9 pin computer serial port 1

[birdly]

I have a burford ttp-1 printer connected to
a laptop computer on a nine pin serial port
and sometimes it connects to the printer and
sometimes it will not.
The software program goes thru all the baud
rates and parity and data bits and stop bits
and com1 and com2.
How can I test the port on the computer?

 

[MartyMan]

You can try a loop-back test if you can connect pins 2 and 3 on the laptop's 9 pin connector. You have to use a terminal emulator like Hyperterminal that comes with Windows. Start a connection thru that port then anything you type should be echoed to Hyperterminal as long as the pins are connected.

 

[birdly]

Thank you very much martyman, your answer did the trick!