Install and test PCI 4 Port RS232 Card on DEBIAN.
1.Download Device Driver

You must login as a root user.

And do it in the ' text-mode ' or use the Terminal of System tools in ' graphic-mode '.

(1). For ttyS44 to ttyS75

pcicom-2.2.17-compact.tgz

FOR DEBAIN 2.2


Use 'uname -a' command to check your kernel's version.






2. Install Device Driver

This sample is under REDHAT 8.0 KERNEL 2.4.18-14.

2.1 DIP Switch

The switch is used to identify card number, default setting is card 1. There are two methods to set the card number:

2.2.1 PnP mode

Just plug in PCI bus adapter into PCI slot, the PCI BIOS will allocate I/O address to each adapter automatically and assign card number start from 0 to each adapter. However, if you plug in more than one adapter, please set whole adapters to card number 1 (default setting), then use software tools to distinguish port id.

2.2.2 Manual mode

Set card number by card identifier switch, the PCI BIOS will assign pre-allocated I/O address to each adapter. Please set different card number to each adapter (do not duplicate card number setting).

                              
2.3 Instal1 step

Please follow as follows to instal1 the driver.


Step 1: Extract the file





After extracting, it creates three files.



Step 2: Replace two files --- serial.c and serial.h

First: Backup original file.


Second: Overwrite it.



Step 3: Build the Linux Kernel with the driver.

First : make menuconfig


(1). Choose ' Character devices '.


(2) Choose ' Extended dumb serial driver options ', ' Support more than 4 serial ports ',
     ' Support for sharing serial interrupts ' and ' Support special multiport boards '.



(3). Select < exit > .

(4) Select < Exit > .



(5) Select < Yes > .

Second : make dep


Third : make bzImage

It will create System.map and bzImage files. Then replace the files.


(1) Remove the link file ---System.map .


(2) Copy /usr/src/linux-2.4/System.map file to /boot .


(3) Copy /usr/src/linux-2.4/arch/i386/boot/bzImage file to /boot. And rename ' pccom '.

      It will create ' pccom ' file.


Fourth : Edit boot menu. The following example is lilo boot menu.

The normal configuration file is located in /etc/lilo.conf.


You must add new image to boot and backup original image.


After making changes to /etc/lilo.conf, you must run lilo to make changes to go in effect.



Step 4: Make the device nodes if they are not existent. Use ' ls ttyS* ' command to  check.

The corresponding nodes are :

ttyS44  ttyS45(cau44  cau45) for the first 2 port card .

ttyS52  ttyS53(cau52  cau53) for the second 2 port card .

ttyS60  ttyS61(cau60  cau61) for the third 2 port card .

ttyS68  ttyS69(cau68  cau69) for the fourth 2 port card .

After Making, use ' ls ttyS* ' command to check them.



Step 5: Please reboot systems.


After rebooting system. Lilo will give two selections : ' linux ' and ' oldlinux '.

Choose ' linux ' to boot. Doing nothing will casue ' linux ' to boot.

Step 6: You can use ' dmesg | more ' command to check it is working or not . .


And use ' cat /proc/pci ' command to find the device .


3.Self test the card
You must prepare two konsoles . And use DB9F to DB9F cable to connect the RS-232/422/485 Card and PC COM1.


                                           
CONNECTOR A

DB9F

                                           
CONNECTOR B

DB9F

TEST 1:

The Konsole (RS-232/422/485 Card) sends the data and the Konsole <2> (COM1) receives the data.

First: Use ' cat < /dev/ttys0 ' to receive the data. Then press ' Enter '.



Second: Send ' THIS IS TEST! ' from /dev/ttyS44 (RS-232/422/485 Card). Then press ' Enter '.



Third: The Konsole <2> will anto receive ' THIS IS TEST! '.



Fourth: send ' 123456789 ' from /dev/ttyS44 (RS-232/422/485 Card). Then press ' Enter '.


fifth: The Konsole <2> will anto receive ' 123456789 '.



sixth: Press ' Ctrl + c ' to stop .


TEST 2:

The Konsole (RS-232/422/485 Card) receive the data and the Konsole <2> (COM1) send the data.

First: Use ' cat < /dev/ttys44 ' (RS-232/422/485 Card) to receive the data. Then press ' Enter'.



Second: Send ' TEST ! ' from /dev/ttyS0 (COM1). Then press ' Enter '.



Third: The Konsole (RS-232/422/485 Card) will anto receive ' TEST ! '.



fourth: Press ' Ctrl + c ' to stop .