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Keyspan USB/Serial Adapter: a mixed bag of reports

Keyspan USB/Serial Adapter: a mixed bag of reports

CNET staff
We continue to receive scattered reports of Keyspan's USB/Serial Adapter having problems both with iMacs and G3/BW's. Problems include a freeze after downloading pictures from a digital camera (connected via a serial port), problems using a Global Village Teleport V.90 modem (connected to a serial port), and crashes associated with MacPac software and a Palm cradle connected via the Keyspan serial port (the Palm conflict has been previously confirmed).

Not all users report problems. For example, one reader reported success with the same Teleport modem arrangement. Another reader similarly reported no problems with his connected modem or Palm cradle.

I am not yet sure why some readers have success while others do not. But here are some suggestions that have been offered:

Make sure the Keyspan adapter is plugged into USB Port #1. A reader notes that the Keyspan manual states that the adapter needs to be in Port #1 so the computer will "see" the 2 serial ports as they are in the older Macs (Serial #1 is the "printer port;" Serial #2 is the "modem port").

Unplug and replug the Adapter after the Mac has finished its startup.

(Thanks, Paul Vee, Thomas von Rueden, Paul Lavender, Bradford Pollock, and others.)