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Remote Serial Port - quick guide for your daily work

Editorial Team Editorial Team
Updated: Sep 7, 2024

This guide explains how to access remote serial ports over Ethernet, enabling seamless communication with serial devices across networked computers. It highlights setup instructions, use cases, and features like cross-platform compatibility and virtual connections.

Contents
  1. How to access remote serial port over Ethernet
  2. When do you need remote COM port redirector
  3. Access Remote Serial Port - video tutorial

How to access remote serial ports over the Ethernet

Serial Port Redirector software is a tool that makes accessing serial ports over any IP network effortless. Follow these simple steps to gain access to a Windows remote serial port:
1
Download COM port redirector for your required operating system and install the software on the server machine. The Server is the computer with the physical serial port you want to share.
Download COM port redirector
2
Once installation is complete, start the application and select the “New connection > Server connection” option. In the window that appears, give the connection a name and select the serial interface you want to share. Enter the TCP port that the connection will listen on, and click the “Create connection” link.
New connection
3
Now repeat the process and install the software on all the client machines. Select the “New connection → Client connection” and enter the IP of the server machine and confirm the TCP port entered in step 2. Select the “Create as virtual port” option.
4
Click “Create client connection” to complete the virtual COM port creation process.
Create client connection
5
Your client machines will now be able to access remote serial port on the server.
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Why would you need a remote COM port redirector?

The question often arises as to why you would need to access a remote serial port over Ethernet. By using an application like COM Port Redirector, we'll highlight some use cases and scenarios where the ability to control and access window remote serial ports is important and beneficial.
COM over IP converter

Sharing serial devices across the network

• An organization might have a serial peripheral device that is attached to one computer but the device needs to be accessed by other computers on the LAN. Imagine a POS scanner that needs to share data with various remote offices. In this scenario, it is not practical or even possible to share the physical device. Instead by using Serial to Ethernet Connector, you can allow each machine to access the serial port remotely via IP network or even over the Internet. All remote machines will have full access to the serial device as if it was physically connected to the local port.
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Enabling remote access to local serial devices

• The inverse scenario is also common. This is when the remote computer requires access to a local serial device. With Serial to Ethernet Connector, you can initiate a virtual serial connection on the remote computer, allowing data to be transmitted to and from the physical serial port of the local machine.

Creating virtual null-modem connections

• Serial to Ethernet Connector also lets you create null-modem serial connections. A null modem connection is a connection that does not make use of Data Communications Equipment (DCE). This type of connection is sometimes a prerequisite for certain applications to operate. Serial to Ethernet Connector allows you to create virtual serial ports on both computers and it makes it possible to connect these virtual ports without the need for physical cables or a serial interface. There will be no noticeable distinction between the virtual null-modem connection and a physical one.
create null-modem serial connections

Cross-platform compatibility and additional features

• Serial to Ethernet Connector is available for Windows and Linux operating systems. It is also fully compatible in a cross platform environment, meaning your Server and Client machines can be running different operating systems. An additional feature is the ability to broadcast data via User Datagram Protocol (UDP). For Linux users, you can expect a command-line interface.

Access Remote Serial Port - video tutorial

Serial to Ethernet Connector
Access remote serial port over IP Network for Windows
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