COM Port

This is an interface used to connect serial machines, like a computer, to other hardware, such as a printer. Sockets and plugs are used to make a connection with the COM port. The length of the cable can be anywhere from 3 to 50 feet, much more flexible than the average parallel connection. Widely used once upon a time, modern technology has reduced the COM port’s worth because of limitations in the transfer speed. The COM port location is often in the rear of a computer, allowing external hardware to connect. These days, a user will often encounter one that is located within and internal modem card. The modem is designed to allow data from a computer to be converted by its chipset and communicate with serial data. While methods of configuration may vary, all contain a reserved memory I/O address along with an IRQ (Interrupt Request). This process is initiated by one of the many wires routed from the modem to the computer.