What is the difference between USB 2.0 and USB 1.1, and can I use the USB serial hardware in USB 2.0 networks?

The USB 2.0 specification replaces the USB 1.1 specification and adds a high-speed mode of operation (480 Mbit/s) to the previously existing full-speed (12 Mbit/s) and low-speed (1.5 Mbit/s) modes of operation. Because USB 2.0 expands on the features of USB 1.1 while preserving backward device compatibility, you can use most full-speed and low-speed devices with either USB 2.0 high-speed networks or USB 1.1 full-speed networks.

USB-232/485 devices are USB 2.0 full-speed compliant, so you can use them in either high-speed (USB 2.0 hubs) or full-speed (USB 1.1 hubs) networks.