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Plugable USB to RS-232 DB9 Serial Adapter (Prolific PL2303GT Chipset)
$18.95 USD
SKU: PL2303-DB9Amazon Rating : (2212 Reviews)
Features
- USB to RS232 Serial—Connect legacy DB-9 serial communications devices to a modern computer with USB
- Legacy Support—Add a 9-pin DB9 RS-232 serial port to any modern computer, replaces built-in or PCIe serial adapters, recommended for use with a serial cable or NULL modem cable
- Flexible—Programmable baud rate from 75 bits per second to 128,000 bits per second. Plug-and-play creation of a COM port. Powered by USB; no external power needed
- Compatible—Prolific PL2303GT Chipset for widest possible compatibility with Windows (11, 10, 8.x, 7, and Vista), Mac, Linux, and other platforms
- 2-Year Coverage, Lifetime Support—Every Plugable product, including this USB to Serial adapter, is covered against defects for 2 years and comes with lifetime support. If you ever have questions, contact our North American-based team - even before purchase
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Easily add an RS-232 9-pin serial port to any computer with our PL2303-DB9 USB to Serial Adapter!
This adapter will let you connect older serial devices to modern computers, for terminal services, data transferring, remote control, and programming. Supports baud rates from 75bps to 12Mbps, multiple stop bit and parity types.
Connect legacy RS-232 serial devices to any modern computer
Plugable's USB to Serial Adapter features Prolific's PL-2303GT chip for the best combination of support and performance with a wide range of RS-232 serial devices. Drivers are built-into Windows 11, 10, 8.x, 7, and most Linux distributions, drivers are available for Windows XP, Vista, and macOS.
Connect legacy RS-232 serial devices to any modern computer
This adapter replaces a legacy built-in or PCI serial port and features a fixed male port with screw in connection. For connecting devices that also have a male connector an inexpensive DB9 coupler or standard serial cable can be purchased separately.
Compatibility
Works with devices with RS-232 serial ports such as other PCs with RS-232 ports, Bluetooth serial adapters, telescopes, amateur radio gear, GPS receivers, routers, firewalls, modems, plotters, embedded character displays, scan tools, sonar units, embedded boards and many others. Specific devices include: Garmin eTrex GPS, Seiko Label Printer, iRobot Create, Cisco products with serial consoles, US Robotics Modems, NexStar telescopes, Equus Scan Tools, Uniden Hand Held Scanners, etc. Works with software like: HyperTerminal, TeraTerm, WinDBG, all open source serial software on Linux, etc.
Genuine
We use only genuine Prolific serial chipsets in our adapter. Some inexpensive serial adapters use cloned Prolific serial chipsets that will not work with the latest Prolific drivers, both those available for download and the drivers embedded in Windows. Because we only use genuine Prolific chips, our adapter is always compatible with the latest drivers from Prolific.
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How to change the COM port for a USB Serial adapter on Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10
Originally authored by: Bernie Thompson, July 4, 2011
Start by going to the Device Manager. Once there do the following: Expand the Ports ‘(COM& LPT)’
You should be looking at something like this:
As you can see Windows has set the port to COM10. However many legacy applications expect the port to be between 1-4. Let’s change that:Right click on the device and click on ‘Properties’.
Click on ‘Port Settings’. Then click on ‘Advanced…’.
Once you’re in ‘Advanced Settings for COM10’ on the bottom you can see the ‘COM Port Number: COM10’. Click on that to change it to the lowest possible number (between 1-4).
Then click ‘OK’ on all open Property Windows. Now the device should look like this:
Installing the Plugable USB to RS-232 DB9 Serial Adapter on Windows 7
Originally authored by: Bernie Thompson, July 5, 2011
Updated 2024-07-11 by Pat P.
Windows 7 will detect and pop up a wizard to install drivers when our Plugable USB to Serial adapter is plugged in, but it’s also easy (as essential on other operating systems) to install the driver software first. Here’s how.
Get the driver from: https://plugable.com/drivers/prolific/
You’ll want to download the driver and unzip it anywhere on your desktop. Once you have, double click on it to start the installation.
The installation is relatively simple and no questions are asked. When it’s done you should see something like this:
Now go ahead and connect the adapter. You should get a pop-up looking like this:
Finally Windows should report that the device has been installed:
On Device Manager you should be looking at something like this:
Installing the drivers after a fresh installation of Windows 7 in 2024
Windows 7 SP1 installation media does not include support for Windows 7's latest driver signing functionality and requires installing the following updates from Microsoft manually before installing the Prolific drivers, or running Windows Update:
After installing these updates the installation process should proceed normally.
