Now we have fake FTDI serial to USB adapters

[David Ranch [e-mail] [linuxham]]

Many of you have probably heard about counterfeit Prolific serial-to-USB
adapters and all the havoc they can create. From that, most people
would recommend FTDI based products to avoid all the issues. Well, it
seems that even that can't be assumed anymore! Grrr...

http://hackaday.com/2014/02/19/ft232rl-real-or-fake/


Ps. There is a Windows utility out there to identify fake vs. real
Prolific chips. Does anyone know of something similar for Linux?

PPs. FTDI based chips have utilities to reprogram some fields like
serial numbers, etc. to make them unique to provide reliable USB
enumeration. Does anyone out there know of a Linux (or Windows) utility
that can do the same for Prolific?

--David
KI6ZHD

[Patricia Wilson [e-mail] [linuxham]]

Unfortunately it is difficult to run tests on ebay offerings prior to
purchase. Caveat emptor.

Post by David Ranch linuxham-fld-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
Many of you have probably heard about counterfeit Prolific serial-to-USB
adapters and all the havoc they can create. From that, most people would
recommend FTDI based products to avoid all the issues. Well, it seems that
even that can't be assumed anymore! Grrr...
http://hackaday.com/2014/02/19/ft232rl-real-or-fake/
Ps. There is a Windows utility out there to identify fake vs. real
Prolific chips. Does anyone know of something similar for Linux?
PPs. FTDI based chips have utilities to reprogram some fields like serial
numbers, etc. to make them unique to provide reliable USB enumeration.
Does anyone out there know of a Linux (or Windows) utility that can do the
same for Prolific?
--David
KI6ZHD

[Jim Lowman [e-mail] [linuxham]]

So, what's a reliable source?

Jim

Post by Patricia Wilson wilson.pr.gm-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
Unfortunately it is difficult to run tests on ebay offerings prior to
purchase. Caveat emptor.

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Posted by: Jim Lowman <jmlowman-***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

[Ed [e-mail] [linuxham]]

Post by Jim Lowman jmlowman-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
So, what's a reliable source?
Jim

Sabrent, you can find them at Amazon, or at least that is where I found
mine. The drivers for MS are on their web site. They are plug and play
on Linux.

Ed W3NR



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Posted by: Ed <autek-***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

[Robert Cavanaugh [e-mail] [linuxham]]

I get mine at mouser.com - we use them at work so we cannot tolerate knockoff junk.


73,
Bob Cavanaugh - AG6YK

Post by Jim Lowman jmlowman-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
So, what's a reliable source?
Jim

Sabrent, you can find them at Amazon, or at least that is where I found
mine. The drivers for MS are on their web site. They are plug and play
on Linux.

Ed W3NR

[Charles Brabham [e-mail] [linuxham]]

I got a dual-port one made by Micro Connectors Inc from Amazon.com that
worked out really well.

73 DE Charles, N5PVL

Post by Robert Cavanaugh osianfion-H+***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
I get mine at mouser.com - we use them at work so we cannot tolerate knockoff junk.
73,
Bob Cavanaugh - AG6YK

Post by Jim Lowman jmlowman-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
So, what's a reliable source?
Jim

Sabrent, you can find them at Amazon, or at least that is where I found
mine. The drivers for MS are on their web site. They are plug and play
on Linux.
Ed W3NR

[KH2TJ [e-mail] [linuxham]]

newegg.com has Sabrent come up on sale quite often.

73, Todd KH2TJ

Post by Jim Lowman jmlowman-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
So, what's a reliable source?

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Posted by: KH2TJ <kh2tj-***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

[Joel Black [e-mail] [linuxham]]

I use a GearMo USB-to-serial adapter that has four DB9 male connectors
on it. It works great on my iMac and I have used it to communicate with
a maximum of three transceivers. It uses the FTDI chipset.

73,
Joel - W4JBB

Post by Jim Lowman jmlowman-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
So, what's a reliable source?
Jim

Post by Patricia Wilson wilson.pr.gm-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
Unfortunately it is difficult to run tests on ebay offerings prior to
purchase. Caveat emptor.

['Dave B' g8kbvdave-gM/[e-mail] [linuxham]]

1a. Now we have fake FTDI serial to USB adapters
Date: Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:53 pm ((PDT))
Many of you have probably heard about counterfeit Prolific
serial-to-USB adapters and all the havoc they can create. From that,
most people would recommend FTDI based products to avoid all the
issues. Well, it seems that even that can't be assumed anymore!
Grrr...
http://hackaday.com/2014/02/19/ft232rl-real-or-fake/
Ps. There is a Windows utility out there to identify fake vs. real
Prolific chips. Does anyone know of something similar for Linux?
PPs. FTDI based chips have utilities to reprogram some fields like
serial numbers, etc. to make them unique to provide reliable USB
enumeration. Does anyone out there know of a Linux (or Windows)
utility that can do the same for Prolific?
--David
KI6ZHD

Hi.

