Use a remote Serial port

[localzuk]

Is it possible to set up a serial port on a remote computer as if it is on the local one. ie. I have a device plugged into a computer which connects to a phone line, I want to then install the software to use the device on a different machine, but it connects to a COM port. So, I want some way of making a fake COM port on the local machine which connects to the remote one...

Any ideas?

[SimpleSi]

Very intriguing - don't know how to do what you want but may be able to suggest alternative if you give us the whole story

regards
Simon

PS Probably you can do this is you set up a VM using Win3.1 or Dos 3 :-)

[SYSMAN_MK]

This looks like it might do the trick. hub4com

The HUB for communications (hub4com) is a Windows application and is a part of
the com0com project.

It allows to receive data and signals from one port, modify and send it to a
number of ports and vice versa.

In conjunction with the com0com driver the hub4com allows to
- handle data and signals from a single real serial device by a number of
different applications. For example, several applications can share data
from one GPS device;
- use real serial ports of remote computer like if they exist on the local
computer.

[localzuk]

Looks interesting. I've got it running and i'll see if it works.

It is for a SMS modem. It uses a phone socket in the server room, and not in the room where my machine (and potentially my boss's machine) is. So, I want to get it so a user in a different room can use it without having to remote desktop in.

[nicholab]

I think you may want one of these Controllers-DS203

[Michael]

I know in the advanced options of Remote Desktop you can enable Serial Ports, but I don't think this is what you want. You want the other way around don't you?

[Dav3y]

If the remote machine is only there for the com port, you could always use one of these

We have one setup down in our main office where all the sixth form card swipe readers used to connect to an old p.c. but now talk to our remote server over the other side of the school.

[nicholab]

Not quite snap but I just suggested the ds203

[localzuk]

I'm not going to be buying anything to do this - the machine is a server, so it does other things too. A pure software solution is best.

[Dav3y]

Looks a better model than our one too !!

[SYNACK]

Looks like there are plenty of software solutions avalible, most of the opensource stuff is for nix but there is plenty of freeware stuff too:
COM port redirector - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This one looks quite good: HW VSP (Virtual Serial Port) - Free Virtual Serial Port to connect any TCP/IP Terminal server to your Windows as a virtual serial port

If you are looking for a standalone low power solution then the hardware variaty suggested above is probably the best bet and will let you talk to it via telnet rather than client software which is nessisary for some of the other solutions.