Find yourself a blue Cisco console cable to avoid the serial to ethernet adaptor. I know that the Cisco cable works and they are cheap and everywhere. Secondly, if you love the Meridian sound as much as alot of us do, buy a cheap secondhand Toughbook or Dell 600m laptop that has a real serial port thus eliminating the USB to serial adaptor. Both laptops will already have some form of Widows running on them and will just work. As you don't have to connect them to the internet for any reason, security will not be an issue. Firmware, mconfig, winfup can be loaded via USB stick. These options just work and can save hours of frustration.

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#1 Trinnov Altitude 32-8-16, 271, 8000XE, 7200SEHC, 7200.2, Seaton F18, JL Fathom F113, Revel w990's, Kef R7, ATI 528 Amp, JVC RS4100K, SI screen. Roon Nucleus+, Eno AG, Eno M link, 218.
#2 Mark Levinson No5105, Ayre VX8 and CX8, Vandersteen Treo CT, Preamp varies.
#3 Meridian Ellipse