Plugable PL2303-DB9 USB Serial Adapter Troubleshooting in Windows
Originally authored by: David Roberts, December 9, 2013
The Plugable USB serial adapter allows you to connect legacy devices that use RS232 serial communications to computers that do not have a serial port. Although this usually works well, a number of problems can crop up because many of the devices people want to connect are older devices with various issues. A frequent problem is that the software that is necessary to connect to the device does not work under modern operating systems such as Windows 7 or above. Other problems can include using an improper cable, incorrect port settings, or a basic incompatibility between the Plugable USB serial adapter and the device it is being connected to.
Drivers don’t load correctly, or the cable cannot be seen in Device Manager
When the cable is plugged into Windows 7 or higher computers, the necessary driver should load automatically. If it does not load, make sure the computer is connected to the internet. If an internet connection is not available, download the latest drivers for the cable from the Plugable driver site here. For earlier Windows XP and Vista computers, the drivers must be downloaded from the Plugable website and installed.
The drivers load successfully, but I can’t communicate with my device
Serial communications over RS232 is a legacy from an earlier age in computer when devices were not necessarily plug-and-play. Several different variables come into play, and all must be set up correctly to ensure communications.
Software
Many legacy devices came with specialized software that is used to communicate with them over a RS232 serial port. Many of these programs were written years ago, and are not as automated as modern applications. In many cases, the software is not compatible with modern Windows operating systems. If the software won’t run, or runs with errors, check the website of the device maker to see what Windows version it is compatible with. Many times you will see a warning notice saying that the software does not work with certain versions of Windows and no update is anticipated. For example, Nikon digital cameras from the late Nineties used a serial connection to transfer photos to a computer. However, this software does not support Windows Vista or later, and Nikon warns on its website that no update is anticipated.
Some devices don’t come with special software. Instead you communicate with them using a standard serial communications program. A popular and easy to use program is Putty, which can be downloaded for free from the internet. It is also possible to send commands to the COM port directly from the Command Prompt, but this is for experts only.
COM Port
In Windows, serial communications proceed through a COM port that is assigned by Windows when the USB serial adapter is plugged in. You can find out this COM port by opening Device Manager, going to Ports (COM & LTPT) and looking for Prolific USB-to_Serial Comm Port (COM#). The # symbol represents the port number of the COM port assigned by Windows. This port must be set correctly in whatever application is trying to communicate through that port.
Because older Windows computers only offered COM ports 1 through 4, many legacy applications require the COM port to be set within this range. Some applications only allow ports 1 or 2 to be set. If the port is out of the range required by the application, you can change the port number by right-clicking on the adapter in Device Manager, selecting Properties, selecting the Port Settings tab, then clicking Advanced. Clicking on the COM Port Number button reveals a list of ports, with unavailable ones listed as “in use.” Set the port you want here, then click OK to close the Properties dialog. Device Manager should update and show the number you selected. If it does not, make sure you have sufficient permissions to change the COM port settings.
Port Settings
There are many other settings that must be the same for the port and the device being communicated with. Typically the manual for the device being connected will outline the correct settings. Sometimes the application that is used with the device will allow you to change the settings required by the device.
Generally, however, the settings for the port are changed to match the settings required by the device. These settings are changed by right-clicking on the adapter in Device Manager, selecting Properties and selecting the Port Settings tab. The default settings are appropriate for many devices. However, in many cases the Bits per second, or “baud rate” can be set higher for faster communications. Data bits, Parity, and Stop bits change the format of the data sent to the device. Typically, if these are set wrong, the device will not be able to understand anything sent to it. Flow control selects a hardware (requires a special cable) or software method for controlling communications between the devices that keeps their communications synchronized. Most devices don’t use flow control, and for them, this can be set to Off.
Cable type
Historically, COM ports were used for serial communications with modems, that took the digital information and modulated it for transmission over telephone lines or radio. Information sent from one modem went to the receiver on the other modem, and was forwarded to the receiving pin on the COM port of the destination computer. Because this “crossover” function was performed by the modems, the cable from the computer to the modem was straight cable, connecting the send pin on the source computer to the send pin on the modem.
However, when two computers were directly connected to each other, without the intervening modems that connected send to receive, a special cable, called a “null modem” or “crossover” was used that connected the send (Xmit or TX) pin on the source computer to the receive (RECV or RX) pin on the destination computer.
Which cable to use depends on how the connected device sees itself in relation to the computer. Typically devices that actually do something will require a Null Modem cable, while devices that process data and send it somewhere else (like a modem) will use a straight cable. It’s always good to get the make and model of the device being connected and go online to find out which cable is needed. Many devices come with a cable, which should be used if it is available
If the software is compatible, the port settings are made correctly, and the right cable is used, there are still some cases where the device does not work well with a particular USB Serial adapter. Some manufacturers advise against USB serial adapters alltogether or their website or recommend using a particular chipset. The major alternative available is the FTDI chipset. It is more expensive and works in some situations where the Prolific chipset used in the Plugable serial adapter will not work. Check the manufacturer’s documentation and online forums for information. You can google “<product make and model> USB serial adapter” (without the quotes). Often you’ll find a forum post by someone who has tried using a USB serial adapter and has discovered what works.
