterprise box. 2k needed the driver downloaded off of the iogear website, but then worked perfectly.
  
  If anything, it worked even better under linux: I didn't even have to do anything to get the driver to load; it just worked, where windows made me run through a wizard to get the driver loaded. I didn't try hot-plugging it under linux, but I don't see why it wouldn't work that way too. Even the minimal 50MB DSL distribution worked with this adaptor without any special configuration, again successfully using an old USR modem, and working as a console for a Sun Ultra Enterprise using `microcom -D/dev/ttyUSB0`.
  
  I don't know what I'm doing any differently than the people that say they are having problems with this adaptor, but I've not had any indications of trouble from this device. Under windows, I'm using an old generic driver that was either from windows update (XP) or on the iogear website (2K). The XP driver I am using says it is for an `ATEN USB to Serial Bridge` and is dated 7/16/2003, version 2.0.0.18. Under linux, the generic pl2303 usbserial driver supports this device and gives you /dev/ttyUSBx device links.
  
  I have had good luck with this device, the speed is pretty good and it's fairly small, taking up very little of my precious laptop bag real estate. The price was modest and the construction seems to be fairly durable. Since it is supported under linux, even on a restricted microdistributino like DSL, it is going to be of much more use to me than I might have expected, given that linux support is not listed on the box. I really don't see what else I could want: it works as advertised.
  
  
• Installs and Works Perfectly on Win XP SP2
  By A1O3LAET0L3BHU on 2006-04-17
  I have read 20 other reviews of this product here on Amazon, and I sympathize with those for whom the product did not work. In the "open" world of PC hardware and Windows, there's a zillion drivers, written by who-knows-whom, and of dubious quality. Interactions between various system add-ons could cause problems, if a poorly written device driver "steps on" another one.
  
  I only mention this because it is difficult to say if a particular product will work with YOUR system, even when it works for everyone else. This is true in any system (Mac OS 8, 9, 10, Linux, or Windows) where third party drivers are installed and run. You just never know until you try it. It's very likely, in the case of those who've had problems, that the IOGEAR driver isn't the real cause of the crashes at all -- it's just the "victim" of another device driver's bad behavior. There's really no good way to tell without trying it for yourself.
  
  For me, I found NO problems installing and running this device. I plugged it into my system (a Dell Dimension 4600 running Windows XP SP2) and when the hardware wizard started up, it advised me to insert the driver disk into the CD.
  
  I had asked the wizard to "let me select a driver from a list" and also to "search for a driver". After it sniffed the CD and the internet, it presented me with a list containing a handful of choices. I chose the most recent SIGNED driver on the supplied CD ROM. The version was v2.0.0.18.
  
  Voila! Done, a new COM3: port was present on my system. The COM port works just fine with all the apps I've tried it with. In fact, I've installed TWO of these devices on the same machine, and then ran them with an MSDOS legacy application that implements a "serial channel analyzer"... it worked PERFECTLY!
  
  (This is pretty incredible to me, because it means that Windows XP not only "virtualized" the two COM ports, but it mapped them correctly into the USB devices! The app in question is an MSDOS app that "touches" the serial I/O hardware directly and hooks the serial port interrupts! Windows fakes all of this out and makes it work CORRECTLY over the USB! Amazing!).
  
  For those who are thinking of buying this product for use on Windows XP SP2, I would say go ahead and buy it. I've had nothing but success with it.
  
  
  
  
• Works great on FreeBSD
  By on 2003-01-16
  Works out of the box on FreeBSD 4.7-STABLE, just plug it in and go. Highly recommended. Windows and MacOS drivers are old though.
  
  
• Works on XP with Difficulty
  By A2MAXHANV8EETT on 2003-06-01
  This device is actually manufactured by a company called Aten:

  ...

  The initial drivers did have many problems, however; I was finally able to get the product to work on Windows XP. I down loaded the "make floppy" driver for XP from the manufactures website. Next, download the most recent windows 2000 driver and try and install it (yes, you have to download two separate drivers). The Windows 2000 driver will prompt you for a file it can not locate, point to your floppy drive (location of XP driver) and it will install the XP driver. If you check "Device Manager" you will first see a question mark prior to the install, after the install windows recognizes the device without a problem. You can even go into advaced properties and then change the Com Port number to a lower number then 5 (the default). It does seem strange that they don't have a simple fix for this, but at least I found a work around.

  Iogear has always filled a market nitch of specialized computing products, so I've come to not expect a lot of support, but all the products generally work and are of good bulid quality (they don't fall apart).
  
