Wireless SM4?

[RGA-1200]

Damn. Concrete 1, laptop 0.

Yes, I dropped the #@&*ing laptop on the floor and now it won't talk to me. Assuming it is beyond repair, this leaves me with the problem of trying to source a cheap but reliable laptop with a serial port - which is easier said than done.

I know this question was asked a while back on the old forum, but I don't recall a definitive answer. Has anyone successfully used a serial-to-wireless adapter (bluetooth, 802.11 etc) to communicate with a 'normal' modern laptop via one of it's inbuilt wireless protocols? It seems even the seemingly simple USB to serial adapters never work as well as claimed (if at all), I imagine the wireless just adds a new dimension for problems.

Next SM4 update - bluetooth or similar PLEEEEASE!! Or at least USB. It would save us a fortune in laptops.

Cheers
Steve

EDIT: For example this is on ebay around $70...
http://www.iogear.com/product/GBS301/
I note the following disclaimer: NOTE: Due to various communication protocols and drivers, this adapter may not work with RS-232 modems, mice, keyboards, cell phones, and devices using proprietary communication protocols.

Should work?

[Chris]

May be best to go with pcmcia-rs232 card. I have used some of these with no problems.

Dell still has rs232 port on its business notebooks as do some other brands.

Chris

[gti]

I sometimes use a USB/serial converter from SEWELL. It has not failed on me once.

[SporttiJanne]

We had a play with a Gridconnect Firefly USB-Bluetooth to Serial wireless adapter, but never found correct settings to get it work with SM4. (This is the same unit that was linked in the old forum.)

ATEN USB->serial adapter seems to work 100% for me, that is what I use with old and new laptops.

[RGA-1200]

Hopefully I'm not speaking too soon, but... I found a service manual for my lappy on the web and disassembled the whole thing, checking for anything obviously wrong. There was absolutely no visible damage, except the screen casing had unclipped itself a bit and was slightly damaged at the top corner. I got it stripped and removed the mainboard and blew it out with air, nothing obviously wrong so I put it all back together and hey presto, it works fine again! Bonus points for the Dell Latitude, survived a 1m fall onto concrete while open and running with just a very slight crease to the corner of the screen casing.

And for your replies, thanks for that info, it is good to know that there are USB to serial adapters which do work ok when the time comes to update (or if the fall really did hurt it and it shows up later). Would still be good to have a wireless link so this doesn't happen again. I might get one of those adapters and see if I can get it to work.

Cheers
Steve

[gti]

I have also used ATEN USB/Serial cable. No problem at all.

[sl1000]

mine usb to rs232 also works fine. never had a glitch