[SOLVED] Determine if Linux will recognize serial ports.

ferite · 08-06-2014, 06:12 PM

I want to purchase this board. But I need to make use of serial ports. So I need to know if Linux or some distros of Linux would recognized the serial ports onboard. The manufacturer only offers drivers for Windows. As the board is not open source, I don't know what is the UART Controller chip. However if I open the .inf file of Windows drivers it is said:

;Installation Notes:
; Using Devcon: Type "devcon update iaiouart.inf ACPI\INT33C4" to install on FPGA platforms
; Using Devcon: Type "devcon update iaiouart.inf ACPI\INT33C5" to install on FPGA platforms

After that I think the controller chip must be ACPI\INT33C4.

Thanks.

jefro · 08-06-2014, 07:28 PM

You need to look for uart name and type.

ferite · 08-06-2014, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

You need to look for uart name and type.

Jefro. Is it possible to do this without having the board yet?

DavidMcCann · 08-07-2014, 12:07 PM

My computers have serial ports, but it's a long time since I used them. I certainly never installed a driver: I think a driver is only needed for a plug-in serial card. Here's a good place to start:
http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Serial-HOWTO.html

michaelk · 08-07-2014, 12:44 PM

Quote:

With its ultra-small form factor design and support for Linux* and Windows* embedded operating systems

http://linuxgizmos.com/intel-nuc-use...as-kit-or-sbc/

Basically a small form factor PC so I would also conclude that the serial ports should work and no drivers required.

suicidaleggroll · 08-07-2014, 12:57 PM

I use serial ports all the time, on everything from Windows PCs to Linux PCs to Linux embedded systems, and I've never had to go out of my way to install any drivers for them.

Actually I take that back, I did have to go out of my way once when I was trying to use a USB to serial adapter on a Mac. Why does Apple have to make everything so difficult?

ferite · 08-07-2014, 02:05 PM

Hi. to tell the truth, according with my experience, when a computer has serial ports, it was always a matter of start an OS, and the serial ports were there. What worried me about this, is that at the download page there is a driver for Windows, so I assumed that from some reason this serial controller was hard to be recognized.

jefro · 08-07-2014, 02:38 PM

It is almost a 100% chance this board will support some form of serial. Some of these nuc cards (not this one) have a fancy dual 485/232 port in them. I doubt that would even be an issue. Serial has been around for so long and so much an embedded part of boards that we don't see issues anymore except forgetting how to set them up.

For the most part the serial uart chip is one of the original parts of an x86. It is not an add on part. If for some reason your distro doesn't support the uart chip then you should be able to get it added.

Again, Intel is of the most well supported boards I've known. They offer excellent documentation.

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/2374...ProdSpec04.pdf

Show that the cpu has morphed into basically a single device. The only thing is has is a driver for the serial.

The only time I ever saw any issue was with a new type very high speed serial chip. Not sure anyone even uses it anymore.

DavidMcCann · 08-08-2014, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferite

What worried me about this, is that at the download page there is a driver for Windows, so I assumed that from some reason this serial controller was hard to be recognized.

I don't know Windows, but doesn't it need a separate driver for everything? My monitor came with a Windows installation disk, but it must be 10 years since Linux had to be told a monitor's parameters.

jpollard · 08-08-2014, 04:31 PM

It LOOKS like it is supported by Linux (I found driver references for INT33C4 for setting a serial clock). It appears to be a "Intel Lynxpoint". But from the product images, it may be a bit tricky to use as there are no visible plugs for the serial ports on the board. It is only identified as "serial ports header" and is covered up by the reference number, so some additional circuitry may be needed to turn them into two serial ports (it doesn't look large enough for a full set of pins...).

jefro · 08-08-2014, 04:34 PM

It has two headers for serial.

jpollard · 08-08-2014, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

It has two headers for serial.

Could be - the image I see in the document is too low a resolution to be sure. I can only find one "18" (serial ports header) referenced, implying both are in the same place, but no sockets, and perhaps the pins are covered up by the reference number.

ferite · 08-28-2014, 05:52 PM

I just received the board. After booting Ubuntu (Live) 10.04 LTS, I run some commands to check if the ports are recognized:

Code:

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# setserial -g /dev/ttyS[0123]

/dev/ttyS0, UART: 16550A, Port: 0x03f8, IRQ: 4
/dev/ttyS1, UART: unknown, Port: 0x02f8, IRQ: 3
/dev/ttyS2, UART: unknown, Port: 0x03e8, IRQ: 4
/dev/ttyS3, UART: unknown, Port: 0x02e8, IRQ: 3

Code:

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# dmesg | grep tty

[    0.000000] console [tty0] enabled
[    4.355709] serial8250: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A

Does it mean that there is just one port being recognized?. By the record, according to the manual, the board has 2 serial ports, via a 10 pin header.

jpollard · 08-28-2014, 06:28 PM

That is what it looks like. On my system (only two ports):

Code:

# setserial -g /dev/ttyS[0123]
/dev/ttyS0, UART: 16550A, Port: 0x03f8, IRQ: 4
/dev/ttyS1, UART: 16550A, Port: 0x02f8, IRQ: 3
/dev/ttyS2, UART: unknown, Port: 0x03e8, IRQ: 4
/dev/ttyS3, UART: unknown, Port: 0x02e8, IRQ: 3

so it is also possible the "unknown" is used to also mean "nonexistent".

ferite · 08-29-2014, 10:26 AM

This is not good for me. I was needing both ports.