Insteon PLM and Insteon Explorer

[Steve Horn]

After my Insteon PLC went belly up... 2 weeks out of warranty... I replaced it with a PLM. Installation and conversion from PLC to PLM in HB went without a hitch. Feeling cocky, I decided to try out Insteon Explorer. Unfortunately, it cannot "find" the PLM, which is assigned COM5. (I'm using a USB-to-serial converter, which assigned itself COM5). Changing the settings in Insteon Explorer was no help, nor was there anything of use in the Forefront Technologies forum. Anyone else using COM port other than '1' or run into this problem?

[roussell]

I ran into the same problem - I ended up moving some stuff around so that the PLM was on COM1 and it's been fine since.

Terry

[Steve Horn]

Terry, thanks that was my "Plan B". I want to pursue with the developer and am waiting for activation of my account on their forum. Strangely, my HB computer only has one hardware serial port and only that one serial/COM port assigned, to the ADI Leopard. But ports 2-4 show "assigned" in Device Manager when I look at the USB/serial bridge's settings. They're apparently abandoned from previous USB/Serial bridge uses. May try to unassign COM2-4 and reassign the USB/serial bridge further up the food chain to see if that assignment will be accepted. There is some stuff on that forum about serial port issues when the PLM is not assigned to COM1. But nowhere could I find what the valid range of COM ports are.

[Richard Naninck]

Steve,

For just a small amount you can buy PCI cards with 2, 6 or more extra COM ports. I have 2 x 6 extra com ports and 3 USB to serial devices connectec to my PC and it works flawlessly. Atleast a card like that will free up COM 1.

[ericvic]

I have my PLM on COM12 and Insteon Explorer works with it. It is a hardware COM port though not a USB<->Serial so that may be your problem.

Eric