Do any laptops have TWO (2) serial com ports?

[THELAIR]

I acutally have a need for a laptop that will be used in a mobile setup (car use). It will have a GPS unit attached to it and a high end radio communication data port connected to it.

Prob is they both use serial ports, and the radio communication device doesnt transmit properly when used with a USB to serial adapter. So I thought i would ask if anyone has ever seen a laptop with dual serial ports that isnt a 486

I think what will have to happen is get a laptop with one serial port, and connect the GPS unit to a USB to serial adater, but life would be easy if it had 2

Can you convert a parallel printer port into a serial com port?

 

[AndyHui]

I don't know of any laptops with 2 serial ports, but many models do have what is known as a "Port Replicator". This adds the second serial port that you are looking for, as well as a few other ports.

 

[VBboy]

Bah! Just get a Serial to USB adapter, and you'll be all set. They don't cost much, and should work fine in your situation.

 

[bocamojo]

What VBboy said... USB to serial adapter will work for ya.

 

[THELAIR]

my new task now is to find a cheap laptop that has USB in it now.

I can get a P166 with 80 megs ram 2 gig HDD, for the equiv of about 150 US. But only one serial port, and no usb...
so now i gotta find somthing cheap as well that has USB + a serial port.

at around what MHz speed did most laptops start to have integrated USB?

 

[DellSupport]

The lair- P2 processor era is going to be some of the first chipsets that integrated USB support. Look for PII 233 units.

 

[jschuk]

As an alternative, you can get a PCMCIA serial card. Also, some of those older laptops didn't use industry standard USB chips, so they had some incompatibilities. I would be leery of the USB in any laptop that didn't use a PII or higher.