Tom,

Sounds like you need an additional serial/communications port.  Legacy
design is for 2 serial ports, but if your motherboard has built-in graphics
capability, they have probably used one of the serial positions for the
video output.  You can easily purchase an expansion card to add 1 or 2 more
serial ports from most electronics parts suppliers.  If you have a Fry's
Electronics near you, they should have many options.  The cards will come
with software to set up the ports for you, so you wouldn't need to know how
to do that manually.

The only question will be for which bus you need to purchase your card.
You'll need to pull off the left wall of your case (looking from the front)
to see what slots you have available.  If you have brown, rather longish
slots toward the bottom of the case available, you can purchase a serial
card for the ISA expansion bus.  However, if you have any of the white,
smaller slots available, you should purchase a card for the PCI bus.

Whichever you choose, remember to take precautions against static
electricity.  If your computer has an on/off switch on the back panel (at
the power supply), turn it off there and leave it plugged in.  If it only
has an on/off switch in the front, unplug it.  Before touching any cards, in
or out of the computer, ground yourself by touching a non-painted portion of
the computer case.

Good luck,
Rand Blunck
Why Not Try Computing
Glendale, AZ

> I have more than one peripheral that needs to plug
> into a 9pin port connection; and only one connect-
> ion available.  What exactly am I searching for, and
> where might I find it?

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