Hello, how can I add a new COM port for printing? Windows show me only COM1: to COM5: (which I even do not have). However, I have and need to add COM7: or others. If I add a new local port, it says "Specified port cannot be added. The request is not supported." So, how can I print to a serial port with higher number than 5? Thanks, Jan

If you hook the printer up, does it show in Devices and Printers? If so, what COM port is it showing being connected to? Does the port itself show up in D&P? I don't have a serial printer to try it on, but I do have a USB-to-Serial adapter that, when plugged in, automatically chooses COM port 5. By right-clicking on it and picking Properties, then picking Properties again on the Hardware tab, I can change the COM port to any one I want with the exception of 1, 3, and 4, which are listed as being in use (I have zero serial ports on this laptop, go figure why they're in use). Click on Port Settings, Advanced, then change the port number in the drop-down menu at the bottom of that page. SC Tom

Hi SC Tom, thanks for reply! Yes the printer is visible in Devices and Printers and it is showing as being connected to COM7. The port itself is not visible in D&P but it is visible in the Hardware Manager. Yeah, I have bad luck that it automatically chooses COM port 7 or higher numbers, and I cannot change it to anything between 1-5 because they are all in use... If there is no way how to support such printer port, ...perhaps I could change any of the predefined COM1-5 printer ports to point to another COM port with the help of some registry editing?

Correction: there is no printer in the Devices and Printers, it is just the serial port with a printer icon. :-) If I open its properties, under Hardware tab I see the COM7 port.

"Jan Kuera" <=?utf-8?B?SmFuIEt1xI1lcmE=?=> wrote in message news:c57bc283-8617-44d5-8b39-2234f60b673d@communitybridge.codeplex.com... Correction: there is no printer in the Devices and Printers, it is just the serial port with a printer icon. :-) If I open its properties, under Hardware tab I see the COM7 port. Following my earlier instructions, can you choose a different port? Since the PC is seeing the printer as COM7, what happens if you install the printer drivers? If you can't change the COM port number under D&P, your printer driver and/or setup software should allow you to pick COM7 as the port to use. What make and model printer is it? Are there any Windows 7 drivers for it from the manufacturer? SC Tom

The printer I want to connect is already installed. The same as in your case, this is only a serial port bridge, not real serial port. I want to change the currently installed printer to use this bridge. Following your earlier instructions, as I said, I cannot change the port since all of COM1-5 are listed to be in use.

If the COM port can't be changed, about the only other suggestion I can make is changing the printer setup to use whichever port you have available. Have you updated the drivers for the USB-to-Serial device? SC Tom

Disable the comports in the bios if they are their, reboot and they should be available.

This is depends on the design of the printer driver. If the driver does not support COM7 you are not able to use that port.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Okay, thanks to all but this is going a bit different way now. Regardless of the printer, its driver, and obviously also regardless of what COM ports the computer has; the Printer Properties dialog, on the Ports tab, shows fixed list of COM1: to COM5:. If I try to remove any of these, or add a new one named "COM7:", the not supported messagebox appears. Good, now questions - where is this fixed list coming from, and, can it be changed?