Old laptop. Can I use the parallel port as a serialport how?

[kwoody]

I use an old Toshiba laptop as chart plotter,only 1 serial port. To add an external mouse, need another serial port. Tried to use the parallel port serial pin3.nothing happens Do I have to reconfigure the software how?

 

[edfair]

No, you cannot use the parallel port as a serial port. And if you plug a serial device that is capable of supplying the serial voltages you are at risk of blowing the parallel port parts.
Your choice is to get a parallel to serial converter and use the parallel output of the printer port to drive it and the printer. That will free up your serial port.

This is conditional on the software you are using. It is possible that you are locked into a serial port, in which case you are out of luck.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Wishdiak]

kwoody,

If you absolutely need an external mouse and lack either a PS/2, serial, or USB port to connect the mouse to, you may be able to find a PCMCIA card that provides one (or more) of the above ports.

I know that there are PCMCIA cards that supply USB ports, but I'm not sure about PS/2 or serial ports.

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com