I use a 4 port Edgeport USB-Serial Converter on boat, 2 port at home, both under
XP Pro SP2 and have never had a problem. The Belkin F5u103s I used previously
occasionally BSOD, but not prohibitively. Edgeports are currently available on
eBay at very low prices; highly recommended. The 4 port runs GPS in, GPS out
(for DSC radios), a PTC-II, and a cell phone modem with no problems. You can
also get Socket Serial PC Cards with 2 or 4 plug ports if you want real serial
ports with IRQs et al instead of USB emulators.
"larry" wrote:

For the last four years and three computers, I've had two serial
periphals to interface with ship's laptop. A GPS and a PTC IIe Pactor
modem. The first two of the laptops had a DB-9 input and I used a
belkin serial to USB adaptor. XP seems to have a habit of not
recognizing a device and requires the driver to be re-installed. At
times I have had a "memory mini dump" - "blue screen" crash as a result
of a failure of interface with the GPS and nav pgm. I thought it to be
the OS and installed 2000 on my last laptop and it was no more stable
in terms of crashing than XP. I am considering getting a USB port
replicator as I tried to run two different serial to USB converted
devices at once and had major crash and config problems. Any advice on
units and ARE THER ANY units with 2 DB-9 serial plug-ports? TIA, Larry