How to setup USB to serial adapter

Mattjones · Oct 9, 2012

Hi, I'm new to FreeBSD so I was hoping somebody could help me out here. I got this FTDI usb serial adapter that I need to hook-up to a Fluke multimeter. Im not really sure where to start. Could somebody point me in the right direction regarding how to install the usb serial adapter?

Mattjones · Oct 9, 2012

sorry,..the headline was supposed to be: How to setup usb to serial adapter

..but I can't seem to correct it now

Uniballer · Oct 9, 2012

Do you have the manual(s)? I believe that the Fluke 8845a/8846a meters have an ethernet port. Why are you messing with RS-232 when you can use ethernet?

In the manual I downloaded appendix C covers the RS-232 pinout. But really, ethernet is much easier and faster.

wblock@ · Oct 9, 2012

The software side of that adapter should be easy. uftdi(4) is already part of the GENERIC kernel, so just load ucom(4):
# kldload ucom

After that, you need a serial cable that is wired right. That will depend on what the meter needs.

Mattjones · Oct 9, 2012

wblock@ said:
The software side of that adapter should be easy. uftdi(4) is already part of the GENERIC kernel, so just load ucom(4):
# kldload ucom

After that, you need a serial cable that is wired right. That will depend on what the meter needs.

Great, thanks. So the Generic kernel supports the FTDI chipset in the adapter?

I do know that the pin-configuration on the serial side is correct so that should not be a problem.

Mattjones · Oct 9, 2012

Uniballer said:
Do you have the manual(s)? I believe that the Fluke 8845a/8846a meters have an ethernet port. Why are you messing with RS-232 when you can use ethernet?

In the manual I downloaded appendix C covers the RS-232 pinout. But really, ethernet is much easier and faster.

Yes, I am aware of the Ethernet port. Unfortunately this project requires me to use the serial port

wblock@ · Oct 9, 2012

Mattjones said:
Great, thanks. So the Generic kernel supports the FTDI chipset in the adapter?

Well, probably. If someone would give me one of those meters, I'd be happy to test it.

I do know that the pin-configuration on the serial side is correct so that should not be a problem.

Then it should just be a matter of connecting to it. /dev/cuaU0 should be the device. Do you have an application that communicates with it, or will it just be a terminal program?

jalla · Oct 9, 2012

And you can use tip(1)() to connect over the serial line. Needs a definition in remote(5)().

You probably need a line like this in /etc/remote

Code:

ucom0:dv=/dev/cuaU0:br#9600:pa=none:

wblock@ · Oct 9, 2012

I use cu(1), which takes the port and baud rate as command line options:
# cu -l /dev/cuaU0 -s 9600

Mattjones · Oct 10, 2012

wblock@ said:
Well, probably. If someone would give me one of those meters, I'd be happy to test it.

Then it should just be a matter of connecting to it. /dev/cuaU0 should be the device. Do you have an application that communicates with it, or will it just be a terminal program?

Great, I will try /dev/cuaU0. Im not aware of any applications for this so I will probably have to use a terminal program.