Solvline COM User Manual

COM Port Redirector

User Manual

Ver 2.3

Dec. 20, 2011

Revision Date

Document
Version

Pages

Description

Oct. 17. 2009

2.0

All

Written by skkim

Jan. 31. 2008

2.0a

Partial

Added by khheo

Dec. 20. 2011

2.3

Partial

Added by ysjung

Revision History

Copyright 2007 SystemBase Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.
Internet Homepage http://www.sysbas.com/
Tel [phone]
FAX [phone]
16F Daerung Post Tower-1, Guro-dong, Seoul, Korea
For any inquiries or comments, contact [e-mail]

COM Port Redirector Contents

Chapter 1. Overview

Software
Environment
Hardware
Technical Support

Chapter 2. COM Port Redirector Installation

Install Guide
Uninstall Guide

Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

Adding Virtual COM ports
Device Driver Installation

Deleting Redirector Port

Chapter 4. Using Redirector Control

View or Modify Port Info
Port Status Monitor

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 1. Overview

Chapter 1. Overview

COM Port Redirector includes network COM port driver and redirector control, and they allow using serial ports
in the device server in the same manner as local COM ports on the PC. Up to 255 COM ports can be added to
one PC using the redirector. Remote serial ports in device servers connected via network can be utilized as
COMx ports installed in the local PC.

The following diagram depicts how the PC with COM Port Redirector installed can communicate with the serial
devices connected to network.

Software

 COM Port Redirector driver: System driver is compatible with Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/7/2008

creating virtual serial ports that are detected just like real COM ports. When the driver is installed,
Redirectorctl.exe is executed to connect COM ports to network.

 Redirector Control: It is an application responsible for adding and removing virtual COM ports and

providing user interface for port configuration and control. It operates with COM Port Redirector
driver to establish connection under the TCP/IP network. The following is an executable file to run
on Windows.

File name: Redirectorctl.exe

 Installer: This Windows application either installs or uninstalls COM Port Redirector.
File name: install.exe

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 1. Overview

Environment

More port installations require more CPU power and high memory usage.

 CPU : Pentium 1Ghz or better
 Memory : 512Mb or higher
 O/S : Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/7/2008(64bit)
 Network : 10M Ethernet or faster

Hardware

Redirector is compatible with the following SystemBase products.

 Portbase Series
 SerialGate Series
 Eddy Module Series

Technical Support

SystemBase provides technical support as follows.

1. Please visit the Technical Support page in SystemBase website, http://www.sysbas.com/ FAQ page is
available and a user can post a question on the board.

2. E-mail at [e-mail] and the response will be sent as soon as possible.

3. For more immediate assistance, please contact us via telephone. [phone])

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

Chapter 2. COM Port Redirector Installation

Install Guide

 Insert the install CD into the CD-ROM drive.
 Run Com Redirector Setup V2.3.exe
 Redirector installer starts and provides installation details. Click “Next” to continue.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

 Click “Install”

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

(Note)
Since RedirectorCtl.exe is responsible for basic functions of COM Port Redirector, it should
be running before starting any applications using virtual COM ports. In Windows
Vista/7/2008 64bit, a user should run Redirector

 Click “Finish” to complete the setup.

 A shortcut will be created under Start  All Programs SystemBase  Redirector.
 Redirector Control starts automatically after the setup is complete, and by default it automatically

starts when Windows starts.

 With the Redirector Control, you can add or remove ports, view or modify port information, and

monitor ports in real-time.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

Uninstall Guide

When you uninstall COM Port Redirector, all virtual COM ports are removed as well.

In a directory that Redirector install CD or Redirector is installed, click COM Redirector Setup V2.3.exe or click

“Start  All Programs  SystemBase  Redirector  Uninstall” as follows.

 Click “Remove” and click “Next”

 Click “Yes”

 Click “Finish” to complete the uninstallation.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

A user can install, add, or remove up to 256 virtual COM ports. The process of adding ports is identical to
installing ports.

How to run panel

As shown in the figure below, System tray icon can be found. If a user double-clicks it to
add/remove/monitor a port, control panel display will be shown.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

 Start COM

This option defines the first port to be displayed on the panel. 256 ports starting from the ’Start COM’ are
displayed. You can change this port any time.

 Install Checked

Install all ports checked from the panel.

 Auto Configuration

If checked, all ports are automatically assigned the IP address and port number of the device server.
If unchecked, you can manually configure ports form the “Port Info” tab.

 Install Multiports

When there are a number of ports to install, manually checking each of them is a tedious job. In this
case, click “Install Multiports” to assign only the Start COM number and the number of ports to install.
The port number will be automatically added from the specified number to 4016.

