I have a non-Nokia CA-42 cable and am trying to connect to my laptop. I have looked through this thread and tried just about everything. Captain Grumpy's instructions seem logical but I can't get step 2 to work (cable only plugged in). I can install PC suite from the web download and the Driver appears in the Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel.
Maybe I haven't set the COM port correctly. How do I do this? What should I set it to?
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igmcustomer Posts: 1
Phone Model: Nokia 6101
Service Provider: T-Mobile
Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:35 pm
Tathar wrote:
Can anyone help me with this?
Hi Tathar,
I admit being dumb and to avoid possible grief not researching better the CA-42 cable I just bought on eBay same as you. Hopefully it isn't as bad as it looks. It seemed so simple for a naive person buying a cable.
Here is what I found, please tell me if it works and exactly what you do if you could be so kind (or if you have something else better).
The driver is apparently available on the manufacturer's site, and the manufacturer of our "cable chipset" is apparently "Prolific Technology", and the driver called "PL-2303".
It appears these drivers are available on the Taiwan based (with offices in mainland China too)manufacturer's website which is prolific of the same URL with the tw for Taiwan suffix. If you do a search on their site you will find the 1.43MB exe driver package for XP and some other prior versions of windows with the file name wd_pl2303h-hx-x_v20019v2021.zip
Please tell me if this works, and any tips learned (especially the hard way). I sincerely hope the wikipedia listing for the Nokia 6101 (6102i, 6103) regarding the connectivity problems with the USB cable is outdated as it mentions this problem and now I am feeling foolish, but I won't give up nor be posting anything like "buy the original" because I'm already in this deep and want to save face as stubborn as I am on my uninformed purchase.
I note these are called counterfeit cables in some places after surfing, while when bought they are called "non-OEM" and stated as compatible, though in many cases sold "without drivers". I am assuming that they are not "counterfeit" in the sense of illegal, but rather "generic", otherwise I have a serious problem with the hundreds that are on eBay. I don't want to solve the world, just save face, so any experienced person please help. The long post by the seller of these generics on procedure a few posts back is the way I guess to try, but there is so much conflicting apparently good advice in this thread that it is baffling.
Good luck to all! For example, when installing drivers, should the phone cable be connected (understand either way, without the phone) or should the cable be not connected. Also, can the latest PC Suite software be used from Nokia download or is there another necessary software or version?
mark-g Posts: 2
Sun Dec 16, 2007 7:17 pm
Hi all
I finally got it to work so I thought it might be useful to outline how in my case (Win XP).
Firstly, I installed the driver only (the Prolific PL-2303 one - it was on the CD that came with my cable).
Then I installed the version of Nokia PC suite that was on the CD that came with the cable.
When the cable is connected, I got notification of the PL-2303. Then when I connected the phone I got notification of the phone connected via USB-serial cable (in the system tray).
Then I ran PC Suite, and went through Manage Connections to connect the phone - and then all was OK.
I have since taken the option of upgrading to the latest Nokia PC Suite software - and that caused a few headaches, but I got it to work out OK in the end. When you install the new version and it asks to go to the next step to connect a phone - quit at that point. Then go to Control panel and in the Add/Remove programs; check to see that the "PL2303 USB-to-Serial" driver is there.
Now plug in the cable to a USB port and then connect the phone. Then start PC Suite. Then I go to the Manage Connections, check the Cable connection only and set Configuration - select the relevant COM port. To find that out, go to Control Panel, System, Hardware, Device Manager, and expand the Ports - you should see "Prolific USB to Serial Comm Port (COMx)" listed - and use that port number in the PC Suite software.
It's not perfect but it is workable for me.
Good luck
shoeman Posts: 1
Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:58 pm
Wanted to use my 3220 as a cable modem serial connection only. Tried all sorts of drivers, connectivity suite, three computers, whatever for the CA-42 and the 3220. Finally found the problem. Enhancement Settings in phone set to Headset instead of Text Phone.
yoni57 Posts: 1
Fri May 23, 2008 8:00 am
Hi Everyone,
I also bought this non-original CA-42 cable in a shop in Israel, and I had problems installing it. I read this thread and finally I figured it out myself so here is my solution, I hope it will help someone.
This one regards installation on Windows VISTA, but I guess it will work on XP as well. my cable came in a box that looked like Nokia (fonts like Nokia) but in the manual they wrote "NOK" everywhere instead of "Nokia", the cable turned out to be a "Prolific PL-2303" cable.
So, first of all, to start up clear unplug the cable, uninstall nokia pc suit and any previous installation of the CA-42 driver and anything related to that. after you done it, its important to reboot your computer. then when windows finished to load up, explore the installation CD and run "PL-2303 vista driver installer" for windows vista, or "Nokia CA-42 USB driver installer" for winXP.
let it finish and ONLY THEN plug the cable in. if it went right you will see the "found new hardware" notification, and it should identify it automaticly and say something like successfully installed Prolific PL-2303 (COM X) if you use VISTA, or successfully installed Nokia CA-42 cable on XP.
after that I recommend you to go to "device manager" and see that it looks OK under the category "ports (COM & LTP)", on the same chance see on which port the cable is working, on my computer it installed it on "COM 8".
now, you would like to install Nokia PC Suite, but don't install the version that came on the CD because it won't work. download the latest version from Nokia and install it. after yo done that you should open Nokia PC Suite and go to settings -> manage connections. there you will see several options - 1)bluetooth, 2)IR, 3)Serial Cable CA-42, 4)USB. make sure the CA-42 option is marked with a "V", then click on it (it should be painted in blue background) then click on the settings button (it looks like a working tool for opening screws) there you shloud choose the serial port you saw the cabel is using in the device manager and click OK, if it wont let you use this port then plug the phone and it will let you choose the right port and recognize the phone.
That's how it worked for me I guees it will help whoever bought the same cable (Prolific, that says "NOK" instead of "Nokia").
Goodluck!
thall12 Posts: 1
Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:01 pm
I have a Nokia 2126 Tracfone. I am trying to get ringtones on it, I have been trying forever!
I have bought a CA-42 cable from E-Bay. It is not a Nokia but made in China (S/N - WT 048000317).
I have tried Nokia PC Suite & Bit Pim, as well as Crostel.
I have tried to install the PL 2303 driver, uninstalling, restarting. Set the settings for cable not USB, set the COM port.
I am using Windows Vista. Once plugged in the cable is recognized I can see it in device manager as "Prolific USB to serial COM", once hooked up the connectivity sound rings.
When I plug my phone in the phone lights up but that is it.
My cord did not come with an installation CD.
I have looked all over this site as well as the internet and the Nokia site. I have been at it for months!
Is it the phone, or settings, there must be a way!
Please help!
aroonie Posts: 1
Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:03 pm
I spent hours on this problem and then finally found a quick fix which worked perfectly using any CA-42, Chinese or whatever together with the basic CA-42 driver. I downloaded a demo copy of MobiMB (Mobile Media Browser) from logomanager.co.uk
It worked first time, found the driver and showed everything on my Nokia 6070. I had tried several versions of the Nokia software (which by the way is huge compared to MobiMB's 1 meg exe file) and had no success whatsoever in connecting with my 6070.
I was so impressed I bought the program which cost me $20 and I don't buy many software programs.
I have no connection with MobiMB as they are in England and I am in Australia!
But if you are having problems with CA-42 try it out just to prove your cable and driver works. And don't be conned. A $5 Chinese cable works as well as a very expensive cable.
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