StarTech.com PCI232INTE, INTEBOX8 Instruction Manual

Intelligent 3.3 volt/5 volt High Speed
Serial PCI Card

PCI232INTE
INTEBOX8

Instruction Guide

The Professionals’ Source For Hard-to-Find Computer Parts

INTELLIGENT SSERIAL

CARD

* Actual product may vary from photo

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B

digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

1

Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Driver Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

SCO Unix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing a high-speed intelligent serial card and/or RS232 connector
box from StarTech.com. Designed to reduce the load on the CPU and improve system
performance, the PCI232INTE intelligent card uses a high speed RISC style processor to
manage data flow between the main CPU and external serial devices. Just connect the
card to one of our INTEBOX8 RS232 connector boxes to add 8 high speed serial ports to
your system.

Features

• PCI232INTE and INTEBOX8 combine to provide you with 8 high-speed serial ports

• Intelligent card uses a high-speed RISC style processor to manage the data flow
between the main CPU and external serial devices

• Reduces the load on the CPU and considerably improves the whole system
performance

•Works with both 3.3 Volt and 5 Volt server slots (PCI232INTE)

• Can provide up to 64 serial ports using eight INTEBOX8 external connector boxes

• Compatible with major OS platforms, including Windows, Linux (Slackware or
Redhat), and UNIX

Before You Begin

To ensure a quick and easy device installation, please read through this section carefully
before attempting to install the device.

Requirements

•Acomputer running Windows XP/2000/NT, Linux (Slackware or Redhat), or UNIX
SCO Open Server

• An open 3.3 or 5V PCI slot

Note: You must use the PCI232INTE card with at least one StarTech.com INTEBOX8
RS232 connector box. You can not plug a serial device directly into the card itself.

Contents
PCI232INTE INTEBOX8

•1 x PCI232INTE intelligent serial card • 1 x INTEBOX8 connector box

•1 x 37-pin serial cable

•Driver disk(s) for Windows, Linux, and Unix

3

Installation

Note: In one system, you can install two intelligent serial cards. Each card can support
up to eight INTEBOX8 connectors boxes, for a total of up to 64 devices per card or 128
serial devices per system.

Installing the Card

1. Make sure that your system is unplugged and you are grounded.

2. Remove the cover of your system (see your computer's user manual for details, if
necessary) and gently turn your computer onto its side.

3. Locate an empty PCI slot (usually white in color) and remove the metal plate that
covers the rear bracket. You may need a Phillips screwdriver to perform this step.
Hang on to the screw! You will need it to secure the card later.

4. Gently insert the card into the empty slot, making sure it is firmly seated.

5. Secure the card in place using the screw you removed in Step 3 and put your
computer case back on.

6. Plug the female end of the 37-pin serial cable into the port on the card. Plug the male
end into the female port on your external connector box.

7. If you are using multiple connector boxes, plug the two boxes directly together
using their 37-pin connectors. You can have up to eight connector boxes per card.

8. Turn the computer on.

4

Driver Installation

Note: Depending on your operating system and the configuration of your system, the
instructions below may not be identical to what you see on your screen.

Windows

Windows XP/2000

Once you turn your computer on after installing the card, Windows will automatically
detect the new hardware. Follow the onscreen prompts and direct Windows to the
Win2000 folder on the driver disk (Windows 2000 and Windows XP use the same driver).

Notes:

• To change the COM port number: Windows will automatically assign the card a

COM port number. If you need to specify another port number, you can use the setup
utility included with the driver. Go to: Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device
Manager/Multi-Port Serial Adapter/Setup. From here you will be able to set the
target value.

• To install two PCI232INTE cards in the same system: You can differentiate between

the two cards by using the jumper (located near the end of the card). The card with
the jumper ON will have the lower COM number. The card with the jumper OFF will
have the higher COM number.

• Using Hyperterm to confirm installation: If there are problems accessing the COM

port, Hyperterm will reply with an “open fail” message.

• When Hyperterm is working properly but RAS is not: You may need to remove the

“Modem” device and add it back in again. You can not use the Modem device before
installing the driver. You need to create a new Modem device that will be used by the
new COM port.

5

Windows NT

Before you begin, make sure that no other version of this driver exists on your system.
Remove any older versions of the driver before installing the new versions.

1. From your Control Panel, choose Network.

2. Choose Add Adapter (do NOT choose Add Software).

3. Insert your driver disk into the disk drive. Choose “Other: Requires disk from
manufacturer.”

4. Direct Windows to the NT4 folder on the driver disk.

5. Follow any onscreen prompts to complete the driver installation.

Notes:

• By default, the TTY port is assigned “COM3”: You can specify the starting COM

number during the installation procedure.

• You must reboot after installing the driver: After you reboot, the LED on the

external connector box will be turned on. You can now use the serial ports on the
external connector box.

