Figuring out my JCOM1 header and port - Help Please?

[IncredibleHat]

I have the MSI K8NGM2-FID motherboard. On it is a JCOM1 header for a 'serial port bracket'.

I bought a bracket, its a serial port bracket, and has a small grey cable from the bracket to a black header plug. It has 9 wires, and you can see one 'slot' on the black plug that has no wire, so I am assuming thats the 'key' end where the missing pin side goes.

Ok, so I plug it in and try to get my TVT3 working with it. Well, the port doesnt seem to work!

I am thinking its something with the bracket, because the device manager shows a Communications Port COM1 as being enabled, and I even uninstalled it and had it reinstall itself, and still didnt help.

Are not all COM brackets made equally and the wiring configuration on it is all screwed up?

The MSI book shows:

PIN Definition:
1 DCD
2 SIN
3 SOUT
4 DTR
5 GND
6 DSR
7 RTS
8 CTS
9 RI

With the pins numbered 1-5 down on the right side, and then 6-9 upwards on the left side, and the 'tenth' location being empty. Here is a picture: Header Layout

I don't know what to do at this point. I plugged it all in, and it should be working, but it is not. *sigh*

EDIT:
Oh, here are the images that were claiming what the bracket is setup as:
Image 1
Image 2

Looking at it, they seem to match up... if not numbered differently, but that doesnt matter.

[dbfresh23]

Do you have another serial device you can try with it? the DB9 bracket is just relaying the signals being sent out from the header on the motherboard, unless it looks physically damaged i'd tend to doubt that the bracket is the problem. Is this the only serial port?

[IncredibleHat]

This is the only serial port. The board has not physical port built onto it (they opted for more video ports instead). So I bought the bracket, so I wouldnt have to buy another USB serial adapter for my second TVTranslator dongle.

I am thinking the pin layout is all wrong... the header pins are not the same as what the wires end up for with the socket on the bracket... I may have to disect it and rewire it... or something.

[GKusnick]

Given that a USB-to-serial adapter can be had for less than $20, and you already know that solution works, it may not be worth the trouble to keep fooling around with this serial bracket.

But hey, if you're having fun, don't let me stop you.

[toricred]

I haven't been able to find USB-to-serial adapters for less than $25 in quite a while. Am I not looking in the right place?

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by toricred

I haven't been able to find USB-to-serial adapters for less than $25 in quite a while. Am I not looking in the right place?

Try Monoprice.com

[naln]

Hey,
I just got a Rosewill PCI card for serial ports from newegg.

Works like a charm. Have the two D11-100 boxes running off these two ports and the (older dll)....I would recommend going this route if you have a spare PCI slot. Working stable for almost a week now.

[naln]

Originally Posted by dbfresh23

Do you have another serial device you can try with it? the DB9 bracket is just relaying the signals being sent out from the header on the motherboard, unless it looks physically damaged i'd tend to doubt that the bracket is the problem.

Did you try this already?

Also, did you check with the Patersontech config utility if the Serial port is being seen? - that should be your easiest alternative.....it should highlight the 'Serial Port Connected' in green once it sees your serial port.

[IncredibleHat]

Right, thats how I knew the port isnt working... because it would not show up green in the test window.

The pins are all wrong on the bracket compared to the board layout. Either MSI was doing stupid stuff again with the spec, or the bracket is made for like a mac or something.

So, I either have to reorganize the wires on the header plug, or buy something else. Grr.

[naln]

Originally Posted by IncredibleHat

The pins are all wrong on the bracket compared to the board layout. Either MSI was doing stupid stuff again with the spec, or the bracket is made for like a mac or something.

Sorry to hear that....I looked up your config and looks like you are out of usable PCI slots as well.

Your best option maybe to rewire the gray connector cable- if you think you can follow up the header pin configurations to the bracket port and ensure that the configuration is wrong....I just have trouble with the fact that there would be header wiring problems with a serial port communicator- I thought the pin-outs/ headers were standard/universal.....Does the Device Manager show the port as working? Try uninstalling your usb-serial port device as well as your mobo serial header and reinstalling again- mobo header first this time.....before you do any rewiring.....Good Luck!

[IncredibleHat]

Well, the images I posted... the ones of the MSI header, and the ones of the Bracket setup... looking at them, they appeared at first to be 'right', but thats looking down at them. If you visualize the plug flipping over to plug into the header... the pins are backwards.

I dont know if MSI didnt follow spec, or the bracket makers were following some other spec. They only said "works on most standard com headers on most motherboards". "most" lol. I have seen MSI do proprietary layouts before, like for their headers on the LED and power switch controls too. So... maybe they did something screwy with the COM header, so they can sell 'their' expensive COM bracket as an accessory?

Anyhow, The port says its working in device manager. Its just the bracket doesnt appear to function with whatever is plugged into it, and that to me, suggests that the wiring from the header to the bracket is wrong.

And after what I went through to get the drivers working for COM2 for the patersontech device... I am VERY hesitant on uninstalling those lol!! lol!!

[naln]

I totally understand the usb-serial-usb problem you had with patersontech...I guess that leaves you with only one option - if the bracket was not too expensive- redo the wiring......good luck!

Any possiblity of looking into PCI riser cards? Here is another one. Some of these are also available with flexible connectors, so you can almost put these in a different box (small case enclosure rigged for this)
I am nor sure what the 32bit vs 64bit compatibility issues on these cards will be...but this maybe a possible solution for you to get additional PCI slots for PCI serial port adapters...which on the long run may be a money saver- since PCI slots seem to be a premium even on all newer motherboards? Sorry couldn't be of too much help....good luck with getting the second D11-100 box up and running.

On the same note - this maybe another route to take- but I coudn't find any sellers on 'Google' . But this might be a better option - a PCIe to serial adapters..currently a bit expensive and here as well..