Ti83 plus link - help please

Ok, I have this cable, and I was wondering if I can use it to connect my TI-83+ to my computer, when I do so, it says some stuff, but doesn't really work, mainly because I think I need some sort of driver, and need to use a special 3rd part app to put programs and games. Any help?

The cable is a simple 2.5mm to USB

If on one side it has a USB, and the other side goes into the only plug on the 83+ I know of, then it should work fine. You can go to TIConnect.com to get the software you need to transfer files. It should have detailed explanations and directions there so you can set it up and get it running in no time. It also has a program editor in it so you can type your programs faster than on the calc itself, along with the fact that you can then use both upper and lower case. Just don't use alot of lower case. It uses twice the memory. I would know from experience (made a couple games so big they wouldn't fit on the calc's ram, and if I allow them to be used by Crunchy OS or Mirage OS, then they somehow get some of their codes changed to very unusual things)
And my favorite part about it is that you can protect your files, so no one can change them. Just make sure you've made all the changes you want to before you do that.

Well when I plug in the calculator, and turn it on, windows says "doesn't recognize this device" and it doesn't let me use it. Can you link me to the software? I need some sort of driver that allows the pc to know or recognize the calc.

http://education.ti.com/educationportal/downloadcenter/SoftwareDetail.do?website=US&tabId=1&appId=183
By the way. Windows shouldn't be able to read it. You just need this program to. And you can do that by (after installing it of course) going to program list, then tell it reload if it already hasn't started searching for a calc. You will need to tell it what type of calc your using, and what type of cable your using, because there isn't only one type of cable. Anyways, after you do that, it will search for your calc, and if it finds it (the cables have to be plugged in completely, and the calc turned on) you can then basically click and drag files onto it or off. I can't remember if all of this is correct, just going by memory. My Mac doesn't have TIConnect because it doesn't run well on it (my Mac is too old and slow for it to work properly without me throwing my Mac out my 3rd story window), so I use it on my brother's PC. That should be all you need to know. Ask if you have any other questions. By the time I can reply, I should have been able to use my brothers computer for a bit so I probably will have a better answer.

not working man...

Does TI Connect run? Or was it installed wrong? Are you sure you ran the stuff in it?
Tell me what exactly you do and what it does.

ti connect is installed and loads properly, but when the program trys to connect to the calculator, it fails, it looks for the device as COM1.

there is a CD that should have come in the package when you got your TI-83. Put it in your disk drive when plugging in the calc and follow the instructions.

Rfranklinz out.

You shouldn't HAVE to do that, considering I got my calculator from my middle school 4 years ago (I didn't steal it, I got it because I was in the math club and me and my team won the school like 7 gold medals in statewide competitions) and all I got from them was the calculator, cover for it, and the manual (which I lost). In short, I never got a CD with my calc, and I still can and do transfer files from my calc to and from my computer. I don't see why it would make much of a difference, but see if it works anyways (nothing ventured, nothing gained, I guess...).