Raw TCP
Raw TCP forwards bytes between the serial side and the network side. It is simple, widely used, and works well when the serial settings are already fixed on the device or configured separately.
RFC2217
RFC2217 is a Telnet-based serial port control protocol. It can carry serial data and control settings such as baud rate, parity, stop bits, and flow control when both ends support it.
When Raw TCP is usually enough
- The equipment has fixed serial settings.
- The remote gateway exposes a simple raw socket.
- You only need byte forwarding between COM and TCP.
When to consider RFC2217
- The remote server supports RFC2217.
- Serial parameters need to be applied across the network.
- Your deployment requires explicit serial control behavior.
ComLinker support
ComLinker supports Raw TCP in TCP Client and TCP Server workflows, and supports RFC2217 for TCP Client bindings where the remote endpoint speaks RFC2217.