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Serial over LAN software and hardware solutions - full guide

Olga Weis Olga Weis

Businesses have evolved the way they manage their operations to conform to the demands of the digital age. Using serial over LAN technology provides an organization with a method with which serial devices can be shared and managed remotely from any location. Using a serial over LAN (SOL) technology can give them a competitive advantage by providing enhanced services to their customers and maximizing the utility of their peripheral hardware. An RS232 over LAN implementation allows the entire organization to make use of limited hardware resources.

Serial over LAN software

To communicate with computers (system units) these devices usually use serial ports. If a direct connection is not possible, communications are established with the help of a serial over LAN software. A dedicated app like Serial over Ethernet Connector allows redirecting serial over the network in such a way that remote serial port devices appear in the server computer as though they were physically attached to that machine.

RS232 over LAN Connector is a professional utility that provides access to remote serial port devices over Ethernet or the Internet. The software lets you create virtual COM ports through which computers communicate with remote equipment. You don’t need any additional hardware, cables, or wires. With the app, you simply share a COM over LAN and create its virtual copy on a remote PC. Connected to the shared port, a serial device becomes available for remote access and control.
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How to redirect a COM over LAN using this advanced software solution

Let’s imagine that you have a COM-based barcode reader which is located at a distance from your local computer. You need to access the device from an app installed on your machine. To achieve this, you should follow these simple steps:

1
Download Serial over Ethernet Connector and install it on the computer (server) to which the device is attached physically and your local computer (client) that will reach the serial over LAN. Note that a client can be any real or virtual machine running Windows or Linux OS.
 COM over IP communication
2
Next, start the program on the server machine, set up the required parameters and create a Server connection by clicking the corresponding button. This will make the serial port device accessible over the network.
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3
Then, launch the software on the client and “Connect” to the serial port over network.
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This is it! Now, all data from the remote device will be available on your computer as if it were your local peripheral.

Serial over LAN video Guide

When you establish a client connection to the server machine, in essence, the software creates a virtual port on the client and connects it to the real physical port of the server PC via a virtual null-modem cable. Once linked, the virtual port copies the behavior of the real port on the remote side. So, with Serial to Ethernet Connector you are free to share COM over LAN in a couple simple steps.

Common usage scenario of Serial over LAN software


After migrating your software to the cloud, you may have issues connecting remotely to your serial-based equipment. You need to implement Serial over LAN functionality so peripherals attached to your serial ports are accessed through the cloud environment. Serial to Ethernet Connector provides the capability to establish COM over LAN connectivity.

Learn about Serial over LAN software and how you can use it in cloud infrastructure.

First, you have to establish a connection to a server in the cloud environment that has a real IP address. After creating the connection, you need to configure the Serial to Ethernet Connector on the machine that is directly connected to the hardware device you want to access remotely using COM over LAN software.

Once this connection is correctly configured, this serial over LAN software solution redirects all traffic from the COM interface to the cloud. You can now access equipment attached to this port from anywhere with an Internet connection.

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Whether you're looking at redistributing our Serial port redirection engine as a part of your product or considering Serial over Ethernet software for an enterprise-wide deployment, we offer flexible and affordable corporate solutions designed to meet your needs.
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RS232 over LAN adapter - TOP hardware solutions to share serial port

Serial over Ethernet software is probably the easiest method to access COM over LAN. The software is simple to install and use and it doesn’t require complex configurations and programming skills. Alternatively, you can try sharing your COM ports with a RS232 to LAN device and see which solution is best for you.

Serial over LAN software
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Digi: hardware components

The connectivity solutions by Digi are designed to add wireless capabilities to serial devices of virtually any type. They can be used as components in a wide range of equipment. Digi ARM-based systems are easy to deploy and manage.

With the integration of Digi’s on-module and wireless systems, you can build a network of devices and monitor any of them, no matter whether they are located.

The IOLAN Device Server

When it comes to sharing COM port device over a network, the IOLAN Device Server by Perle is just what you need. This hardware device makes it possible to share serial over Network.

Accessing medical devices remotely

The solution allows getting real-time information securely. This device server offers strong authentication, firewalling and data encryption capabilities.

Anybus by HMS Networks

When there is a need to connect a non-networked RS232 device to the Network, it will be a good idea to try Anybus by HMS Networks. Given that the safety and reliability of network connections are of key importance in your work, Anybus products will definitely be a good choice.

Accessing medical devices remotely

Anybus X-gateways are designed to connect COM devices that use different communication standards. The solution can work as a translator in more than 250 network combinations. Common API enables easy interchanging between protocols.

How to share serial over LAN on Linux

If a user wants to work with serial ports on a machine running Linux, that’s no problem: the native methods are available on the recent versions of Linux.

Using netcat, you will be able to redirect serial over LAN on Linux:

netcat www.example.com port /dev/ttyS0

Please note: described RS232 over LAN sharing method will require users to run new instances netcat utility for each new connection the user wants to create.

To have a persistent serial over LAN connection, the user will need to create a xinetd service using the configuration provided below:

service testservice { port = 5900
socket_type = stream
protocol = tcp
wait = yes
user = root
server = /usr/bin/netcat
server_args = "-l 5900 < /dev/ttyS0" }

Users should then change the /dev/ttyS0 to the required serial port. To configure COM port parameters (such as baud rate and parity), use the commands: stty or setserial.

Serial over LAN FAQ

RS232 to LAN converter (adapter, or device server) is a compact hardware device designed to transform serial data to and from network packets. This solution is a big help for those looking for an easy way to reach serial devices over network.
Serial over LAN adapters usually come with a virtual port driver that allows configuring serial connections over Ethernet. The COM over Network app should be installed on the PC to which your hardware will be connected. With the help of the program, you provide your system with a virtual COM port enabling it to see and access remote serial devices.
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