You have basically two options, but depending on what else you have,
you might run out of IRQ's...
There are many 4 port COM boards that have "high" IRQ's for COM3 and 4.
These are available at Comp-USA, Computer City, etc. They don't need
special drivers, however, if you want to use all 4 ports at the same
time, you need to use seperate IRQ's. There are also 3 port printer
cards that can be configured the same way. With those 2 boards, you
spend 7 IRQ's. There are only 9 available at the most.
However, CT Version 9 does have a driver for a Digiboard (or is it
Digiport) 8 port serial card that uses a single IRQ. These require
special drivers for Windows, DOS, CT9 etc. because of the IRQ sharing.
They are also quite expensive last time I looked. They may or may not
work with some software.
I use a 4 port card from SIDE that I bought at Comp-USA (Around $100
with all 4 ports populated with UART's). I also have a PS/2 mouse which
lets me use all 4 serial ports for other things. A mouse must be on
COM1 or COM2 or be a PS/2 or BUS type mouse.
73,
Mike
Setzler, James M wrote:
>
> > Greetings,
> >
> > Here's a real basic computer question.
> >
> > I've a 486 DX4/100 mother board with WIN 95 installed. The MB does
> > not have on-board controllers. I usually run CT or Loq-EQF booted to
> > the WIN95 DOS prompt or boot to DOS 6.2. I don't usually use the
> > WIN95 DOS window; although sometimes I do with no real apparent
> > problems. I want to expand the computers connections capabilities
> > by having almost everything connected to it at one time. I want to be
> > able to connect mouse, Radio #1, Radio #2, Packet TNC, RTTY TNC,
> > modem, DVP, Printer, 2-radio switch, etc, etc.... you get the
> > picture. This takes a lot of ports.
> >
> > How many ports can I have active at one time? Am I limited to
> > a total of 4 COM and 3 LPT ports operating at one time? Or, with the
> > appropriate I/O boards installed, could I have, say, 6 COM and 2 LPT
> > ports active at one time?
> >
> > If I am limited to no more than 4 COM and 3 LPT ports active at
> > any one time, can I have 6 serial and 2 parallel devices physically
> > connected to the computer all the time and, with various programs, use
> > no more than the requisite 4 COM / 3 LPT ports at one time?
> >
> > thanks & 73 James / k1sd
> >
> >
> >
>
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--
**************** Give Every Man His Dew **************
Michael A. McCarthy, President
Everest Engineering Corporation, Consultants
4 Barnes Circle, Marlborough, MA 01752
(508) 460-6737, FAX (508) 460-7951
mailto:wa1uar@eecorp.com
******************************************************
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