  

• Excellent Adapter for Terminal Emulation Applications
  By A3TFVXR8M2R9VG on 2004-03-04
  Flawless Adapter for Terminal Emulation

  I've succesfully used this unit on three XP laptops, two IBM Thinkpads (XP Pro, I think) and my new HP ZD7000 (XP Home). My sole interest in this device has to do with terminal emulation, e.g. for use with a terminal emulator like Hyperterm for comm-port based comunication between the notebook and various pieces of equipment that require a serial terminal for configuration. I have no experience with it's capabilities as a sync device for palms. All three installs were simple and flawless. Configuration and use are just as simple and flawless, at least insofar as I can tell.

  An interesting anecdote: one of the Thinkpads has a built-in serial port, but it's flaky with my terminal emulation software of choice, Token 2 Plus (it seems to function perfectly with Hyperterm). However, the Adapter performed perfectly with Token 2 Plus, which leads me to believe that this device, in conjunction with USB and the device drivers, is more comprehensive and complete than the built-in serial port.

  Also note that there are rumors that the notebook must be be power-cycled to recognize and succesfully configure the device, each time it is plugged in. That was certainly not the case on my laptops: ithis Adapter is just like most, if not all, other USB devices I've worked with: after install of the initial drivers the device is configured and ready to go within a second or two after plugging it into a USB slot.

  5 stars.
  
  

• Works with Mac OS X (Tiger), Virtual PC and Garmin GPS
  By A1KX455PHAYEC3 on 2006-07-14
  I bought this for one specific purpose: to attach my Garmin GPS Vista to my Mac (using Tiger) and then be able to use the Garmin software in Virtual PC. So you can imagine the hoops I had to go through. But despite all that, it installed without pain and works flawlessly both within Mac OS X as well as within Virtual PC (running Windows 98).
  
  
• The Only Serial Adapter That Works With Virtual PC
  By A36B3FUUWSWOR1 on 2006-08-07
  There are two Windows applications that I need to use (Garmin GPS software and Accu-Chek Diabetes software) and I own a non-Intel Mac with Virtual PC. I had originally purchased a USB to Serial Adapter from Garmin, but Virtual PC could never recognize the GPS or Accu-Chek hardware. I was beginning to think that I would have to buy a new Intel Mac so I could run Mac OS X and Windows XP without an emulater. I did some research on the web and found someone who said that this IOGear Adapter was the only one that worked with Virtual PC and he was correct. I can now have Virtual PC connect to my GPS and Accu-Chek hardware and it is wonderful. If you own a non-Intel Mac and you are trying to find a USB to Serial adapter that works with Virtual PC then this is the ONLY choice and when the time comes that you do buy an Intel Mac then this adapter will still work for you.
  
  
• Driver causes Windows XP to crash
  By A3SE5HTBJ66GRR on 2004-01-17
  I bought this even though the driver installation instructions for use with Windows XP on the IOGear website were suspicious. They say that during installation a warning will come up that says the driver is not certified for Windows XP and shouldn't be installed, but that you should ignore the warning and install the driver anyway. It also says the driver was updated in June 2003, but looking at the driver file itself it is dated September 14, 2000. I installed it warily and the device worked okay at first, but after putting my PC in standby and then waking it up again the serial port no longer worked and when trying to use it again I got my first ever blue screen crash in Windows XP. So if you use Windows XP and want to still be able to put your PC in standby or hibernate without crashing then avoid this product until they actually have a working and certified Windows XP driver for it.
  
  
• This adapter works fine...
  By A2BIHDNDMO84Y6 on 2004-09-01
  Got this adapter to use with a laptop that only had USB ports to communicate to some PLC's, which can be picky about communications. It works fine, and I found that, depending on which USB port I plugged the adapter into the adapter would show up as either comm4 or comm5, but if you think about it it makes sense for it to work that way, especially if you needed more than one adapter. If you want it to be comm4 all the time, for example, always plug it into the same usb port.
  
  
  ........Curtis
  
  
• Try another adapter if you have an Apple computer
  By A1TH0FE3X6LIW4 on 2008-01-18
  I bought this to hook up an old Wacom tablet, but this device didn't work with my G5 Intel core duo mac running Tiger OS. The tech department at IOGear couldn't help me regarding Apple support. I had success with a Keyspan adapter I bought after returning this product.
  