Go to the FTDI site, and follow links to authorised vendors. THEN you should get
genuine items, but of course, they might cost a little more. Pay your money,
make you choice.

Re the sadly old news (look at the date in the link!) And Hackaday were not the
first to discover that.

No need to reprogram the serial numbers in FTDI chipsets (unless you want to
impose your own scheme) they all come with unique sn's anyway and work very
well with Linux and the current kernel.

Even the "Fake" Prolific devices work well in Linux, other than the confusion
caused if you want to relaibly use more than one, AND have them re-appear at
fixed /dev/ttyUSN* locations, with some of the early generation chipsets.

Have Fun...

Dave G0WBX.

<<

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Posted by: "Dave B" <g8kbvdave-gM/Ye1E23mwN+***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

[Sholto Fisher [e-mail] [linuxham]]

And now it looks like FTDI is bricking the fake chips via their driver
software!

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/

Couldn't they leave the consumers alone?

How many "HRD/Flrig won't read the frequency" questions are we going to
get because of this I wonder.

73

Sholto
K7TMG

Post by 'Dave B' g8kbvdave-gM/Ye1E23mwN+***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]

1a. Now we have fake FTDI serial to USB adapters
Date: Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:53 pm ((PDT))
Many of you have probably heard about counterfeit Prolific
serial-to-USB adapters and all the havoc they can create. From that,
most people would recommend FTDI based products to avoid all the
issues. Well, it seems that even that can't be assumed anymore!
Grrr...
http://hackaday.com/2014/02/19/ft232rl-real-or-fake/
Ps. There is a Windows utility out there to identify fake vs. real
Prolific chips. Does anyone know of something similar for Linux?
PPs. FTDI based chips have utilities to reprogram some fields like
serial numbers, etc. to make them unique to provide reliable USB
enumeration. Does anyone out there know of a Linux (or Windows)
utility that can do the same for Prolific?
--David
KI6ZHD

Hi.
Go to the FTDI site, and follow links to authorised vendors. THEN you should get
genuine items, but of course, they might cost a little more. Pay your money,
make you choice.
Re the sadly old news (look at the date in the link!) And Hackaday were not the
first to discover that.
No need to reprogram the serial numbers in FTDI chipsets (unless you want to
impose your own scheme) they all come with unique sn's anyway and work very
well with Linux and the current kernel.
Even the "Fake" Prolific devices work well in Linux, other than the confusion
caused if you want to relaibly use more than one, AND have them re-appear at
fixed /dev/ttyUSN* locations, with some of the early generation chipsets.
Have Fun...
Dave G0WBX.

<<

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Yahoo Groups Links

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[mm0fmf [e-mail] [linuxham]]

Post by Sholto Fisher sholto-QJIK+ORCaPvQT0dZR+***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
And now it looks like FTDI is bricking the fake chips via their driver
software!

Temporarily disabled. The PID is set to 0 so the device wont work with
normal Windows/OSX/Linux drivers. It can be recovered.

The action taken by FTDI is correct. All licensed USB manufacturers are
allocated a VID and a VID/PID pair forms a unique identifier of a
particular USB-based product. That VID is paid for and licensed solely
to the owner of that VID.

The fakes lower the reputation of FTDI by not working properly. The fake
chips in this case are lying by saying they are FTDI devices and it's
perfectly fair for FTDI software to send whatever it wants to something
that says it's an FTDI chip. Don't want FTDI to set the PID to 0, don't
lie about your VID.

Want your USB device to work? Buy a full spec device from a company that
spends money on R&D and innovates. Want a world of pain and trouble? Buy
a cheap Chinese copy.

