Adafruit USB to TTL Serial Cable - Debug / Console Cable for Raspberry Pi

The cable simplifies connections to microcontrollers, Raspberry Pi, and WiFi router serial console ports. A USB plug houses a USB-to-Serial conversion chip, while the 36-inch cable ends with four distinctly colored wires: red for power, black for ground, white for RX into USB, and green for TX out of the USB.

Providing 5V at 500mA from the USB port, the power pin pairs with RX/TX pins operating at 3.3V logic level, ideal for common chipsets. Its separate pin plug design is perfect for powering and establishing RX/TX links with Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone Black debug/login consoles.

Compatible with Windows 7/8/10, links to PL2303 and CP2102 drivers are available, while Mac OS X users can also find necessary drivers online. Linux users benefit from built-in driver support, removing installation hassles.

This cable excels in hacking WiFi routers for alternate OS installations and other 3.3V logic serial port needs. Unlike FTDI cables, its separated wires offer greater ease of use in various scenarios. Note, it lacks the DTR/RTS wire required for Arduino re-programming, and thus better alternatives for those tasks include FTDI cables or FTDI friends.