• To install two PCI232INTE cards in the same system: You must differentiate

between the two cards by using the jumper (located near the end of the card). The
card with the jumper ON will have the lower COM number. The card with the
jumper OFF will have the higher COM number.

• Using Hyperterm to confirm installation: If there are problems accessing the COM

port, Hyperterm will reply with an “open fail” message.

• When Hyperterm is working properly but RAS is not: You may need to remove the

“Modem” device and add it back in again. You can not use the Modem device before
installing the driver. You need to create a new Modem device that will be used by the
new COM port.

6

SCO UNIX

Under SCO UNIX, the card is considered an extra peripheral device. Therefore, a new
device driver must be linked with the kernel to build a new kernel system. The card and
external connector boxes will work after the new kernel system is restarted.

Under IBM PC/AT X86 (or compatible) or SCO Openserver 5.0.x, the Link Kit packages
should be installed completely.

If you experience boot problems, you may have a low voltage level. Either use only one
PCI232INTE in your system, reduce the number of INTEBOX8 boxes connected to your
cards, or use a higher wattage power supply.

There are two methods for installing the drivers:

Using /etc/custom

1. Log in as a super-user.
Login: root

Password:
# /etc/custom

Note: This command assumes that you have the 3.5” driver diskette in Drive A. If your
Drive A is not a 3.5” disk drive, check for a “custom” command that will set the correct
command line.

2. Choose “Add a Supported Product” and select “Install one or more packages.”

3. When prompted for how many cards to install, enter 1 or 2.

4. When asked to create a new kernel, choose Yes.

5. When you see a message that the UNIX Kernel has been rebuilt, you have finished
the installation. Reboot your computer.

Using the tar command

1. Log in as a super-user:
Login: root

Password:
# cd /

2. Extract all the files on the diskette using the tar command
tar xvf /dev/fd0135ds18

Note: This command assumes that you have the 3.5” driver diskette in Drive A. If your
Drive A is not a 3.5” disk drive, check for a “tar” command that will set the correct
command line.

2. Type:
# cd /etc/IOP3927

7

3. Type:
# ./build

4. When asked to Install or Remove the Input/Output Processor, choose to Install it.

5. Choose “Add a Supported Product” and select “Install one or more packages.”

6. When prompted for how many cards to install, enter 1 or 2.

7. When asked to create a new kernel, choose Yes.

8. When you see a message that the UNIX Kernel has been rebuilt, you have finished
the installation. Reboot your computer.

After rebooting the kernel

The following message will be displayed:

PCIIOP: unit=0 type= IOP3927F bus=0 dev=0 fun=0 map= 0xF4000000
.
.
.
.

Downloading IOP3927 card(s).......

PCIIOP: unit= 0 type= IOP3927F ports= 8(P641)

Where:

“unit” denotes the installation card number in the system
“type” denotes the card’s type
“map” denotes the mapping address and memory space of dual port RAM, this

should be assigned by the PCI bus
“ports” denotes the number of ports (this will be eight times the number of

INTEBOX8 boxes that are connected to the card)

When the above message appears and the LEDs on each INTEBOX is lit, the card has
been installed successfully and is ready for use.

Note: If you get a message about the “map=” or “ports=” being incorrect or there is no
message, try the following steps:

• Shut down and restart your system. If problems persist, you may need to re-execute
the software installation procedure.

• If the system does not boot successfully, check the voltage level. If your voltage level
is too low to support your system, reduce the number of PCI232INTE cards or
INTEBOX8 boxes connected to your system.

• Make sure that the card is inserted firmly in the PCI slot and that the cable is firmly
seated.

8

Serial Port Device Definitions
Card Definitions

Note: Card 1 is the card with the jumper ON.

External Box Definitions

Note: The box nearest the card is Box 1.

I/O Port Number Definition

For example, tty74e is a Non-Modem device plugged into port E on box 4 connected to
card number 2. The device names tty63A is a Modem device plugged into port A on box
3 that is connected to card number 1.

Card Number Device Name

1 tty6??
2 tty7??

Box Number Device Name

1 tty?1?
2 tty?2?
3 tty?3?
4 tty?4?
5 tty?5?
6 tty?6?
7 tty?7?
8 tty?8?

Port Number Device Name Device Name

(non Modem) (Modem)

A tty??a tty??A

B tty??b tty??B
C tty??c tty??C
D tty??d tty??D

E tty??e tty??E

F tty??f tty??F
G tty??g tty??G
H tty??h tty??H

9

Linux

Because there are so many different versions and configurations of Linux, it is impossible
to provide one driver that will work for every configuration. Instead, this procedure uses
the source code from your Linux kernel to compile a driver that is specific to your setup.
You will create a one-time image file that will work with your current configuration. If
you change your Linux kernel, you will have to repeat this procedure again.