Andy




------------------------------------

------------------------------------

[Matthew Pitts daywalker_blade_2004-/[e-mail] [linuxham]]

Andy, I find myself in agreement with your evaluation, but there are a lot of people that don't see it that way. Most folks that are into hardware modification (what used to be called, and properly are, hackers) are up in arms over this because they feel that it is penalizing the end user for something that is beyond their control. Given the choice between knowing the reason the driver won't work (and having the real FTDI chips unchanged) because it's not a genuine FTDI and having to juggle drivers and potentially have driver stability issues on Windows and MacOS due to older drivers (like how things work with counterfeit Prolific chips because they redesigned the chip to add a serial number that newer drivers check for).
Matthew PittsN8OHU
 

From: "mm0fmf mm0fmf-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]" <linuxham-hHKSG33Tihh9OS/***@public.gmane.orgm>
To: linuxham-***@public.gmane.org
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2014 5:25 PM
Subject: Re: [linuxham] Now we have fake FTDI serial to USB adapters

Post by Sholto Fisher sholto-QJIK+ORCaPvQT0dZR+***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
And now it looks like FTDI is bricking the fake chips via their driver
software!

Temporarily disabled. The PID is set to 0 so the device wont work with
normal Windows/OSX/Linux drivers. It can be recovered.

The action taken by FTDI is correct. All licensed USB manufacturers are
allocated a VID and a VID/PID pair forms a unique identifier of a
particular USB-based product. That VID is paid for and licensed solely
to the owner of that VID.

The fakes lower the reputation of FTDI by not working properly. The fake
chips in this case are lying by saying they are FTDI devices and it's
perfectly fair for FTDI software to send whatever it wants to something
that says it's an FTDI chip. Don't want FTDI to set the PID to 0, don't
lie about your VID.

Want your USB device to work? Buy a full spec device from a company that
spends money on R&D and innovates. Want a world of pain and trouble? Buy
a cheap Chinese copy.

Andy






------------------------------------

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Yahoo Groups Links

[Brian Morrison [e-mail] [linuxham]]

On Wed, 22 Oct 2014 22:25:17 +0100

Post by mm0fmf mm0fmf-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
Want your USB device to work? Buy a full spec device from a company that
spends money on R&D and innovates.

How to tell, the way far east manufacture works the counterfeit goods
are indistinguishable from the real ones without a lot of knowledge
that even the sub-contract manufacturers don't have.

[Charles Brabham [e-mail] [linuxham]]

If everybody knew all of the details that you put forward Andy, you
might have a case - but guess what? - The greatest majority of buyers
don't have a clue about all of that jazz, and deliberately screwing
those folks around is BS.

The way to cut down on knockoff chips is to regulate trade with China
until THEY knock it off. Screwing everyday folks around will just land
the FTDI chip manufacturers with a worse reputation than that of the
knock-off makers in China... Much worse.

The FTDI chip manufacturers will learn an important lesson about
malicious software production after word of their action gets around. -
I'll do what I can from this end to move that process along.

The equipment I own apparently has a legit chip - but there's no
reasonable way to expect general consumers including most hams to know
one chip from another. - What they look for is the best price, nine
times out of ten.

A pox on the house of malicious software distributors. - There IS no
good excuse for it.

73 DE Charles, N5PVL

Post by mm0fmf mm0fmf-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]

Post by Sholto Fisher sholto-QJIK+ORCaPvQT0dZR+***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
And now it looks like FTDI is bricking the fake chips via their driver
software!

Temporarily disabled. The PID is set to 0 so the device wont work with
normal Windows/OSX/Linux drivers. It can be recovered.
The action taken by FTDI is correct. All licensed USB manufacturers are
allocated a VID and a VID/PID pair forms a unique identifier of a
particular USB-based product. That VID is paid for and licensed solely
to the owner of that VID.
The fakes lower the reputation of FTDI by not working properly. The fake
chips in this case are lying by saying they are FTDI devices and it's
perfectly fair for FTDI software to send whatever it wants to something
that says it's an FTDI chip. Don't want FTDI to set the PID to 0, don't
lie about your VID.
Want your USB device to work? Buy a full spec device from a company that
spends money on R&D and innovates. Want a world of pain and trouble? Buy
a cheap Chinese copy.
Andy
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Yahoo Groups Links

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[Ed [e-mail] [linuxham]]

Once again, if you buy a Sabrent with the prolific chip you will have no
problems. Both the MS and OS-X drivers on on their web site and work
perfectly. They are plug and play on Linux. They're 7 bucks.....think
about what you have spent for everything else on your desk.

