jack niekerk
asked on
Connecting Vmware station to serial port on workstaton running the virtual machine
We use VMware ESXi host with Windows-10 pro Virtual mchines running on this
Users have access to the Virtual Windows-10 set by RDP connection
One problem, some user have hardware attached to their own pc (also WIndows-10) by either Real Rs232 comports
or by using Startech a USB to RS232 DB9 Serial Adapter creating a COMx port
Communication with serial devices like Barcode scanners or Weight-scale go fine on the USB to RS232 DB9 Serial Adapter ports
But! software running on the Vmware machine has no access to these ports
Thus, looking for solution how to make it possible to ""see"" those ports on a Vmware station
Users have access to the Virtual Windows-10 set by RDP connection
One problem, some user have hardware attached to their own pc (also WIndows-10) by either Real Rs232 comports
or by using Startech a USB to RS232 DB9 Serial Adapter creating a COMx port
Communication with serial devices like Barcode scanners or Weight-scale go fine on the USB to RS232 DB9 Serial Adapter ports
But! software running on the Vmware machine has no access to these ports
Thus, looking for solution how to make it possible to ""see"" those ports on a Vmware station
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ASKER
thanks will start testing this !
Ideally you would use VMware Horizon View which supports native USB Passthrough from Client to Host VDI machine.
RDP has never supported USB passthrough.
RDP has never supported USB passthrough.
ASKER
ok ,
so 2 questions in this
A. if I us on PC REAL Rs232 hardware is this other story?
B. if I use Usb to Rs232 converter , wich i open in VB6 as a Comport, should I see this for Vmware as a USB issue ? or will it be seen as a comport
due to the Pc has a driver wich see it as comport see image please
so 2 questions in this
A. if I us on PC REAL Rs232 hardware is this other story?
B. if I use Usb to Rs232 converter , wich i open in VB6 as a Comport, should I see this for Vmware as a USB issue ? or will it be seen as a comport
due to the Pc has a driver wich see it as comport see image please
So you are wanting to attach a USB device on the Client to passthrough to the VM on the host ?
ASKER
see flow , one ESX server/host with 10 windows 10 virtuals all aproached from a Pc with some pherificals like scanner and /of weightsales by RDP
now i use local pc to run soem software wich writes input from device to random file with one record
file is shared
software on vmware reads by timer this file and set record to zero
al long record has value its ""seen"" as input from a simulated comport flow in VB6
works ok for scanner , is single read from barcode
but scale send data per 0.25 second if weight changes to slow
now i use local pc to run soem software wich writes input from device to random file with one record
file is shared
software on vmware reads by timer this file and set record to zero
al long record has value its ""seen"" as input from a simulated comport flow in VB6
works ok for scanner , is single read from barcode
but scale send data per 0.25 second if weight changes to slow
So the Scanner is RS232 - serial ?
and is using a Virtual COM port to work with software ?
e.g. COM3 or something and software is reading the COM port.
So there is no USB at all because it's just a serial port USB converter.
e.g, means to use a serial port on a non serial port PC.
and is using a Virtual COM port to work with software ?
e.g. COM3 or something and software is reading the COM port.
So there is no USB at all because it's just a serial port USB converter.
e.g, means to use a serial port on a non serial port PC.
ASKER
2 options
pc with Real Serial port , can connect to both scanner ans Scale
pc with Usb driver wich simulates a Comport , works in vb6 ok localy , i just open it as as comport
But the main software runs on the vm client windows 10 and needs the input
we did try rs232 to Ip converter and open on vm client with software delivered with converter a comport, workt but totaly unstable
pc with Real Serial port , can connect to both scanner ans Scale
pc with Usb driver wich simulates a Comport , works in vb6 ok localy , i just open it as as comport
But the main software runs on the vm client windows 10 and needs the input
we did try rs232 to Ip converter and open on vm client with software delivered with converter a comport, workt but totaly unstable
This is you issue because only USB can be passed through or used over network.
and you do not have USB devices.
If you had USB devices for scales and bar code scanner.... that would be possible.
But you need serial redirection.
You can use serial port redirection in ESXi, but it redirects over network via a TCP/IP port, but your software would have to look at that network port.
You need something like this...
https://www.netburner.com/learn/how-to-create-a-virtual-serial-port/
and you do not have USB devices.
If you had USB devices for scales and bar code scanner.... that would be possible.
But you need serial redirection.
You can use serial port redirection in ESXi, but it redirects over network via a TCP/IP port, but your software would have to look at that network port.
You need something like this...
https://www.netburner.com/learn/how-to-create-a-virtual-serial-port/
ASKER
ok, clear , scanner is USB , scale i have to check with supplier if USB is availble
Okay, then USB over IP will work, but if your networking is not good, then that will be the bad link!
Fabultech - https://www.fabulatech.com/
it works very well, and we've been using this for 20+ years. (with ESXi VMs)
or if you require a hardware solution, which may not be suitable here
USB Anywhere by Digi. - https://www.digi.com/products/networking/usb-connectivity/usb-over-ip/awusb