Cookie
FlexiHub Team uses cookies to personalize your experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our cookie policy. Click here to learn more.
Olga Weis Olga Weis Nov 18, 2020

Sharing Serial over IP: Comprehensive User Guide

This article highlights some different ways you can implement serial over TCP/IP capabilities. We will take a look at some of the best serial over IP hardware as well as the RS232 over IP software to help you decide which one works best for your situation.

FlexiHub


Windows, macOS, Linux, Android 4.8 Rank based on 386+ Reviews
Share Serial over IP

What is Serial over IP technology

Serial over IP is a technology that enables data packets to be sent from real or virtual serial ports over a TCP/IP network. This provides a method to configure, monitor, and manage COM interfaces remotely.

FlexiHub

Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
4.8 Rank based on 386+ Reviews
FlexiHub provides users with a serial over IP software solution that enables connectivity between locally-attached serial devices and remote network-connected machines with a few clicks.
FlexiHub

Serial over IP software

Working with FlexiHub is really easy, no advanced setup or lengthy configuration process is required.

As a result, the user can connect a serial device over IP from a remote location and doesn’t have to worry about where the device is located physically.

The physical distance between a computer that needs access to a serial device and a computer to which the device is attached does not matter at all.

If you have FlexiHub installed on both machines and network connection – you can work with remote serial devices as if they were connected directly to your local computer.

How to share serial port devices over IP

To share serial devices over an IP network, you will require to:
1
Create a FlexiHub account and pick the plan with the required amount of connections.
 Register a FlexiHub profile
2
Install the application on the server computer that has a serial device physically connected to it.
 Download Flexihub
3
Open the software and log into your FlexiHub account.
 Login flexihub
4
Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the computer that will connect to a serial device over IP.
 Serial device over IP
5
In the list of COM ports available for connection, locate the required one and click “Connect” next to it.
 Connection

For the video instructions on how to share serial ports over IP protocol, please refer to this video:

share serial ports over IP protocol

And that’s all you will need to do to share a serial device over IP and connect it to a remote working station.

Benefits from using serial over IP software

FlexiHub goes beyond what other serial to IP apps are able to offer, especially concerning the speed of connections and security of data transfer.

✓ Establish communication with network-attached serial devices from anywhere in the world with no distance limitations using FlexiHub. Computers that are logged into the same FlexiHub account can immediately access COM devices as soon as they are plugged in.

✓ Advanced security is provided by this RS232 to IP software with 2048-bit SSL encryption. FlexiHub keeps your serial data safe when transferring it over the network.

✓ Establishing a direct connection with this RS232 to TCP/IP software may not be possible if the two machines do not have public and discoverable IP addresses. You can use the redirector server within FlexiHub so that you still can remotely connect to shared COM ports.

✓ FlexiHub provides cross-platform functionality between Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Only Windows systems can share and connect to RS232 over IP.

Share serial devices over IP
30-day demo period

Serial over IP hardware

A serial to IP converter is a hardware device used to enable the remote management and control of serial-based equipment connected to an IP network. It converts data generated by devices using serial protocols such as RS232, RS422, or RS485 to TCP/IP packets that can be transferred over a network.

Typically an RS232 to TCP/IP converter is configured with a wired 10/100/1000 Ethernet or wireless network interface on one side, with the other side containing one or several serial ports. Some are very simple devices with limited functionality. More advanced serial to IP adapters provide advanced data transmission security with features like data encryption and user authentication.

StarTech Serial to IP Converter

StarTech Serial to IP Converter

The StarTech RS232 to IP converter can be used to remotely manage and connect to remote network-attached serial devices over a local area network (LAN).

The device provides a single serial port and the functionality to interact with remote serial devices as if they were directly connected to your computer.

It works efficiently with your integrated serial ports and has faster data transfer rates than many competing RS232 to IP converters. Configuration can be done with onboard software or through a web browser.

Software alternative to RS232 to IP converters
30-day demo period

Perle IOLAN Serial to IP Converter

Perle Serial to IP Converter

Perle IOLAN RS232 to IP converters are designed to provide enhanced security to enable IT assets to be securely and remotely managed from any location.

These serial port to TCP/IP converters address enterprise compliance policies with a feature like SSH/SSL encryption.

They can be easily integrated with existing network and IT equipment and offer Centralized Management Software that consolidates the management of network and IT resources in a single application.

Moxa NPort RS232 to IP Converter

Moxa serial to TCP/IP converter

Moxa NPort serial to TCP/IP converters are small and easy to use and set up. Their size and flexibility make them perfect for connecting payment terminals, card readers, and other serial devices to an IP-based network.

The Moxa NPort line of serial servers fully supports use with the Windows and Linux operating systems.

They offer simplified installation and configuration that allow you to keep using legacy software requiring access to serial ports over an IP-based network.

Top choice
FlexiHub
  • 4.8 overall rank based on 386+ Reviews
  • Requirements: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and Raspberry Pi.
  • 10.45MB Size.
  • Version 6.1.15025. (19 Feb, 2024).