Ed W3NR


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Posted by: Ed <autek-***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

[Tom k2bew [e-mail] [linuxham]]

"The way to cut down on knockoff chips is to regulate trade with China
until THEY knock it off"

Amen! Not just in chips, but in everything! Open trading with China is
KILLING the U.S. I just got back from Hawaii, and they are now buying
houses over there becasue they are making so much money off us, not to
mention they already practically own our country from buying up our
national debt in bonds.
We are in for big problems down the road if things don't change soon.
Tom, K2BEW

Post by Charles Brabham n5pvl-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
If everybody knew all of the details that you put forward Andy, you
might have a case - but guess what? - The greatest majority of buyers
don't have a clue about all of that jazz, and deliberately screwing
those folks around is BS.
The way to cut down on knockoff chips is to regulate trade with China
until THEY knock it off. Screwing everyday folks around will just land
the FTDI chip manufacturers with a worse reputation than that of the
knock-off makers in China... Much worse.
The FTDI chip manufacturers will learn an important lesson about
malicious software production after word of their action gets around. -
I'll do what I can from this end to move that process along.
The equipment I own apparently has a legit chip - but there's no
reasonable way to expect general consumers including most hams to know
one chip from another. - What they look for is the best price, nine
times out of ten.
A pox on the house of malicious software distributors. - There IS no
good excuse for it.
73 DE Charles, N5PVL

Post by mm0fmf mm0fmf-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]

Post by Sholto Fisher sholto-QJIK+ORCaPvQT0dZR+***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
And now it looks like FTDI is bricking the fake chips via their driver
software!

Temporarily disabled. The PID is set to 0 so the device wont work with
normal Windows/OSX/Linux drivers. It can be recovered.
The action taken by FTDI is correct. All licensed USB manufacturers are
allocated a VID and a VID/PID pair forms a unique identifier of a
particular USB-based product. That VID is paid for and licensed solely
to the owner of that VID.
The fakes lower the reputation of FTDI by not working properly. The fake
chips in this case are lying by saying they are FTDI devices and it's
perfectly fair for FTDI software to send whatever it wants to something
that says it's an FTDI chip. Don't want FTDI to set the PID to 0, don't
lie about your VID.
Want your USB device to work? Buy a full spec device from a company that
spends money on R&D and innovates. Want a world of pain and trouble? Buy
a cheap Chinese copy.
Andy
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Yahoo Groups Links

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Yahoo Groups Links

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Posted by: Tom k2bew <tombewick-***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

[Ed [e-mail] [linuxham]]

Post by Tom k2bew tombewick-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
"The way to cut down on knockoff chips is to regulate trade with China
until THEY knock it off"
Amen! Not just in chips, but in everything! Open trading with China is
KILLING the U.S. I just got back from Hawaii, and they are now buying
houses over there becasue they are making so much money off us, not to
mention they already practically own our country from buying up our
national debt in bonds.
We are in for big problems down the road if things don't change soon.
Tom, K2BEW

Post by Charles Brabham n5pvl-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
If everybody knew all of the details that you put forward Andy, you
might have a case - but guess what? - The greatest majority of buyers
don't have a clue about all of that jazz, and deliberately screwing
those folks around is BS.
The way to cut down on knockoff chips is to regulate trade with China
until THEY knock it off. Screwing everyday folks around will just land
the FTDI chip manufacturers with a worse reputation than that of the
knock-off makers in China... Much worse.
The FTDI chip manufacturers will learn an important lesson about
malicious software production after word of their action gets around. -
I'll do what I can from this end to move that process along.
The equipment I own apparently has a legit chip - but there's no
reasonable way to expect general consumers including most hams to know
one chip from another. - What they look for is the best price, nine
times out of ten.
A pox on the house of malicious software distributors. - There IS no
good excuse for it.
73 DE Charles, N5PVL

Post by mm0fmf mm0fmf-***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]

Post by Sholto Fisher sholto-QJIK+ORCaPvQT0dZR+***@public.gmane.org [linuxham]
And now it looks like FTDI is bricking the fake chips via their driver
software!

Temporarily disabled. The PID is set to 0 so the device wont work with
normal Windows/OSX/Linux drivers. It can be recovered.
The action taken by FTDI is correct. All licensed USB manufacturers are
allocated a VID and a VID/PID pair forms a unique identifier of a
particular USB-based product. That VID is paid for and licensed solely
to the owner of that VID.
The fakes lower the reputation of FTDI by not working properly. The fake
chips in this case are lying by saying they are FTDI devices and it's
perfectly fair for FTDI software to send whatever it wants to something
that says it's an FTDI chip. Don't want FTDI to set the PID to 0, don't
lie about your VID.
Want your USB device to work? Buy a full spec device from a company that
spends money on R&D and innovates. Want a world of pain and trouble? Buy
a cheap Chinese copy.
Andy

OK, this thead is officially done with. If you want to discuss it
further please take it off list. This list is primarily for open
discussion of fldigi and the rest of the fl... suite.

So please desist and drop this.

Ed W3NR

linuxham moderator
















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