The common problem
A PLC, meter, DTU, gateway, or serial device server may be reachable through an IP address and TCP port. The Windows application, however, may only let you choose COM1, COM8, COM10, or another local serial port. In that case, the network connection and the software interface do not match.
The practical solution
A virtual COM port bridge creates a local COM port and forwards the traffic to a remote TCP endpoint. The legacy application opens the COM port normally, while the bridge handles the TCP client connection in the background.
Basic setup steps
- Install a virtual COM port bridge on the Windows machine.
- Create or select a local virtual COM port, such as COM10.
- Add the remote device IP address and TCP port.
- Start the bridge and confirm the connection status.
- Open COM10 in the legacy Windows application.
What to verify before deployment
- The remote IP address and TCP port are reachable from the Windows machine.
- No other application is already using the same COM port.
- The serial application uses the same protocol expected by the remote device.
- Auto reconnect is enabled if the device or network may restart.
Where ComLinker fits
ComLinker is built for this exact workflow: map TCP/IP endpoints to local virtual COM ports on Windows, monitor running bindings, and keep existing COM-port software working.