Serial to Ethernet Connector (SEC) is an advanced software-based solution that allows you to share more than 255 serial port devices over the network, turning your computer into a low-cost terminal server. Thus, any serial port device connected to your COM port could be accessed from anywhere in the world (via Internet or LAN) as if it is attached directly to the remote PC.
When the attached serial port device sends communication data it is transmitted over TCP/IP network and back from the network to your serial device.
Serial to Ethernet Connector provides the ability to create several connection types for three main purposes:
■ Share serial port for incoming connections (Server)
Server connection will be waiting for incoming client connections and actually will share local real or virtual serial ports over the network. Server connection provides the ability to connect many clients simultaneously and each connected client can transmit input/output serial data to the local real or virtual serial port. The client can be called whatever application can initialize the outgoing connection to the TCP/IP server (SEC, Telnet, etc).
■ Connect serial port to remote host (Client)
Creating a client connection will initiate local real or virtual serial port data redirection to the remote server using TCP/IP protocol. Client connection does not require SEC presence on the remote side.
All that you have to do is specify the remote server's IP address (or network name) and TCP port to connect to.
Once the connection is established, all data sent from a remote serial port device attached to the server will be genuinely delivered to the local serial port where it can be further processed.
■ Share serial port using UDP
You can redirect input/output data from local real or virtual serial ports using UDP/IP underlay protocol. This type of connection does not require SEC presence at the remote side as well. Besides, you can broadcast all serial data to your local network.
Serial to Ethernet Connector enables you to select a data transmission protocol, which will be used for connection: RAW data transmission algorithm or Telnet (RFC 2217) protocol.
How does Serial to Ethernet Connector work?
Serial to Ethernet Connector uses unique virtual ports technology which fully emulates real serial ports and duplicates all their functionality. Windows OS treats our virtual serial ports in the same way as real ones therefore you are no longer limited to just 2 or fewer real ports per system and may create COM port connections without occupying any real serial ports.
In case you are setting up the "client" connection, you should specify the IP address and port number to access, when you are establishing the terminal servers you will need to specify TCP/COM options and port numbers to listen to.
Main Features
- Share your serial ports and devices with others over the TCP/IP network
- Both TCP and UDP protocols are supported
- Manage port signal lines states in connections
- Set pauses after which all received data is sent to the remote end when using UDP as an underlay protocol
- Easily connect to a remote computer using TCP/IP Telnet protocol, with the RFC 2217 Telnet extensions for COM Port Control
- Connect to several remote computers simultaneously
- Share more than 255 serial ports simultaneously for remote connections
- Pause active connections without deleting them
- Reset the connection statistics
- Disconnect selected remote hosts
- Serial port names are not restricted to COMxx only and may have virtually any name
- The ability to send data of a certain size and on receiving the specified char in UDP connection type
- High-speed data exchange from/to virtual serial port
- Virtual serial ports work like real physical ports
- The ability to enable baudrate emulation for virtual ports
- Rename ports in the Device Manager
- Automatically restore connection within a customizable timeout on connection brakes
- Universal function Keep Connection Alive for Telnet and Raw protocols
- The small packet transmission speed can be increased by disabling the Nagle algorithm
- Dynamically change COM port parameters without the necessity to reopen or re-create it
- Ports could be automatically configured every time you boot your PC
- Secure your data transmission over the network with an authorization system and traffic encryption
- Connection speed in serial port pairs is much more reliable and faster than in physical links
- Ability to create your own libraries for authorization and encryption (SDK version only)
- User-friendly and convenient program interface
- Fully compatible with HyperThreaded and multi-processor systems
- Works under virtual machines
- A single license allows you to install this application on two computers to provide client-server architecture.
In general, a Serial to Ethernet Connector is a powerful tool for both business/industry and individuals, because millions of legacy serial devices without built-in network capabilities are in wide use today.
Serial to Ethernet Connector can be used by:
- Corporations, because attached serial port devices from one office can be easily accessed from another office;
- Individuals, for sharing serial port devices with others and easily accessing them over the network;
- Enterprises, for industrial automation purposes;
- IT integrators, for reducing the cost of the whole project;
- Small Office Home Office (SOHO), for saving money because there is no need to buy additional devices;
- Educational organizations, in cases when some students or employees need to use the same specific equipment.
Electronic Team offers a 14-day trial version to evaluate Serial to Ethernet Connector and make up your mind.
Compatibility
Serial to Ethernet Connector is compatible with the following Windows platforms (32-bit and 64-bit):
- Microsoft Windows XP/2003/2008, Windows Vista, Windows 7/10/11, Windows Server 2012/2016/2019, support for Windows on ARM-based systems.
Note: The GUI of the Serial to Ethernet Connector is not compatible with platforms earlier than Windows 7 SP1/ Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.