How to access remote RS232 over IP/TCP

That’s it – you can now start working with a remote RS232 port over network.

The app supports Windows and Linux. Note, that the Linux version is the command-line one.

Hardware RS232 Over IP Connectors: A Comparative Overview

Hardware RS232 over IP connectors serve as vital components in networking environments, enabling the integration of legacy RS232 serial devices into Ethernet networks. Let’s compare prominent hardware connectors, focusing on their key features and suitability for different applications.

StarTech RS232 Over IP Connector:

StarTech's RS232 over IP connector facilitates seamless integration of RS232 serial devices with Ethernet networks. It has a compact design and Web-based configuration. Users confirm the device’s advanced security features. The Startech RS232 converter is suitable for industrial, commercial, and institutional applications.
Positive experiences were reported by users regarding ease of use and reliability.

Lantronix SecureBox SDS1101:

Lantronix offers robust security features and industrial-grade reliability. The device provides secure tunneling, remote management, and a rugged design. This RS232 over IP connector was presented on the market a long period ago and has a positive reputation. Many users say that it can be compared with StarTech with an emphasis on security.

Perle IOLAN SDS Device Server:

Another trusted and tested RS232 to IP converter is the Perle IOLAN SDS Server. It is a scalable and feature-rich device server for serial connectivity. It has multiport configurations, customizable firmware, and various serial interfaces (RS 232/422/485).
Performance: High scalability and advanced management capabilities.

Alternative RS232 over IP software solutions

Serial to TCP/IP Connector is a software utility that enables you to share devices among computers running different operating systems. Combined with its user-friendly interface, the ability to share physical or virtual serial ports with network-connected machines makes it a flexible, cross-platform solution.

Here are some alternative solutions that are specific to a particular operating system.

Sharing serial over IP data on Linux

There are native methods with which to communicate with remote serial interfaces that are included with the majority of Linux distributions. The netcat procedure presents a standard way to implement serial over IP communication on Linux computers. Each connection that is created requires a new instance of netcat. Persistent connections can be built with a combination of the xinetd service and the following configuration file.

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

You will need to change the name of the /dev/ttyS0 parameter to reflect the name of the serial device you are connecting. Serial port parameters like baud rate and parity can be configured with the setserial and stty commands.

Conclusions

Based on your particular situation, one of these applications may work for you when you require RS232 port over IP connectivity. This can be important in industrial automation systems and many other production control installations. They can also make serial devices accessible from any computer with the ability to create virtual interfaces that emulate a hardware port.

We compared both hardware and software RS232 to TCP/IP connectors. As long as hardware devices are limited by the distance, software is more flexible. Some of these apps are free and some require a monetary investment. When choosing the solution that you intend to use, consider that a paid software product includes technical support that can help you resolve any issues when implementing the product. Program updates are also included with paid software and these can be instrumental in keeping your machine secure and taking advantage of new features added to the applications.