How-To: Install Prolific Serial Port Drivers on a Windows 7 Fresh Installation
We do not advocate the use of Windows 7 as a general purpose operating system as it is no longer receiving security updates, however in some cases it can be necessary to drive legacy hardware requiring a RS232 serial connection.
Our updated USB to Serial Adapter with Prolific PL2303GT chipset requires installing the Prolific Serial Drivers. These drivers are provided for Windows 7 through 11 and comply with the latest Microsoft driver security requirements.
What you will see on a fresh install of Windows 7
A fresh installation of Windows 7 64-bit with Service Pack 1 (SP1) will not support the current Windows driver security requirements. This requires manually updating the operating system before it can install these drivers, or run Windows Update successfully.
After starting the driver installation there will be a Windows Security pop-up window stating "Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver software", but gives the option to "Install this driver software anyway". If you select this option there will be a second similar pop-up window and you can complete the installation.
However, when the USB to serial adapter is connected a new pop-up message from the "Program Compatibility Assistant" implies the USB-to-Serial Cable Driver is not digitally signed. The driver is signed, but Windows doesn't recognize the signature because it is newer than this version of Windows.
In the Device Manager the serial adapter will show up with a yellow triangle with exclamation mark and the device status will be "Code 52" indicating the driver is unsigned.
Required Windows updates
Windows 7 requires installing some additional updates before it will recognize the new driver signature, these updates are also required to enable Windows Update, which would normally provide these updates automatically.
After downloading on another computer and transferring to the Windows 7 computer, run each of these updates following the on screen instructions, then restart the computer before connecting the USB to serial adapter.
Verifying the serial adapter driver
After logging back into the desktop, reconnect the serial adapter, there should be no popup warnings on connection.
Open the Start Menu, search for and launch "Device Manager", expand the section "Ports (COM & LPT)", then double-click on the "Prolific PL2303GT USB Serial COM Port (COM#)" entry to open the properties. The device status should now be "This device is working properly.".
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our support team via email at support@plugable.com we are happy to help answer any questions!
How to Connect to a Serial Device - Linux
Three ways to send and receive data from Serial devices in Linux
Identify the serial device
There are a few ways to find the serial adapter connected to the computer.
For USB serial devices like our PL2303-DB9 USB Serial Adapter, connect the adapter to the computer, then open a terminal and run:
dmesg | tailLook for output like:
[54221.132226] usb 1-2.2: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0
This indicates the serial adpater can be accessed at /dev/ttyUSB0
Alternatively, you can run the following command to print out the newest created serial adapter:
ls -tr1 /dev/tty* | tail -n 1This will output something similar to:
/dev/ttyUSB0
Screen
Screen is a full-screen window manager capable of connecting to serial devices.
To connect to the serial device at 9600 baud (one of the more common buad rates) run the following command in the terminal:
screen /dev/ttyUSB0 9600From here you can type text into the terminal to transmit to the connected device, or read output from the device.
Screen commands consist of "C-a" or ctrl+a (holding down the control key, and then pressing the 'a' key, then releasing both), to enter the command input mode, then commands may be entered with another key stroke.
To disconnect from the session ( while leaving it open ): Ctrl+a, Ctrl+d, you can then use the following to reattach to the session.
screen -rTo quit screen and close connection: ctrl+a, k. Then 'y' when prompted to kill the session.
Minicom
Minicom is a serial communication program that has a more user-friendly interface than screen, however with more options comes more choices.
To connect to the serial device at 9600 baud with minicom, from the terminal:
minicom -b 9600 -D /dev/ttyUSB0Minicom will provide more output when connected, in my case:
Welcome to minicom 2.7.1 OPTIONS: I18n Compiled on Jul 22 2021, 00:00:00. Port /dev/ttyUSB0, 10:42:24 Press CTRL-A Z for help on special keys
From here you can type into the terminal to send to connected serial device.
To quit, similar to Screen, the commands are accepted through key commands. Ctrl+A, z, x will disconnect and close the application.
Minicom may store presets and can be configured using the setup mode, but it is not necessary for basic useage.
minicom -sRedirecting echo
We can directly write to the serial device from bash by redirecting the output of the 'echo' command to the serial device. First we need to set the serial port speed and then send the text "helloworld" to the serial device:
stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 speed 9600
echo helloworld >/dev/ttyUSB0This method will not print responses from the serial device, and is most useful for one-way communication with a device, for example sending a string of text to an LED matrix display.
