Forum Discussion
PL2303 issues (Prolific USB to Serial Drivers) Win 11
I have come across an issue that I don't if anyone has come across and found a fix?
I have a few handheld radios that I need to update the frequencies and when I connect to the USB, it fails to connect. In device manager and Ports it says - "Please install corresponding PL2303 driver to support Windows 11 and further OS"
I have tried different ways and still it won't update drivers/COM ports. I've run out of ideas (as for a novice).
Has anyone been across this and sorted it?
Thanks,
Cundy66
I tried the older driver available here:
http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=223&pcid=126
And this seemed to work for Windows 11. Weird that an old driver works better than the latest one.I have the PL-2303 TA chipset.
67 Replies
Hi all,
I have the same issue with a knock off Prolific chip serial-to-USB cable. I plugged in my real Prolific chip cable and it detected and installed right away without the "Please install corresponding PL2303 driver to support Windows 11 and further OS" message. This cable did not work for me on my Windows 10 machine either.
You may be eager to get into a certain device with this but you will need to buy a real Prolific cable. This is the cable I bought 5 years ago and still works:
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Converter-Prolific-Chipset-CB-DB9P/dp/B00IDSM6BW
Just buy it will work when you get it as it does for me and the Cisco device I had to get into. Here's what Hardware ID looks like, very close to the knock off:
Hope that helps,
Jason
I know this is an old thread, so I'm just posting this so it's more current information, but as of 7/15/2024 Prolific has released Installer version & Build date: 4.3.0.0 (2024-07-15)
- Visit the website of the device manufacturer or the Prolific website to see if there are updated drivers available for Windows 11. Sometimes, newer operating systems require updated drivers to ensure compatibility.
Try installing the drivers in compatibility mode for an earlier version of Windows (e.g., Windows 10 or Windows 8). Right-click on the driver installer file, select "Properties," go to the "Compatibility" tab, and check the box for "Run this program in compatibility mode for," then select an earlier Windows version.
If the driver installation fails automatically, try manually installing the drivers through Device Manager:
1.Open Device Manager (you can search for it in the Start menu).
2.Find the PL2303 device under "Ports (COM & LPT)" or "Other devices."
3.Right-click on it and select "Update driver."
4.Choose "Browse my computer for drivers" and then "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer."
5.Select the appropriate driver version if it's listed, or choose "Have Disk" and navigate to the folder where you downloaded the PL2303 drivers. Startech have Win11 drivers here https://www.startech.com/en-us/cards-adapters/icusb232v2
Be sure to install the driver with the USB to RS232 adaptor disconnected, only when install is complete connect the adapter.
Cundy66 I found a driver that works for both my FTDI Benefi and Dtech usb-to-serial adapters.
https://ftdichip.com/drivers/d2xx-drivers/
Solved PL2303 issues (Prolific USB to Serial Drivers) Windows 11 for communications with the CELESTRON NEXSTAR+ & STARSENSE HAND CONTROLLERS.
I had similar problems with PL2303 issues (Prolific USB to Serial Drivers) Windows 11 for communicating with the CELESTRON NEXSTAR+ & STARSENSE HAND CONTROLLERS. Standard USB-A PORTS on computers did not recognize the drivers and were unable to establish a connection using for connecting the USB-A to USB-B Mini Lead to the HAND CONTROLLERS.
The PL2303 v408 Driver for Windows 11 problem was immediately solved when I attached a USB-C Adaptor with USB-A Ports to the same computer and connection of the same lead to the CELESTRON NEXSTAR+ & STARSENSE HAND CONTROLLERS. The USB-C Adaptor & USB-A Ports were immediately recognized by the Drivers and allowed perfect communication.
Kind Regards,
Peter Osborne
Australia
- Hi Cundy66,
This is information from its chip manufacturer website:
https://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41
It said that :
" NOTE:
Windows 8/8.1/10 are NOT supported in PL-2303HXA and PL-2303X EOL chip versions.