 Controller Setup
Set up the starting COM number and Tray icon feature in the control panel display.

 Refresh

Update all 256 checkboxes from starting number and COM port number information on the panel.

How to finish panel

If a user right-click on Tray icon, the following menu will be shown.

- Show Window: Click close button and reactivate Redirector Control Window

- Stop Redirector Service: Finish Redirector Control and it refers that a user is not able to use a

virtual COM Port.

Reference

If Redirector COM port is in use by some application, Redirector Control does not quit. In order to do so,
close all the application programs that use virtual COM ports, and select “Stop Redirector Service” in
Tray icon menu.

Note

Please be advised that all the virtual COM ports can not be used when a user is not running Redirector
Control. If a user wants to use Redirector COM port again, go to “Start  Program  SystemBase 
Redirector” and select RedirectorCtl.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

 IP Address: The IP address of Portbase. All new ports are assigned the value in this

option.

 Port: The port number of Portbase. Port numbers increase by 1.
 Protocol: Communication method used in communicating with Portbase. All new ports are

assigned the value in this option.

 COM: Normal COM port operation (Selected by default)
 Encryption: Select this option when you want data encrypted.

(SEED encryption method, a symmetric key type 128-bit block encryption algorithm, is used.)
 Raw: Only data is transmitted in ordinary COM modes.

Adding Virtual COM ports

Adding virtual COM ports is performed by Redirector Control.

1. Install Checked

Create a port if its corresponding box is checked.

- Choose the ports that a user would like to install and click “Install Checked”

- Set up IP Address, port, protocol in “Multiport Configuration” and click “OK” button.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

COM port number that can be installed is listed in “Start Port”, and the number of ports as

assigned in “Port Num” will be installed from the Start Port.

2. Install Multiports

- A user can create up to 32 ports from the start port

- Click “Install Multiports”

- Set up IP Address, port, protocol in “Multiport Configuration” and click “OK” button.

Device Driver Installation

 When installation starts by selecting either “Install Checked” or “Install Multiport”, the following

message is displayed until installation is complete.

 When the installation is complete, verify the port installed in “Port Info” tab.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

Deleting Redirector Port

Deleting virtual COM ports is performed by Redirector Control.

1. Install Checked

Delete a port if its corresponding box is checked.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 3. Adding / Removing Ports

- When you select “Uninstall Checked”, ports are removed. Ports currently in use, however, are not
removed.

2. Uninstall Multiports

- A user can delete up to 32 ports from the start port

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 4. Using Redirector Control

Chapter 4. Using Redirector Control

Overview

After COM Port Redirector driver is installed from the Redirector Control, you need to make use of these ports
and make appropriate configurations.

View or Modify Port Info

You can view or modify COM port configurations in the “Port Info” tab.
All COM ports are displayed in the panel, along with settings and status.

1. Single Port Configuration Changes

When you want to change port settings, click COM port that you wish to change, and make changes to
IP address, port number, or protocol. Click “Apply Settings” to apply these changes.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 4. Using Redirector Control

2. Multiple Port Changes (Config Multiports)

“Config Multiports” option allows changing IP address, port number, and protocol settings of multiple
ports at once.

Force Port Close

“Force Port Close” closes any COM port that fails to close in normal operation.

 When you click open COM ports, “Force Port Close” button is activated.
 Click “Force Port Close”

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 4. Using Redirector Control

 Click “OK”

Warning:

If you perform “ Force Port Close” on ports that are operating normally, system might hang or

unexpected errors are prone to occur. Use this option at your own risk, only in emergency when
applications fail to close ports.

Port Status Monitor

Select “Monitor” tab to monitor port status in real-time.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 4. Using Redirector Control

 ACT : Blue when application is using this COM port.
 CON : Blue when this port is connected to Portbase.
 ERR : Red when connection with Portbase has errors.
 TX : Green when transmitting data
 RX : Yellow when receiving data
 RTS, …, DCD : Modem signals for each port. Blue when on.
 “Refresh” button

When you changed COM port numbers or installed serial ports manually from external applications, click

“Refresh” or reactivate tabs to update changes. Remember to use this button when changes are made in

“Device Manager”.

 “Controller Setup” button

Configure functions related to Com Port Redirector or initialize ComDB.
If a user clicks “Controller Setup”button, the following windows will be shown.

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COM Port Redirector Chapter 4. Using Redirector Control

 Show Type: A mode that only shows tray and another showing both tray and taskbar are available

for Show Type.

 ComDB CleanUP: Check Star Com Number and Clean UP, and click ‘OK’ button.
 Old Version Registry CleanUP: This is used to organize Registry for older version. Select the

related checkbox and version, and click ‘OK’ button.

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