ODB adapter help

[HughJazzol]

I'm about to dabble in the world of Forscan, and I came across these 3 USB adapters.

Option 1 for $33

Option 2 for $25 minus 20% coupon

Option 3 for $18 minus 10% coupon

All are ELM327 compatible and mention compatibility with Ford.
Or do I HAVE TO get the OBDLink EX for $60 recommended in other posts. If one doesn't work I can obviously return it.

THanks

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[flapjake314]

i bought one for $2.50 on temu and it works fine so pretty sure you can do your cheapest option lol

 

[rugedraw]

This is the one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/vLinker-USB-...745530676&sprefix=ford+vlinker,aps,118&sr=8-6

However, according to FORScan, some people have reported issues when using it with a laptop running USB 3.0 because VGate has not updated their firmware from 2.0 to 3.0 yet, so FORScan removed it from their list or recommended devices. (See post from Feb 5th here: www.forscan.org) My laptop is older and still uses 2.0, so it works fine for me. Right now if you visit the FORScan site, the OBDLink is the only cable they list on their website that they recommend. Before Feb 5th, it was only the OBDLink and the VLinker on their website.

For what you want to accomplish, I think the VLinker is fine.

 

[AtomicInternet]

Can confirm this one works, use it all the time.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MQ8GHG3

 

[HughJazzol]

Can confirm this one works, use it all the time.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MQ8GHG3

Mmk. Thank you.
And do you use it to make changes and tinker around? On a laptop with a usb2 port?

 

[AtomicInternet]

Mmk. Thank you.
And do you use it to make changes and tinker around? On a laptop with a usb2 port?

Yes to both. Forscan will update the firmware on this adapter as well.

 

[Lonesparrow67]

This is the one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/vLinker-USB-Programming-Modification-Hacker-Proof/dp/B0CZ92SLDY/ref=sr_1_6?crid=35V3VD301NP8Q&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.h2fYKq3DClTSTXmml2NWLmIAU-JbQAtFd2Dh8kFSgkELETibZxSTCXgm7luL_QHQvsZvqPlR_X0GxLjvy08LpIW5am0OLXw5TZLadE7PemL8-ubS00yMgNQoLbiPgpvBOx8QHQ2J4cB0qTGz9oN5T9k3Xl2fLxCKLv3t1PyUW29TXyj3-afO_4SWNLsd5Cx22RRooRUOjBA44wlBLODPb6qIaOdi4RpFrxg0RHEEBSe0xt4LtnIsXIvrZg64bKl7L25-YNlKrEo-g-WLHKXMa5wHLQD1fYLSaPY_amvnXg0.jaIyMvyyeNWFRxLfbR-crSkBDW7HN9pwXGiZUHc8wYo&dib_tag=se&keywords=ford+vlinker&qid=1745530676&sprefix=ford+vlinker,aps,118&sr=8-6

However, according to FORScan, some people have reported issues when using it with a laptop running USB 3.0 because VGate has not updated their firmware from 2.0 to 3.0 yet, so FORScan removed it from their list or recommended devices. (See post from Feb 5th here: www.forscan.org) My laptop is older and still uses 2.0, so it works fine for me. Right now if you visit the FORScan site, the OBDLink is the only cable they list on their website that they recommend. Before Feb 5th, it was only the OBDLink and the VLinker on their website.

For what you want to accomplish, I think the VLinker is fine.

I also use this one, have had zero issues so far....

 

[HughJazzol]

I also use this one, have had zero issues so far....

Thank you
Are there specific windows drivers for it?

 

[Lonesparrow67]

Thank you
Are there specific windows drivers for it?

Yes there are!

This site has easy setup instructions on how to download them...

https://www.obdii365.com/service/co...ZKENyPRffXLzppNvY0e4CvdRU3aEeo-vz-teNHY-PmYR2

 

[Teslaeata]

Something like this from up the Amazon,
It’s got some switching on it.

 

[Synkrox]

Just get OBDLink EX.
I've got a few but none gave every single module info that showed up on OBDLink EX. I think the VLinker would be a close second.
The ones with the switches are the worst as you have to toggle it on and off repeatedly whilst doing anything.
The really cheap ones won't throw any errors but just won't access half the modules or associated DTCs in the car.

 

[HughJazzol]

Just get OBDLink EX.
I've got a few but none gave every single module info that showed up on OBDLink EX. I think the VLinker would be a close second.
The ones with the switches are the worst as you have to toggle it on and off repeatedly whilst doing anything.
The really cheap ones won't throw any errors but just won't access half the modules or associated DTCs in the car.

Thank you Chris
So different qualities/prices of adapters read more or less modules? That's interesting and makes you wonder why? I guess rhe internal programming or windows driver, perhaps, talks differently to the backend root system in the car that stores the modules.

 

[Synkrox]

Yes, your assumptions are correct.
There are different "buses" AKA languages used in the car and different cables speak different languages, essentially.
Some modules are on one bus, others are on another.
I'm not sure we can't have "one cable to rule them all" either, but I suspect it's the same reason a lot of tech gets hidden behind deliberate complexity.
???

 

[HuntingPudel]

Yes, your assumptions are correct.
There are different "buses" AKA languages used in the car and different cables speak different languages, essentially.
Some modules are on one bus, others are on another.
I'm not sure we can't have "one cable to rule them all" either, but I suspect it's the same reason a lot of tech gets hidden behind deliberate complexity.
???

Yep, even the Mongoose Plus doesn’t address everything in FORScan but it’s gotten everything that I wanted it to get (Which admittedly isn’t much). ??

 

[MadMatt]

Why not get Bluetooth? so much more versatile..

https://www.amazon.com/vLinker-FS-A...d=1745594060&sprefix=vlinker+fs,aps,77&sr=8-9

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