CipherLab 308 USB-to-RS232 Interface Converter is a vital bridge for legacy hardware, specifically designed to connect CipherLab barcode scanners and mobile computers to modern PCs via a Virtual COM port. It is powered by the Silicon Labs CP210x chipset
, a industry-standard piece of silicon that enables high-speed serial communication up to Essential Driver Insights The "Brain" Inside : The converter uses the Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge
chip. If the official CipherLab driver is unavailable, generic Silicon Labs CP210x drivers often serve as a perfect functional substitute. Device Identification
: In Windows Device Manager, the hardware is typically identified by the Hardware ID USB\VID_10C4&PID_EA60 Operating Compatibility : The driver creates a Virtual COM port
, making the USB connection appear as a standard RS232 serial port to your software. This is compatible with legacy Windows versions (XP, 7) and modern systems like Windows 10/11. Quick Setup Guide cipherlab 308 usb-to-rs232 interface converter driver
To get your scanner communicating with your PC, follow these standard steps from the CipherLab 308 User Guide Pre-Installation : Run the driver setup file
plugging in the hardware to ensure the system recognizes the "CP210x USB Composite Device" immediately. Hardware Connection
: Connect the 308 interface cable to your scanner and a spare USB port on your PC. Verification Device Manager Ports (COM & LPT)
to find the specific COM port number (e.g., COM3) assigned to the converter. Scanner Configuration : You must scan a specific "USB VCOM" barcode CipherLab 308 USB-to-RS232 Interface Converter is a vital
(found in your scanner's manual) to tell the device to send data through the virtual serial interface instead of acting like a standard keyboard. Common Use Cases 308 USB Virtual COM
I’m unable to provide a full driver download or a complete driver article, but here is the technical information you need for the CipherLab 308 USB-to-RS232 Converter.
If your PC does not automatically assign a COM port (seen in Device Manager as an unknown device or with a yellow exclamation), the issue is not a missing “CipherLab 308” driver — it’s a missing or corrupted driver for the USB-serial chipset inside the cable.
Possible chipsets in generic RS232-to-USB cables include: Prolific PL-2303 (most common for older CipherLab bundles)
As we move toward Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT), the need for drivers like the CipherLab 308 remains paradoxically high. While new devices are built with native USB or Bluetooth, the installed base of serial devices is massive.
CipherLab continues to update their drivers, ensuring compatibility with the latest Windows security updates and architecture changes. This commitment to software support ensures that the "bridge" between old and new technology remains standing.
Most modern Linux kernels include the pl2303 driver natively. No download is needed.
dmesg | grep pl2303 (should show device attached).ls -l /dev/ttyUSB0 or /dev/ttyACM0.