  
• Easy to use...
  By AXVORKGHPNFN5 on 2003-12-19
  It's easy to use, just install the drivers included in the CD, plug your adapter to your USB drive and you have your additional COM port ready to use!
  
  
• XP/Win 2000 user
  By AYPN5W7G2RQU7 on 2004-02-01
  I bought mine in BestBuy store and tried it on both Dell Latitude D600/win XP and Dell desktop/win 2000 with GPS device (Trimble Placer 450).
  It worked better than expected since Windows XP recognized new USB hardware and showed me new COM4 port in Device Manager instantly. No need for installation CD that is btw. supplied with the cable. I could instantly get data to the HyperTerminal application.

  The only thing I do not like is the price. I would go for the cheaper, but had to have the cable immediately, therefore I purchased it in the store.
  
  

• Does not work
  By A3C5CABSLP2OS6 on 2006-01-12
  Cannot make it work with Windows XP. Tried several documents on the IOGEAR website on how to make it work, but it simply fails when attempting to use it with simple serial devices.
  
  
  
• The best !!! Works on Win98se - WinXP
  By A20SZO0XQBHNZ4 on 2006-04-19
  I have bought 30 of these for my company. They work flawlessly as long as your computer is properly maintaned. Do all the updates and don't put a lot of junk on it. I do Desktop support and highly recommend this product.
  
  
• The only USB-SERIAL adapter that works
  By A1WX74D5AA04LM on 2006-07-12
  I've tried many USB-SERIAL adapters, some of them worked for some time then stopped working, and others just didn't work from the start, and this IOGEAR adapter is the only one that worked directly and never had any problems with it so far, I've been using it for more than 6 months on my Toshiba Satellite with XP.
  
  
• It does work with XP
  By A242P4E3LRAUMB on 2006-08-31
  We downloaded the latest version of the driver form the ATEN website (UC-232A) it's version 1.5 and now doesn't blue screen as soon as we shutdown the application readin it.
  
  
• Easy driver download from Iogear for all Windows versions
  By A1QA8CFOV2I62J on 2008-03-26
  I'm using this adapter with a Garmin GPS unit. The cable itself is very nicely made. Not as clunky looking as its photo. The packaging says (in print a little too small) to download Vista drivers from the website. Their zip file creates a subfolder for each version of Windows. Really nicely done. The drivers work quite well and are flexible enough to recognize a new USB port if the plug is moved.
  
  
• IOGEAR USB to SERIAL Adapter DOES work!
  By A2MFR262JMNCTS on 2008-06-09
  I have two of these adapters and they DO work in XP unlike the reports of the other reviewers here.
  
  I have one connected to a Sony EVI-D30 camera by way of a VISCA cable which connects to the back of the camera and terminates in an RS232 connector that plugs right in to the IOGEAR adapter. Plug that into a free USB slot and XP recognizes the adapter and loads drivers. The EVI-D30 control software sees the connection as a serial port (COM3) and works as it should.
  
  The second one is attached to a Wacom Artz II graphics tablet that has a standard RS232 serial connector. Again, attach the IOGEAR adapter to the Wacom connector, plug it into a free USB slot and it's recognized in XP.
  
  So there may be a driver issue for the other reviewers or they have not updated XP with the latest and greatest updates. This IOGEAR USB to SERIAL adapter has worked perfectly for me right out of the box.
  
  I guess your mileage may vary, but this product definitely DOES work in XP and has been foolproof for me so far.
  
  
• Does not work under XP
  By A1V8ON7JIF75S6 on 2002-10-21
  This would be a great product... If it worked. Out of the box this device does not support XP. The website has drivers, but they also do not work.
  
  
• no driver for XP on the CDROM & bug in download driver
  By A3SZ72RTSPY9O on 2002-12-10
  I bought this because I liked the compact design. I was surprised to find that there was no driver for XP. I downloaded the latest driver for XP, but there is a bug during the installation. The device requires a file called serport.sys for the installation and the file provided on the download is called ser2pl.sys - Could not install the unit. I even tried renaming the file. I am waiting for a response from Iogear's technical support page. Where is the quality assurance! Also, XP says that the driver is not officially signed by Microsoft.
  
  
• If only it were always this easy...
  By A3MQI7C2ARSG on 2006-03-10
  Product exactly as advertised, billing painless and super duper fast shipping. Incredibly stoked about the transaction.
  
  
• Good product
  By A1V208G95AIE5F on 2007-01-18
  Works great, no problems with speed or communication. Been up and running for about a month.
  
  

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