[ct-user] HOW MANY COM PORTS ??

[Michael A. McCarthy, W1NR]

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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-- 
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Michael A. McCarthy, President
Everest Engineering Corporation, Consultants
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(508) 460-6737, FAX (508) 460-7951
mailto:wa1uar@eecorp.com
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