Troubleshooting Connectivity
Permission denied
Most permission denied error messages can be resolved by adding your user account to the 'dialout' group or the group with control of the serial port. We can check the group ownership of the port with the following:
ls -l /dev/ttyUSB0crw-rw----. 1 root dialout 188, 0 Jan 21 11:05 /dev/ttyUSB0
In this case I would need to add my user account to the 'dialout' group:
sudo usermod -a $(whoami) -G dialout`$(whoami)` can be replaced with your user name. Once added to the group, close and reopen the terminal, log out and back in, or restart the computer for the changes to take effect.
Scrambled Text
This is most often caused by incorrect baud rate settings on either the computer or device. Most serial devices like network routers and switches will have either a sticker with the serial port settings, or these can be found in the user manual for the device. For device with additional settings minicom may prove to be the easiest to configure.
What is the pinout of the RS-232 connector?
The RS-232 connector on PL2303-DB9 uses a standard DTE pinout. The pin configuration is as follows:
| Pin 1 | DCD |
| Pin 2 | RX |
| Pin 3 | TX |
| Pin 4 | DTR |
| Pin 5 | GND |
| Pin 6 | DSR |
| Pin 7 | RTS |
| Pin 8 | CTS |
| Pin 9 | RI |
The pin numbering can be found inside the DB9 connector of the adapter, and is as follows:
My PL2303-DB9 appears to be different than what is currently pictured, why?
The original PL2303-DB9 was revised with an updated chipset in April of 2021. The original version of PL2303-DB9 featured a Prolific PL2303HXD chipset which was discontinued by Prolific in 2020. This version of the adapter featured a blue plastic casing as shown below:
The adapter has since been updated to use the more recent PL2303GT chipset from Prolific. This chipset offers many of the same features as PL2303HXD and is a drop-in replacement in most applications. The new version of the adapter features a grey plastic casing as shown below:
If you have any questions about the different versions please contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to assist.
How to Use Two External Displays with the Lid Closed on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro M3
Overview
With the release of Apple’s M3 CPU chips and the Sonoma 14.6 update your base MacBook Air and MacBook Pro systems with M3 chips can now host two external displays natively in clamshell mode. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up and using two external displays with the lid closed on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro equipped with an Apple M3 chip.
Requirements
Before getting started, ensure you have the following:
- MacBook Air or MacBook Pro with an Apple M3 chip.
- macOS Sonoma 14.3 or later for an M3 MacBook Air or macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later for an M3 MacBook Pro.
- Two external displays with compatible video inputs (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C).
- A dock or graphics adapter can be used as well.
- External keyboard and mouse (wired or wireless).
- Power adapter or power source for your MacBook
- A docking station that provides adequate charge can be used in place of the native power adapter, be sure to check the wattage your dock provides.
Steps to Set Up Dual External Displays with the Lid Closed
1. Set Up Your External Keyboard and Mouse
- If you’re using a wired keyboard and mouse, connect them directly to your MacBook or Plugable dock.
- For wireless peripherals, ensure they are paired with your MacBook and functioning properly.
- An AC adapter/power cable of some kind will also need to be connected for clamshell mode to function properly. This adapter can be one from a docking station or the included Apple adapter.
2. Connect Your Displays
- Connect the first external display to your MacBook using the appropriate cable (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C)
- Close your laptop’s lid.
- Connect the second external display using a similar method.
- Ensure both displays are powered on and set to the correct input source.
3. Configure Display Settings
- Open System Settings on your MacBook.
- Go to Displays.
- You should see both external displays listed. Arrange them according to your preference by dragging the display icons.
- Adjust the resolution, refresh rate, and other settings as needed.
4. Enable "Clamshell Mode" (Lid Closed Mode)
- With your external displays connected and set up, close the lid of your MacBook.
- Your MacBook will automatically switch to "Clamshell Mode," where the internal display turns off, and the external displays become your primary screens.
- Ensure your MacBook is connected to a power source to prevent it from entering sleep mode.
5. Check the Display Arrangement
- With the lid closed, check that the external displays are functioning as expected.
- If necessary, re-open the Displays settings to adjust the arrangement, resolution, or other preferences.
Troubleshooting Tips
- No Display on External Monitors: If the external displays are not showing anything, open the lid of your MacBook and check the connections.
- MacBook Sleeps When Lid Is Closed: Make sure your MacBook is connected to a power adapter. Clamshell Mode requires the MacBook to be plugged into an external power source.
- Performance Issues: If you experience lag or performance drops, try lowering the resolution or refresh rate of the external displays.
Thunderbolt Dock Users
With these steps, one can use Plugable Thunderbolt docks to enjoy a dual-display setup without the need for additional software installation. The dock leverages the native capabilities of the MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Pro M3, providing a straightforward and efficient solution for expanding your workspace with additional USB ports, audio, and ethernet (as well as the dual displays).
Additional Resources
If you should need any assistance with your setup, please feel free to reach out to our support team at support@plugable.com.
