Every file we host on Tech Bench Lab is an unmodified copy of an official release, and its download box gives you what you need to check that yourself in under a minute. This page explains where the files come from, when we host them, and how to verify them.
Where the files come from
The files we host are the official releases, from the manufacturer’s own download page (for example WCH for the CH340 and Silicon Labs for the CP210x), the project’s GitHub release or the project’s own SourceForge page. Never from a driver-aggregator site, a forum attachment or a third-party re-upload.
When we host a file, and when we only link
We host a copy only when the license allows redistribution: open-source licenses such as GPL, LGPL, BSD, MIT and Apache, freeware that explicitly permits it, or a vendor that allows it. When the license does not allow it, or when it is unclear, we link to the official page instead and, where we can, publish the SHA-256 of the official file so you can still check what you downloaded. That is why you will find links, not files, for Prolific, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Microchip, login-gated ST tools, FTDI unless its license text allows it, and any manufacturer firmware.
What we never change
We do not repack installers, rename binaries, remove files or add anything. When a vendor ships a bare .exe, it goes inside a .zip as it is, so browsers do not block the download, and the original file name is kept inside the archive.
What each download box tells you
For a file we host: the version, the size and the SHA-256 checksum, with a link to the official source. For a file we only link to, the box takes you straight to the vendor’s own page. The checksum is the part that matters: if a single byte of the file were different, the SHA-256 would not match.
How to check a file yourself
| System | Command |
| Windows, Command Prompt | certutil -hashfile FILE.zip SHA256 |
| Windows, PowerShell | Get-FileHash FILE.zip -Algorithm SHA256 |
| macOS | shasum -a 256 FILE.zip |
| Linux | sha256sum FILE.zip |
Compare the result with the SHA-256 printed in the download box. Upper or lower case does not matter. If they differ, do not run the file, and let us know.
Numbers in our guides
Version numbers, voltages, chip IDs and settings come from primary sources: the datasheet, the service manual, the vendor’s documentation, or the forum thread where the problem was reported and solved. The guide links them so you can check. If you find a number without a source, tell us and we fix it.
Found a problem?
If a checksum does not match, a link is dead or a number is wrong, write to us through the contact page. We correct the page and keep the official link next to every file, so you are never locked into our copy.