Create virtual COM ports in Windows 10 with USB Serial Converters
Most often, virtual COM ports in Windows 10 install automatically when a user connects a converter to a computer with internet access. Unfortunately, there are Serial Converter device drivers that won’t automatically install on certain operating systems.
This is not a major issue, as users can simply install the drivers utilizing the disk that comes with their specific Serial Converter.
Follow the instructions below to install Serial Converter device drivers from a disk:
- After inserting the CD into the disk drive, connect the USB Serial Converter to an open USB port.
- The “Found New Hardware Wizard” should run automatically, and will guide users through the remaining installation.
- Once prompted to connect with Windows Updates (which will ask to search for available drivers), choose the “No, not at this time” option.
- Follow all instructions to complete driver installation using the provided CD.
- After the VCP Driver installs successfully, users will find their USB Serial Converter in the Windows Device Manager.
- ○ Under “Ports (COM & LPT)”, the device will be labeled as “USB Serial Port (COMx)”
- ○ Under “Universal Serial Bus controllers”: the device will be labeled as “USB Serial Converter”.
- After installing the Virtual COM Port Driver, users should check their Windows Device Manager to ensure all drivers are installed properly.
- If drivers haven’t been installed correctly, a yellow exclamation icon is displayed under the “Ports (COM & LPT)” or “USB Serial Bus Controllers” menu.
- To fix any issues with installation: right-click the yellow exclamation icon, click “Update Driver”, and then search for the necessary driver (located on the disk provided with the USB Serial Converter).
How to change COM port settings in Windows 10
Some software applications are designed to only operate with designated serial ports. If you need to work with this kind of program, you may need to know how to find port numbers in Windows 10 so you can modify them if necessary.
In many cases when working with older devices or applications, you will be called upon to change COM port numbers to successfully operate the programs and peripherals. Some legacy equipment is only capable of working with specifically named serial ports.
The following procedure allows Windows users to change the COM port number for any attached device.
Just follow these simple steps on a Windows 10 machine to change the default COM port number.
- In Device Manager, navigate to the COM & LPT ports section and locate the device which needs its number modified. Right-click on the selected device and choose Properties in the displayed menu.
- Open the Port Settings in the Properties window and select the Advanced button.
- The Advanced Settings window is where you perform the number reassignment. You select an available port number from the list presented in the lower-left of the window. In our example, we are updating the device’s number from COM 3 to COM 5.
- Save the settings by clicking the OK button. This will close the open windows. The new number may not be assigned until the device is removed and reconnected to the computer.
Tip: Here is what you can try if COM ports are not showing in Device Manager:
- Open Control Panel.
- Search for “device” using the box in the top-right corner and select Device Manager from the results.
How to Reset com ports Windows 10
COM port (Communication port) is the title given to the port serial interface that’s located in a common (IBM compatible) computer.
There are occasions when computers offer users one or two physical COM ports (RS-232), but today's models usually lack these physical COM ports. It should be known that COM ports don’t always refer to physical ports. Virtual ports are available as well. These ports are developed when a USB-to-UART adapter is used—most often utilized by FTDI and Croduino.
See below for multiple examples of such devices (AKA cell phones, USB modems, RFID readers, card readers, etc.)
In each instance where Windows registers a new device (one which possesses a new ID), Windows connects that device to an empty port, from COM 1 port if you didn’t have any connections before, then (COM2, COM3, COM4, etc.—from 1 to 255).
Additionally, every port is exclusively assigned to a single device, remaining occupied (Windows displays the COM port as “in use”) even when the device isn’t connected anymore.
For a majority of the time, this isn’t an issue unless users attempt to run certain legacy software (software that struggles to function with COM-ports higher than 9.)
One example is when an app functions effectively with COM1 to 9, but fails if no unoccupied COM ports below COM10 are available.
Another problem can occur when certain devices require far too many COM ports to function.
Specific adapters could reserve up to 30 (or more) COM ports. This situation means users are forced to delete COM ports being used in Windows—or switch a currently occupied COM port to a different device.
The tutorial below will explain how to clear currently occupied COM ports, as well as how to disable the numbering of new ports.
- Step 1: Hit Win+R (write regedit then click Enter).
- Step 2: Search through folders:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentConstrolSet\Control\COM Name Arbiter. - Step 3: Located in the right panel, double-click the right click ComDB.
Note: This opens a window displaying port addresses.
- Step 4: Enter all zeros to reset.
- Step 5: Click OK after confirming changes, and now the ports are reset.
What is USB serial port driver FTDI
Virtual COM port (VCP) drivers make USB devices appear as additional COM ports that the PC can access. USB devices can be accessed by application software similarly to how it would access standard COM ports.
Future Technology Devices International Limited’s software is offered “as is”. Any and all described (or implied) warranties (including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose) are disclaimed.
In no event shall Future Technology Devices International Limited be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services; loss of use, data, or profits; or business interruption) however caused, and on any theory of liability, whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in any way out of the use of this software, even if advised of the possibility of such damage.
FTDI drivers can be used only in conjunction with products based on FTDI parts.
