Thinkpad 380XD Serial PortForum: Laptops Topic: Thinkpad 380XD Serial Port started by: panama Posted by panama on Dec. 23 2004,05:47
I would like to get this old IBM to talk to routers and muxes and such via the serial port. So far I haven't been able to get it working.I even installed Win98 just to test the serial port. It worked fine on COM2 @ 9600. Talked to a Cisco router and everything. I cannot get the serial port to work in DSL. I have tried Seyon, Microcom, Minicom and CuteCom. I am new to Linux and don't know what diagnostics/drivers are available or how to use/install them. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated as this old laptop has seen it's last days if it has no operational serial port! Thanks! Posted by panama on Dec. 30 2004,18:51
Nobody can help me out with this serial port prob? I know the machine is a shit-box but it's the LAST tweak I have to make it PERFECT....HELP!!!
Posted by ke4nt1 on Dec. 30 2004,19:46
Have you tried all the possible serial ports?/dev/ttyS0 = com1 /dev/ttyS1 = com2 /dev/ttyS2 = com3 /dev/ttyS3 = com4 try, as root, setting the perms on the /dev/ttyS1 ( com 2 ) chmod 777 /dev/ttyS1 73 ke4nt Posted by panama on Dec. 31 2004,23:49
ke4nt1I am not sure what perms are on the serial port but i did what you suggested. Still no serial comms. Microcom tries all the ports on startup but finds nothing. When I force it to use any of the ports (w/ -D/dev/ttyS0 1, 2, 3 or 4) it doesn't work at all. I have also tried the ~ for port configuration with no luck. I also installed minicom via synaptic. I have tried using the proper port config to access a Cisco router on ALL ports but still get nothing. As i posted before, the serial port is operational in Windows 98SE. Any other suggestions? panama Posted by panama on Jan. 01 2005,04:18
As an added note to my above post...I did a cat /proc/interrupts and did not see SERIAL on the IRQ list. I don't know if this helps or what...but I thought I should throw it out there. panama Posted by panama on Jan. 02 2005,03:50
Anyone decipher this prob??looks like DSL don't recognize the serial port...anyway to "turn it on"? thanks alot panama Posted by panama on Jan. 04 2005,05:05
please...help?I have scoured these boards...serial ports seem to be working fine for all else but me!! there's gotta be a way... panama Posted by ke4nt1 on Jan. 04 2005,05:32
Happy New Year, Panama..I'm not going to be much help to you here.. I have no serial port knowledge to speak of.. Mine also work fine, at least with a modem or tnc.. My " cat /proc/interrupts " also shows no serial devices active. It also shows no irq 3 or 4 , known to be used by the com1-4's And yet, mine still work.. I know the microcom LOOKS for a true MODEM on the ports. It would not respond to my TNC, although it did scan all the 1-4 ports. I have used minicom to see my Ternimal Node Controller output, which is a serial device, and it connected OK. Do you have an external modem you could connect to a serial port, in place of your serial link to your router? In googling thru different sites about serial port usage in Linux, many times the port names/numbers get screwy, but I'm guessing by now that you've tried them all from com1 to com8 .. Saw your posts, an didn't want to leave you hanging.. 73 ke4nt Posted by panama on Jan. 04 2005,17:53
Happy New Year to you Ke4nt!Thanks for the post...and not leaving me hanging. I'm glad to hear about your IRQ process too. It's good to know I'm not totally screwed and you also see what I see. It's also good to know that Microcom DOES NOT act like hyperterminal. I'll stop messing with it until I can dig up an old serial modem. I have, indeed, tried ports 1 - 8 with minicom. It is damned odd that yours would work and mine wouldn't. When I hit "cntrl A" I never get lower right status to go "ONLINE". I have tried to set up like I would in hyperteminal (9600 - 8N1 - no flow control) but no dice on any ports. I have tried Seyon (altho now I'm not so sure it's the correct program for serial connection either) and it seems to detect ttyS0 as an "active" port...but no actual connection is made to my test router either. I checked the BIOS too. It has been recently flashed and is as new (1999) as it's gonna get. There is no serial setup or IRQ assignments for the serial ports. Only a serial port TEST that, of course, gives an OK result. I will try to score an old serial modem. Maybe that would do the trick. I have also googled my ass off...and just get more confused. I tried to dig into SETSERIAL...but I don't understand IRQ and how it needs to be programmed to even attempt it. The last thing I want to do is completely break this old laptop. Thanks again for the help. I know somebody can come up with the magic command lines or better program to get this licked! panama Posted by panama on Jan. 05 2005,01:17
I was just thinking...I have a functional USB port and a USB to serial converter cable. Would it be feasible (easier) to try serial comms thru this cable vian USB? How can I see if the USB is recognized as a com port and which? thanks, panama Posted by panama on Jan. 14 2005,05:39
Kent,I just wanted to say thanks again for all your help on this topic. I fixed the problem and wanted you to know. I found a DOS based BIOS utility for the Thinkpad 380XD. I re-loaded WIN98, ran the utility, re-programmed the serial port to be COM1, disabled the damned Infrared from taking another com port and put my PCMCIA NIC on COM2 (it seems to have been taking COM1). Apparently this old fella (the laptop not me...altho I was too) was having a real conflict with all of that. Anyway when I went back to DSL SEYON worked like a champ...could talk to a Cisco router and everything! panama Posted by ke4nt1 on Jan. 14 2005,07:25
Thanks for sharing your success with us.Some poor soul is gonna have the same issue soon, and can refer to your solution for some help.. Good Work ! 73 ke4nt Posted by clivesay on Jan. 14 2005,13:16
Glad to see you got this one, panama. I have been following your struggles. This was a tough one. The bios seems to be that hidden monster that can lash out and thrash you from time to time. Chris |