"Serial Port" failure

[Anonymous user]

I nearly destroyed some incredibly expensive equipment because I plugged a straight-through serial cable into the back of an APC SmartUPS 2200 unit and connected it to a PC. Our experiment requires continuous power. The UPS shutdown immediately when the cable was connected between the UPS and the host computer! How is this a sane design?

I understand now that this DB9 isn't a simple serial port.

Suggestions:
Don't label something "Serial Port", and use a DB9 connector if it can cause an immediate and unexpected shutdowns in certain situations.

Place a warning sticker over the connector.

Something, anything!!!

I can't be the only one that made this potentially terrible mistake.

[voidstar_apc · Accepted solution]

>
I can't be the only one that made this potentially terrible mistake.
>

You're definitely not alone. APC uses an RJ45 jack for the serial port on newer products. Plugging an ordinary Ethernet cable in will not cause a shutdown.