RS-232C is a long-established standard ("C" is the current version) that describes

the physical interface and protocol for relatively low-speed serial data
communication Networks between computers and related devices.
RS-232C is the interface that your computer uses to talk to and exchange data with
your modem and other serial devices. RS-232C is the interface between your
Communication networks and other communication networks.
Somewhere in your PC, typically on a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
(UART) chip on your motherboard, the data from your computer is transmitted to
an internal or external modem (or other serial device) from its Data Terminal
Equipment (DTE) interface. Since data in your computer flows along parallel
circuits and serial devices can handle only one bit at a time, the UART chip
converts the groups of bits in parallel to a serial stream of bits.
As your PC's DTE agent, it also communicates with the modem or other serial
device, which, in accordance with the RS-232C standard, has a complementary
interface called the Data Communications Equipment (DCE) interface. RTS/CTS is
the way the DTE indicates that it is ready to transmit data and the way the DCW
indicates that it is ready to accept data
RS232C, a standard interface approved by the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA)
for connecting serial devices. In 1987, the EIA released a new version of the
standard and changed the name to EIA-232-D. And in 1991, the EIA teamed up with
Telecommunications Industry association (TIA) and issued a new version of the
standard called EIA/TIA-232-E. Many people, however, still refer to the standard as
RS-232C, or just RS-232.
Almost all modems conform to the EIA-232 standard and most personal computers
have an EIA-232 port for connecting a modem or other device. In addition to
modems, many display screens, mice, and serial printers are designed to connect
to a EIA-232 port. In EIA-232 parlance, the device that connects to the interface is
called a Data Communications Equipment (DCE) and the device to which it
connects (e.g., the computer) is called a Data Terminal Equipment (DTE).
The EIA-232 standard supports two types of connectors -- a 25-pin D-type
connector (DB-25) and a 9-pin D-type connector (DB-9). The type of serial
communications used by PCs requires only 9 pins so either type of connector will
work equally well.
Although EIA-232 is still the most common standard for serial communication, the
EIA has recently defined successors to EIA-232 called RS-422 and RS-423. The new
standards are backward compatible so that RS-232 devices can connect to an RS-
422 port.

RS-232 Mechanical Specification

There is a standardized pin out for RS-232 on a DB25 connector, as shown in
Figure.
The essential feature ofRS-232 is that the signals are carried as single voltages
referred to a common ground on pin 7. In its simplest form, the RS-232:C interface
consis;9'of only two wires for data and ground. The ground is the absolute voltage
reference for all the interface circuitry, the point in the circuit from which all
voltages are measured. Data on pin 2 of the DTE is transmitted, while the same
data on pin 2 of a DCE (modem) is received data as shown in Figure.
Data is transmitted and received on pins 2 and 3, respectively. Data Set Ready
(DSR) is an indication from the Data set (the modem or DSU/CSU) that it is on.
Similarly, DTR indicates that the DTE is on. Carrier Detect (CD) indicates that
carrier for the transmission data is on.
Pins 4 and 5 carry the Request to Send (RTS) and Clear to Send (CTS) signals. In
most situations, RTS and CTS are constantly on the communication session.
However, where the DTE is connected to a multipoint line, RTS is used to turn the
carrier on the modem on and off. On a multipoint line, it is imperative that only
one station is transmitting at a time. When a station wants to transmit, it raises
RTS. The modem turns on carrier, typically waits a few milliseconds for carrier to
stabilize, and raises CTS.
The DTE transmits when it sees CTS up. When the station has finished its
transmission, it drops RTS and the modem drops CTS and carrier together.
Terminals and modems usually communicate bidirectionally. Bidirectional
interchange between the two devices is directly analogous to the connection of
two telephones. The differences between the DTE and DCE are that DTEs transmit
on pin 2 and receive on pin 3. DCEs transmit on pin 3 and receive on pin 2. When
the modem is communicating with another modem, three essential links are
established. These are:
1. DTE to DCE The DTE or terminal and modem or DCE talk to each other.
2. DCE to DCE The two modems on the link talk to each other. When a DCE to DCE
connection is established the modem will send a connect message to the
computer. The connect message specifies the computer about the baud rate being
used by the two modems for communication.
In case of modems with dissimilar baud rate, the modem of higher baud rate is set
to send the data at the same rate of the other modem using the computer's
communication program.
3. DTE to DCE The host computer talks with its modem.
The output signal level usually swings between +12v and,-12v. RS-232 is simple,
universal, well understood and supported everywhere. However, it has some
serious shortcomings as an electrical interface.
First, the interface presupposes a common ground between the DTE and DCE. This
is a reasonable assumption where a short cable connects a DTE and DCE in the
same room, but with longer lines and connections between devices that may be on
different electrical buses, this may not be true. Second, a signal on a single line is
impossible to screen effectively for noise. By screening the entire cable one can
reduce the influence of outside noise, but internally generated noise remains a
problem. As the baud rate and line length increase, the effect of capacitance
between the cables introduces serious cross talk until a point is reached where the
data itself is unreadable. Low capacitance cable can reduce crosstalk. Also, as it is
the higher frequencies that are the problem control of slew rate in the signal (i.e.
making the signal more rounded, rather than square) also decreases the crosstalk.
The original specifications for·R$-232 had no specification for maximum slew rate.
The standards for RS-232 and similar interfaces usually restrict RS-232 to 20 kbps
or less and line lengths of 15m (50 ft) or less. These restrictions are mostly
throwbacks to the days when 20 kbps were considered a very high line speed, and
cables were thick, with high capacitance, However, in practice, RS-232 is fur more
robust than the traditional specified limits of 20 kbps over u 15m line would imply.
Most 56 kbps DSUs are supplied with both V.35und RS-232 ports because RS-232 is
perfectly adequate at speeds up to 200 kbps. The 15 m limitation for cable length
can be stretched to about 30 m for ordinary cable, if well screened and grounded,
and about 100 m if the cable is Jaw capacitance as well.