Before you begin this installation, you will need the following:

• The source code for the Linux kernel you are using

• The source code must be installed in /usr/src/linux

• The name of your Linux distribution (Slackware or Redhat)

• The Linux kernel version number

1. Use the “tar” command to install all the files on the diskette.
# cd /

# tar xvf /dev/fd0
# cd /etc/rayon
# ./Install

2. Configure the module by following the on-screen prompts:
a. Choose your Linux distribution type (Slackware or Redhat)
b. Choose your target card type (IOP3927 card)
c. Choose your Linux kernel version number
d. Exit and reboot with the new settings

Note: You can have up to 64 serial ports for each card you install, depending on the
number of INTEBOX8s you have installed.

10

Serial Port Device Definitions
Card Definitions

Note: Card 1 is the card with the jumper ON.

External Box Definitions

Note: The box nearest the card is Box 1.

I/O Port Number Definition

For example, the device named /dev/tty72h is the device plugged into port H on box 2
which is plugged into card number 2. The device named /dev/tty68g is the device
plugged into port G on box 8 plugged into card number 1.

Because the driver source file is compiled and linked to your kernel source file, you may
get an “unresolved variable” or error message in the next boot procedure if your run
time image version is different than your kernel source file. You have to use your kernel
source file to generate a one-time image file as your boot image file.

You can have an “etty” directory to test your TTY port. This utility file can be used to
transmit/receive and verify data in the assigned TTY port.

You can also have an “om” directory to monitor your TTY port. This utility file can be
used to monitor all the data transmit/receive activity in each port. One screen can only
show 16 TTY ports, so there are two types of utilities. One type is used to monitor 16
TTY ports only. The second type is used to monitor all TTY ports and change the display
screen to rotate through the different TTY ports, showing 16 TTY ports at a time.

Card Number Device Name

1 tty6??
2 tty7??

Box Number Device Name

1 tty?1?
2 tty?2?
3 tty?3?
4 tty?4?
5 tty?5?
6 tty?6?
7 tty?7?
8 tty?8?

Port Number Device Name

A tty??a

B tty??b
C tty??c
D tty??d

E tty??e

F tty??f
G tty??g
H tty??h

11

Technical Specifications

Connectors PCI232INTE: 1 x DB 37-pin (male)

INTEBOX: 2 x DB 37-pin (female, male)

8 x 25-pin RS232 (male)
Serial Interface RS232C
System 133 MHz RISC style processors
Bus Interface 32-bit universal PCI
Memory 16 MByte SDRAM
I/O Buffer 512 KByte
Power Consumption PCI232INTE: 5V @ 680mA

INTEBOX8: 5V @ 300mA, +12V @
100mA & -12V @ 100mA

Data Signals RS232: F.G., TXD, RXD, RTS, CTS,

DSR, DTR, DCD & Signal Ground

Expansion Capability Up to 64 ports using 8 RS232 external

box connectors

OS compatibility Windows 2000/NT/XP, Linux & UNIX

SCO Open Server
Flow Control Xon/Xoff control or CTS/RTS control
Baud Rate Up to 230400 bits/sec
Supported Slot Type 3.3V & 5V server slots

12

Technical Support

The following technical resources are available for this StarTech.com product:

On-line help:

We are constantly adding new information to the Tech Support section of our web site. To
access this page, click the Tech Support link on our homepage, www.startech.com. In the
tech support section there are a number of options that can provide assistance with this
product.

Knowledge Base - This tool allows you to search for answers to common issues using

key words that describe the product and your issue.
FAQ - This tool provides quick answers to the top questions asked by our customers.
Downloads - This selection takes you to our driver download page where you can

find the latest drivers for this product.

Call StarTech.com tech support for help:

USA/Canada: 1-519-455-4931
UK/Ireland/Europe: 00-800-7827-8324

Support hours: Monday to Friday 9:00AM to 5:00PM EST (except holidays)

Warranty Information

This product is backed by a one-year warranty. In addition, StarTech.com warrants its
products against defects in materials and workmanship for the periods noted below,
following the initial date of purchase. During this period, the products may be
returned for repair, or replacement with equivalent products at our discretion. The
warranty covers parts and labor costs only. StarTech.com does not warrant its products
from defects or damages arising from misuse, abuse, alteration, or normal wear and
tear.

Limitation of Liability

In no event shall the liability of StarTech.com Ltd. and StarTech.com USA LLP (or their
officers, directors, employees or agents) for any damages (whether direct or indirect,
special, punitive incidental, consequential, or otherwise), loss of profits, loss of business,
or any pecuniary loss, arising out of or related to the use of the product exceed the actual
price paid for the product.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential
damages. If such laws apply, the limitations or exclusions contained in this statement
may not apply to you.

Revised: January 7, 2004