RS232 to ETHERNET via WWW (for home/industrial automation)

[flotul]

Hello,

I'm looking to connect some legacy data logging system that used to communicate via modems, to communicate over Ethernet instead. Within 3 years, in Switzerland, analog telephony lines will be replaced by DSL and routers and modem data is not 100% supported (not guaranteed).

While I could find some RS232 to ETHERNET converters (such as), I'm missing the way I will need ton configure the PC that will gather the data.

As the data logging system is already some years old, the logger software (in fact, I have several softwares from SIEMENS, HONEYWELL, Allen Bradley, a.s.o.) can't access the Ethernet port.

I plan to install a virtual COM port linking to the Ethernet port allowing the "old" programs to communicate via internet with the data logging devices.

Is this going to work?

What parameters do I need to pay attention to?

Thanks for any help

Rog'

EXISTING:



NEW:

 

[Gryd3]

Is this going to work?

What parameters do I need to pay attention to?

Well, here's hoping the legacy software will actually install on a newer OS, otherwise you will need to mess with an older OS to get this working.
As far as the actual RS232-Ethernet device is concerned, I am unsure exactly what will be present when you connect to the device over Ethernet. Because of this, I can't give any detail on having a virtual COM port setup to complete the 'bridge' you are attempting to build.
The tricky part, will be making sure your virtual COM port will connect to a specific remote IP address, or ensuring that the device you are looking at can broadcast to a specific IP address. This would appear to work a little easier if you use two devices to create a bridge, but that would require an actual RS232 compatible device on the windows 7 machine. (USB-RS232).
Do you have any software you are currently looking at to form your virtual COM port?

 

[flotul]

Well, here's hoping the legacy software will actually install on a newer OS, otherwise you will need to mess with an older OS to get this working.

Most of the softwares I checked work fine in W7. For the ones that won't do ok, I'll need to install a Virtual PC running Windows98. I've tested it and it works using physical COM ports.

Do you have any software you are currently looking at to form your virtual COM port?

I found "HW Virtual Serial Port". I hope it will do the trick.

I understand what I'm looking for is called a "bridge".

 

[Gryd3]

I understand what I'm looking for is called a "bridge".

Exactly.
Looks like that software will do it. You can define an IP and Port to form a bridge.
Seems as though you've done your research, and this solution seems solid.

The only question/statement I have left is:
-Will the bridge be from one office to another crossing the internet, or will it be within the same building? You may need to mess with port forwarding to accomplish your goal across the internet.
Let us know, we can help with that.

 

[flotul]

Okay.

I'll go for a try

The bridge will be PC "internal". It has to make the data form the Ethernet port of the PC "understandable" to the logger software.

 

[Kayl_tim]

I started the same way as you, only for creating virtual ports I used https://www.eltima.com/products/vspdxp/. After I did data transfer com-ports on the Internet using the https://www.virtual-serial-port.org/products/serial-over-ethernet/ and got everything on the laptop. no one cursed everything went well.