multiple arduino communication with laptop

Using Arduino Project Guidance
#1

Hi I am doing a project which 5 arduinos that are all sending out different data from their own serial port and received by a java programme.

Typically, laptop doesn't have 5 usb port and so what I am asking is, what approach should I take to monitor all 5 arduinos at the same time? provided that each arduino doesn't connect to the others. Should I use SQL database? The fact is I just want to monitor them at real time and don't need to store any data.

Thank you for your time.

#2

You can get USB hubs to turn one port into 3 or 4 or 6 USB ports.

#3

Hi, what is the application, what is the reason for 5 separate arduinos?

Can one arduino do the job of 5?

Tom..... :)

#4

and received by a java programme.

What is the capability of the java program as far as using more than one com port at a time? You might connect the slave arduinos together to the master arduino tx/rx and have the java program poll the slaves for data in a rotating sequence.

#5