StarTech.com 2ft (60cm) 2-Port USB to Serial Adapter Cable, Interchangeable DB9 Screws/Nuts, COM Retention, USB-A to DB9 RS232, FTDI, Level-4 ESD Protection, Windows/macOS/ChromeOS/Linux - Rugged TPE Construction

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

For £42 ex-VAT, this is one of those “boring but lifesaving” USB-to-serial adapters that you buy once and then keep deploying wherever you need an RS232 COM port. The big win is reliability: it uses an FTDI chipset (so you’re much less likely to get driver weirdness), and the cable is built like it expects to be manhandled—TPE jacket, sensible strain relief, and decent ESD handling. If you’ve got kiosks, industrial gear, UPS/PDUs, routers/switches, ticketing systems, or any older serial console workflow, this will save you time compared to chasing flaky generic adapters.

Who should buy it: IT teams and resellers supporting mixed estates (Windows + Linux boxes + occasional ChromeOS) where you need consistent COM retention and “just works” behaviour. The fact it’s 2-port also helps when you want to service two devices from the same USB dongle without carrying a bag of adapters. Who might not: if you only need one-off access and you’re cost-sensitive, you’ll probably find cheaper single-port USB-serial leads—but expect more variance in long-term reliability/compatibility. If you’ve been burned by inconsistent COM detection before, this is the kind of adapter worth paying extra for.