RS232 <-> UART, QUICK KNOCKUP

[kolbep]

Ok, So here is the story,
bricked a TP-Link MR-3020 Portable Wifi/3g/Ethernet Router. (Easy to do when you are switching from Openwrt back to stock firmware  .

Turns out, you can pop the cover off the router, and there are pins where you get access to the Processors UART, and can access a recovery console. Just needed to hook that up to my PC.

Anyway, previously Whenever I needed to do RS232<-> UART Conversions (Old Nokia Phones, Chinese Made CCTV DVR's,etc) , I would dig in my parts bin, find a MAX232ACPE, find the 5 x 0.1uF Capacitors (had to actually dig for a gate motor controller to strip these off).
I would then knock it up on breadboard, and have wires dangling all around, having to make sure none pulls out.

This time I decided to take the extra hour, and knock the circuit up on Veroboard (I think). Including the DB9 Connector, and a USB tail to get the 5v from the PC.

Worked a charm, and now I have the converter, complete with DB9, Chip, Caps, and Power all ready to go whenever I need it.

So here are the Pics, and is as per the Schematic in the datasheet.

Just thought I would share this (nothing better to do on a Friday night).

Criticism's, Complaints, Compliments all welcome.

P

[kolbep]

Sorry to all the South Africans, with Slooooow Internet. The Pics are really huge (I wanted everybody to see my lousy soddering [damn Yanks] skills).
I am sure the rest of the World will not have problems with viewing them.


Oh, and the Jumper is on the UART side, between RX and TX pins,

so that, if you are not getting any comms, you just pop the jumper on, and then you will get a nice loopback from your PC Serial Port, Through the Max232 Converter, and back [to check that your powersupply, chip, serial port, are all good].

P

[Bored@Work]

Next time you happen to be on ebay, look for a handfull of eBay auction: #400524497015 or similar products (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=CP2102&rt=nc&LH_BIN=1). For what some shops ask for a MAX232 alone.

(Yes, I know USB != RS232, but directly going to USB means you can skip the USB - RS232 cable, too).