COM port in Virtual Machine

Access Serial Port in Hyper-V

Accessing a COM port in Hyper-V requires connecting local resources from the host machine to the virtual environment. Here’s how to configure the settings:

1. Open Hyper-V Manager:
   • ⚬ Launch Hyper-V Manager from the host machine.
   • ⚬ Right-click on the virtual machine (VM) you want to configure and select Connect.
2. Configure Local Resources:
   • ⚬ Once connected, in the virtual machine window, click Show Options in the lower left corner.
   • ⚬ Navigate to the Local Resources tab.
   • ⚬ Under Local Devices and Resources, click More.
   • ⚬ Check the box next to Ports. This step forwards the host machine’s COM ports to the virtual machine.
3. Log in to the Virtual Machine:
   • ⚬ After configuring the settings, log in to the virtual machine.
   • ⚬ Check Device Manager in the guest operating system (inside the VM) to ensure the COM port is visible and functioning.

Note: In some cases, COM ports may not appear until the VM is restarted. Additionally, certain VM configurations may require administrative privileges to use the port.

Video guide to redirect COM ports to Hyper-V with Serial to Ethernet Connector

Connect COM Ports in VMware

VMware allows for straightforward serial port configuration, but specific settings are needed based on how the serial device will be used. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Access VMware Settings:
   • ⚬ Open VMware Workstation or VMware Player.
   • ⚬ Select the virtual machine and click Edit Virtual Machine Settings.
2. Add a Serial Port:
   • ⚬ In the Hardware tab, click Add.
   • ⚬ Select Serial Port and follow the installation wizard.
3. Configure the Serial Port:
   • ⚬ Choose whether you want to connect to a Physical Serial Port on the host or use Output to a Named Pipe.
   • ⚬ If you are using a named pipe, make sure the pipe settings match on both the host and the guest. You will need to specify a pipe name (e.g., \\.\pipe\com_1).
   • ⚬ If connecting to a physical serial port, select the appropriate COM port (e.g., COM1, COM2) and configure the baud rate if necessary.
4. Connect at Startup:
   • Check the box labeled Connect at power on to ensure that the serial port is available when the virtual machine starts.
5. Finish Configuration:
   • ⚬ After configuring the serial port, click Finish to save the settings.
   • ⚬ Start the virtual machine and check if the COM port is accessible in the guest OS by viewing Device Manager or running relevant commands in the terminal (for Linux).
6. Troubleshooting:
   • ⚬ If the COM port does not appear, ensure that the serial port on the host is not being used by another application.
   • ⚬ Restart the VM if necessary, and check VMware logs for any potential issues related to serial port emulation.
     
     

Video tutorial to redirect COM ports in VMware

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Serial Port Not Recognized: Ensure that the COM port is not already in use by another application on the host system. Check the virtual machine’s Device Manager to confirm recognition.
  
  
• Connection Issues with Serial to Ethernet Connector: Make sure that the firewall settings allow communication through the selected TCP port. Also, verify the correct IP address and TCP port in the configuration.
  
  
• Permission Errors: Virtual machines may need administrator privileges to access certain hardware components. Ensure that both the VM and virtualization software are running with sufficient permissions.