Serial Connection Troubleshooting for LapLink Applications Running in Windows 95 Windows 98 or Windows Millennium - Search Again

 

SUMMARY

While running under Windows 95 Windows 98 or Windows Millennium, LapLink does not establish a serial cable connection. (No remote computer name appears under Connect over Cable.)

 

SOLUTION

There are many possible solutions to this problem.

  • The serial port being used is Disabled in LapLink and needs to be enabled. To enable the port:


  1. In LapLink, click on the Options menu, and click on Port Setup

  2. Highlight the Disabled port and click on Enable Port

  3. Close the Port Setup dialogue box and try to make a connection.

  • The serial port is not enabled in the machine's BIOS settings, or may be configured as an infrared port. Many computers with multiple external serial ports and a modem installed are shipped with the second serial port disabled. Additionally, many laptops with infrared ports also disable the external serial port. If you think this may apply to your machine:

  1. Follow steps in Technical Document 117, How to Identify Ports on a Computer Running Windows 95 or 98 to confirm the serial port addresses in the BIOS. If an address is missing, check the computers BIOS settings to enable the missing port.

  2. Find out how to view the BIOS settings of your machine. Pressing a key sequence as the machine starts will usually display these settings. A common sequence is to press the Del key or the Ctrl+Alt+Esc keys during the startup process. A message may even appear on your screen at this time that tells you what key(s) to press for the setup. (You may need to refer to your computer's documentation for the actual process for viewing these settings.)

    3. NOTE: The BIOS settings are critical to the operation of your machine. Do not change any settings other than the ones described below. If you unintentionally change a setting, exit the BIOS area without saving the settings.
  3. Look for a setting similar to Port Configuration, Communications, Serial Ports, or Integrated Peripherals. (You may need to refer to the computer's documentation for the setting.)

  4. Click on this setting and locate the serial ports (they may also be called a COM port). Check to see port is enabled, active, or whatever indicates the port is available, and that it is configured to be a serial port. The setting may indicate a specific port address, such as 03F8, and an interrupt setting, such as IRQ 4.

  5. Save your settings and exit from the BIOS. Your computer will reboot back into Windows.

  6. Run LapLink again and check for a connection. If the port was not available when LapLink was installed, ensure you have enabled it in Options, Port Setup

  • The serial port needs to be set to a lower speed, or Standard Transfer Mode.

  1. In LapLink, click on the Options menu, and click on Port Setup

  2. Highlight the Enabled port and click on Configure.

  3. Click on Port Speed setting and click on a lower speed setting.

  4. Click on OK to close the port configuration.

  5. Click on Close to close the Port Setup dialogue. Check for a connection.

  6. If lowering the speed does not provide the connection, click on Standard Transfer Mode using this same procedure.

  • The cable is plugged into the wrong port. If either machine has more than one serial port:

  1. Plug the serial cable into each port separately and check for a connection. Serial ports are male in gender (pins) and are either 9 or 25 in number. For each end of the cable, attach only one of the connectors to a serial port.

  2. If a mouse was previously on one of the ports:

    1. After removing the mouse, reboot the computer. This will allow Windows to detect that the mouse has been removed, and to temporarily disable the mouse driver.

    2. Start LapLink and check for a connection.

    3. When you have finished using LapLink, reattach the mouse and reboot the machine.

  • The port may be disabled or show a conflict in Windows Device Manager.

  1. Right-click on My Computer, click on Properties.

  2. Click on the Device Manager tab. Check for conflicts (ports with yellow exclamation points), or for ports that have been disabled (ports with red x marks).

  3. If any port shows a conflict:

    1. Click on the conflicted port to highlight it.

    2. Clicking on Remove to remove the device,

    3. When all conflicted devices have been removed, click on OK to exit Device Manager and reboot the computer.

    4. Check Device Manager after rebooting for results. If conflict returns, you need to contact the hardware manufacturer or Microsoft for additional assistance. LapLink may be able to connect from a different serial port if one exists.

  4. If the port is disabled:

    1. Click on the port to highlight it

    2. Click on Properties.

    3. Return a check mark to Original Configuration (Current), or remove check mark from Disable in this Hardware profile

    4. Click on OK.

  5. Start LapLink and check for a connection.

  • Confirm that other drivers are not assigned to the same serial port as LapLink (for example, a digitizer board or an external modem). If this port is the only available port, these devices will need to be disabled or possibly removed from the system before LapLink can use the port. Consult with the manufacture of this device for assistance is making the port available.

  • Confirm that another software application is not using the serial ports. Some palmtop communication programs (e.g., 3Com's Palm Pilot or Windows CE services) monitor the serial ports continuously for a connection. This constant monitoring makes the ports unavailable for LapLink. Prior to launching LapLink, disable these programs. Some printers, such as the HP1170 series, have printer monitors that will monitor all ports and prevent a connection, regardless of the port in use by the printer. If your printer is an HP1170 series, disable the printer monitors and restart Windows. To do this:

    • Right-click the Windows Start menu, click on Explore, click on Programs, click on Startup. Locate the printer monitor program and remove from the Startup group.

    • Alternatively, in Windows 98, from the Windows Start menu, click on Run. Type in MSCONFIG. Click on the Startup tab, and remove the check mark from all HP printer monitors.

    • Restart the computer


  • LapLink's Auto Connection feature may be creating too much 'traffic' on the cable. By default, LapLink is configured to have Enable Cable and Wireless Auto connect enabled. This allows LapLink to create a connection whenever it finds an available machine at the other end of the cable without additional instruction from the user. With both computers configured this way, LapLink will commonly make two connections. A user will see file transfer windows appear for both computers on both computer monitors if this is occurring. We recommend disabling Auto Connect on the computer that has the smaller keyboard/monitor (i.e., the laptop). This will allow Auto connect to continuing working from the more manageable machine (i.e., the desktop). To disable Auto connect, follow these steps:


  1. In LapLink, click on the Options menu, and click on Connect Options

  2. Click on the Connect tab

  3. Remove the check mark from Enable Cable and Wireless Auto connect

  4. Click OK

  • Consider the possibility that the cable is bad. Attempt to connect to a 3rd computer. For domestic customers, cables less than 1 year old are replaced free of charge. Contact Technical Support at (425) 487-8804 for assistance.

 

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Last updated: Sunday, January 21, 2001

Article #131

Legacy Article #5837