I connected a USB to serial adapter to the NSLU2 and it recognized it right away.
Output from dmesg.
[43129780.760000] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 2
[43129780.940000] usb 3-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[43129780.960000] usb 3-1: New USB device found, idVendor=067b, idProduct=2303
[43129780.960000] usb 3-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[43129780.970000] usb 3-1: Product: USB-Serial Controller
[43129780.980000] usb 3-1: Manufacturer: Prolific Technology Inc.
[43129782.550000] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
[43129782.560000] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[43129782.570000] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[43129782.580000] usbserial: USB Serial Driver core
[43129782.650000] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for pl2303
[43129782.660000] pl2303 3-1:1.0: pl2303 converter detected
[43129782.730000] usb 3-1: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0
[43129782.730000] usbcore: registered new interface driver pl2303
[43129782.740000] pl2303: Prolific PL2303 USB to serial adaptor driver
I then went to the management screen and changed from simulator mode to WS23xx. Everything seemed to work fine and the base even linked to the temperature sensor out in the garage. Its not accurate but it is updating now.
Maybe next weekend I can connect the sensors outside and get things working there.