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[patesfordbill]

I have tried to use my X10 CM11A serial interface controller via a Prolific USB to serial converter.  The converter is seen but the CM11A is not.  Using X10 ActiveHome software 1.42.  What settings may I have missed in the setup, COM 2 is selected in the X10 setup software, and COM 2 is the Prolific device setting with 1200 baud, data bits 8,  parity none, stop bits 1, parity none. I know the USB to serial converter drivers are the latest and I know the pc sees it and says that it is working properly.  I have tested the CM11A on a serial computer outlet on another machine, it's ok as well.  Why won't these work together?

[Walt2]

I have never, ever, been able to get the CM11a (nor the CM14a) to work with any USB-to-Serial adapter. 

I believe the problem is that the X10 unique serial driver needs to be used.  Not the USB driver provided by the adapter.  In other words, the drivers for these USB-to-Serial adapters emulate a standard Windows Serial driver, and not the special X10 driver.

[Charles Sullivan]

I have tried to use my X10 CM11A serial interface controller via a Prolific USB to serial converter.  The converter is seen but the CM11A is not.  Using X10 ActiveHome software 1.42.  What settings may I have missed in the setup, COM 2 is selected in the X10 setup software, and COM 2 is the Prolific device setting with 1200 baud, data bits 8,  parity none, stop bits 1, parity none. I know the USB to serial converter drivers are the latest and I know the pc sees it and says that it is working properly.  I have tested the CM11A on a serial computer outlet on another machine, it's ok as well.  Why won't these work together?

The CM11A operates at 4800 baud and it should configure the adapter for that speed.  The Windows setting should be ignored.

The major problem I've seen with Win XP is that AH 1.42 seems to have problems identifying available serial ports, but if you set the serial port during the AH installation it'll work OK.

I've been disappointed with Prolific adapters under Linux, but I've installed and successfully operated AH 1.42 on three different Win XP PCs using three different brands of adapters with different versions of Prolific chipsets.

I assume you've checked your PC's BIOS setup to make sure there's no conflict with COM2 and that Windows Device Manager identifies your COM2 as the USB adapter.

[Charles Sullivan]

I have never, ever, been able to get the CM11a (nor the CM14a) to work with any USB-to-Serial adapter. 

I believe the problem is that the X10 unique serial driver needs to be used.  Not the USB driver provided by the adapter.  In other words, the drivers for these USB-to-Serial adapters emulate a standard Windows Serial driver, and not the special X10 driver.

Walt2,
See my response to the OP.

I currently have a PC booted into Win XP (SP1) with a previously installed ActiveHome Pro.  I just installed AH 1.42 for a CM11A attached via a Prolific USB-Serial adapter on COM3.  I have both AHP and AH running simultaneously, at least to the extent that I can switch the same lamp module on and off by clicking the icon on either software.  And the icon on/off for  each software changes in sync with that of the other software.

There's got to be a problem with the motherboard hardware on some PCs which prevents AH from working with a USB adapter on those PCs.

[patesfordbill]

I have tried to use my X10 CM11A serial interface controller via a Prolific USB to serial converter.  The converter is seen but the CM11A is not.  Using X10 ActiveHome software 1.42.  What settings may I have missed in the setup, COM 2 is selected in the X10 setup software, and COM 2 is the Prolific device setting with 1200 baud, data bits 8,  parity none, stop bits 1, parity none. I know the USB to serial converter drivers are the latest and I know the pc sees it and says that it is working properly.  I have tested the CM11A on a serial computer outlet on another machine, it's ok as well.  Why won't these work together?

The CM11A operates at 4800 baud and it should configure the adapter for that speed.  The Windows setting should be ignored.

The major problem I've seen with Win XP is that AH 1.42 seems to have problems identifying available serial ports, but if you set the serial port during the AH installation it'll work OK.

I've been disappointed with Prolific adapters under Linux, but I've installed and successfully operated AH 1.42 on three different Win XP PCs using three different brands of adapters with different versions of Prolific chipsets.

I assume you've checked your PC's BIOS setup to make sure there's no conflict with COM2 and that Windows Device Manager identifies your COM2 as the USB adapter.

Thanks for the logical analysis.  I don't believe there is a BIOS conflict, Prolific device seen and assigned COM2.  Com 2 assigned during today's reinstall of AH 1.42, with XP drivers.  Still no joy for the old boy, even after making sure that 4800 was set as the baud rate.  Stumped.  Bad bad X10, when will I win?

[patesfordbill]

Thanks for the logical analysis.  I don't believe there is a BIOS conflict, Prolific device seen and assigned COM2.  Com 2 assigned during today's reinstall of AH 1.42, with XP drivers.  Still no joy for the old boy, even after making sure that 4800 was set as the baud rate.  Stumped.  Bad bad X10, when will I win?

[Brian H]

Well some of the blame has to go to the Microsoft and Motherboard teams. We can't expect X10 to support the CM11A for ever and the CM15A has been the new boy for years now.
X10 is not the only ones that are not supporting stuff. My rarely used now. Smarthome 1132CU controllers 'Smarthome Manager Essentials' software was never even patched for the NEW DST dates! They still sell the 1132CU but called it "Legacy Hardware" no more updates! A few users had to think out a workaround where we added two locations with a 1 times zone offset and turn OFF DST in the controller

[JimC]

patesfordbill ,

Is your USB to serial adaptor plugged into the usb port on the computer or into a hub. I have seen other posts where some have had problems using non powered hubs. I have a usb to 4 serial port addapter that uses the Prolific chipset and have yet to find anything that will not work with it. I am running Windows XP on an older 880 computer.

Jim

[Charles Sullivan]

It occurs to me that I have had intermittent problems with _all_ USB->Serial adapters when I used a USB extension cable to avoid groping around to the rear panel USB sockets on my PCs.