220-801 · Question #574
After installing a new serial port card in a computer, the communication parameters need to be configured. Which of the following is the MOST common communication configuration for a serial port?
The correct answer is C. Eight data bits, no parity, one stop bit. The 8N1 configuration - 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit - is the de facto standard for serial port communication.
Question
After installing a new serial port card in a computer, the communication parameters need to be configured. Which of the following is the MOST common communication configuration for a serial port?
Options
- AEight data bits, even parity, two stop bits
- BSeven data bits, no parity, one stop bit
- CEight data bits, no parity, one stop bit
- DSeven data bits, even parity, one stop bit
How the community answered
(45 responses)- B2% (1)
- C96% (43)
- D2% (1)
Why each option
The 8N1 configuration - 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit - is the de facto standard for serial port communication.
Using two stop bits and even parity is a legacy configuration that adds unnecessary overhead and is rarely used in modern serial communication.
Seven data bits with no parity was associated with older ASCII-only systems and is not the modern standard.
8N1 (8 data bits, no parity bit, 1 stop bit) is the most widely used serial communication setting because it maximizes throughput by omitting parity overhead while maintaining reliable framing. This configuration is the default assumed by the vast majority of serial devices, terminal emulators, and operating systems. It pairs with a chosen baud rate to define the full communication profile.
Seven data bits with even parity is an older configuration used in some teleprinter contexts but is not common in contemporary serial port setups.
Concept tested: Serial port communication parameters 8N1 standard
Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winbase/ns-winbase-dcb
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