Interface Card Axagon PCEA-S2N

The AXAGON PCEA-S2N is a PCI-Express interface card that adds two RS-232 serial ports with DB-9 connectors to a desktop PC. It uses the ASIX AX99100 chipset and supports PCIe x1 connection compatible with x1/x4/x8/x16 slots, providing a 1-lane PCIe 2.0 bandwidth of 5 Gb/s. The card is supplied with both standard and low-profile brackets for installation in full-size and small form factor cases.

Advantages

The card provides two reliable RS-232 ports with DB9 male connectors placed on the bracket and offers hardware-level features such as 256-byte transmit and receive FIFO buffers per port, support for 16C550/Extended 16C550/16C950 UARTs, and full serial signal support (TXD, RXD, RTS, CTS, DTR, DCD, DSR, RI). It includes robust ESD protection exceeding ±15 kV air and ±8 kV contact discharge and supports automatic IRQ and I/O address selection (Plug and Play).

Suitable for

• Connecting legacy serial devices (modems, POS terminals, barcode readers)
• Industrial equipment such as CNC machines and control panels
• ATM and cash register interfaces
• Embedded systems, PDAs and tablets with serial ports

Key specifications

• Host interface: PCI-Express 2.0 (1-Lane x1), compatible with PCIe 1.0a/1.1/2.1/3.0
• Bandwidth: 1-lane PCIe 2.0 — 5 Gb/s
• Serial ports: 2 × RS-232 with DB-9 male connectors
• UART compatibility: 16C550 / Extended 16C550 / 16C950
• FIFO buffer: 256 bytes transmit and receive per port
• Supported baud: drivers guarantee up to 250 kBd; custom baud rates supported
• Flow control: Xon/Xoff, hardware, or none
• Adjustable data format: 5–9 data bits, parity options (even, odd, none, mark, space), 1/1.5/2 stop bits
• ESD protection: > ±15 kV (air), ±8 kV (contact)
• Chipset: ASIX AX99100

How to use

Install the card into a free PCIe x1 (or x4/x8/x16) slot on the motherboard using either the standard or low-profile bracket as required by your case. Connect serial devices to the DB-9 ports on the card bracket. Install the appropriate drivers for your operating system; the card supports Windows (XP through Windows 10 and server editions) and Linux kernels 2.6.11 and above. After driver installation the system will automatically assign IRQ and I/O addresses, and you can change COM port numbers and configure baud rate, parity, stop bits and flow control in device manager or serial communication software.

Usage recommendations

Use shielded serial cables for improved signal integrity in electrically noisy environments. Verify baud rate and flow control settings on both the PC and connected device to ensure stable communication. For small form factor builds select the included low-profile bracket.