Windows 11 and higher are NOT supported in PL-2303HXA/ TA/TB/HXD/RA/SA/EA (EOL chip version).
Run PL2303 CheckChipVersion tool program in Windows XP/Vista/7 to check chip version.
Prolific recommends to use PL-2303GC chip.
Download: PL2303 CheckChipVersion tool program "
I guess you may using an old version of PL2303 chip so win11 not working good at that version. You may download CheckChipVersion (mentioned on the web) to check if it is compatible.Hello,
Here is a link to download the drivers 1.12 compatible with PL2303TA and Win11. Just tried it now.
Click on exe file and voilà !
http://support.dlink.com.au/Download/download.aspx?product=DGS-3630-52TC
Many thanks for the link. Saved me a lot of grief.
- No longer working as Prolific has taken down the download link.
- Try the older driver link 🙂
It's located right before the SiLabs Chipset section, driver version 1.0.13. It looks to me like adafruit cached a download of the driver on their site.
Hi Guys,
I've read through this whole thread (and a few others) and everyone is saying to go get the driver from the prolific site, although I think that's now been taken down, as every link takes me back to the site index. If I search on their site for drivers, I can go to the info page/brochure for the pl2303, but if I even click their own link to the drivers page it takes me back to the site index. I've also tried using a VPN to pretend being in the US, as I'm in the UK, no luck!
Does anyone else know of anywhere else the driver resides that I can get it from?
Cheers!
There are two methods to install PL2303 driver.
I sugguest you use WU.Installer driver setup:
1. https://www.prolific.com.tw/US/CustomerLogin.aspx
2. Sign in with your Private Account. Or enter "GUEST" on both Account and Password box and click OK.
Account: GUEST
Password: GUEST
Click: OK.
3. Select "USB Smart I/O Controllers -->> USB to Serial/Parallel"
4. Select "PL2303 -- Driver & Software" <<-- for PL2303HXD chip
Select "PL2303G -- Driver & Software" <<-- for PL2303GC chip
The newest driver is "PL23XX_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v408.zip" @ Release Date:2022/07/28
WU (Windows update) setup:
1. Plug in PL2303HXD or PL2303GC cable(chip)
2. Click Windows update from you Win10/Win11 OS, It will be install newest PL2303HXD or PL2303GC cable logo driver via Internetcharlesyeh522
H4bbs
Unfortunately, that didn't work for me. If memory serves, the error code I got was something along the lines of "THIS IS NOT A PROLIFIC DEVICE. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SUPPLIER." When I delete and let WIndows Update try it, I get an error about the driver not being supported on Windows 11.
I went on the Adafruit website prepared to buy a new cable that's compatible with Windows 11, and found out they have a link to the older driver! Link to the Adafruit page: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruits-raspberry-pi-lesson-5-using-a-console-cable/software-installation-windows
After downloading the zip, I installed the driver, and rolled back the software as described somewhere in this thread.
It's really frustrating that Prolific has a pretty terrible website, and that they purged a bunch of links that have worked in the past. Also, without knowing too much about the difference between win 10/11, it seems like the drivers should work fine from 10 to 11? Like, there's no reason why a driver from 2005 should work, and a driver from 2020 does not.
Anyway, hope this helps someone out there!
I have tried the installer that you linked and it is not solving the issue. I have installed, and from the installer done a complete uninstall/reboot, then install, then insert the device.. Every time the driver that is installed is ver 3.9.1.0. There is no option to roll back any further. The device continues to not function, and in the device manager the heading only reads "PL2032TA DO NOT SUPPORT WINDOWS 11 OR LATER, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SUPPLIER".
Do you have any advice on this?
- PL2032TA ? Maybe you don't have the same USB to serial I have. Mine uses PL2303 driver. I did not unplug my serial port. I did "uninstall device" with "attempt to remove driver" then installed "PL23XX-M_LogoDriver_Setup_v401_20220225.exe " then rebooted PC.
