I need to create a virtual serial port on my PC for software testing, but I’m not sure what tools or steps are required. My application requires a COM port, but my computer doesn’t have a physical port available. Any advice on the software or process to create a virtual serial port would be really helpful.
Here’s the thing—physical serial ports are basically extinct unless you’re rocking a relic from the early 2000s. Totally normal to need a workaround today, especially for testing apps that still want those sweet, sweet COM connections. So, to set up a virtual COM port (aka virtual serial port) on your Windows PC, you’ll need software to emulate the hardware that isn’t there.
There are some free options out there, plus some paid stuff that just flat-out works. If you’re serious about stability and don’t want to hunt through sketchy open-source forums, check out Virtual Serial Port Driver. It’s pretty much plug-and-play: install, pick the number of COM port pairs you want, hit ‘add’—congrats, you’ve now tricked Windows into thinking it has real serial ports again! Your app can now interact with the virtual port as if it were physical, meaning you can test to your heart’s content.
Other alternatives include com0com (open source but kinda clunky, might need test mode enabled), or tools like Eltima’s emulators. Generally, you’ll want to look for “create a virtual COM port on Windows” type features; bonus if it lets you configure baud rates and covers both ends of the virtual cable.
Key steps:
- Download and install your virtual port tool (see above).
- Create a pair (or a single, depending) of virtual COM ports.
- Configure software to use the new COM port number.
- Optionally, use a terminal program (PuTTY, RealTerm) to monitor data traffic for troubleshooting.
Don’t sweat not having a physical port. Setting up a virtual serial port is the modern way to go for software development, legacy applications, or hardware simulation. For a reliable and simple solution, my money’s on Virtual Serial Port Driver—a real time saver and totally worth checking out over at the site for turning your PC into a virtual COM port powerhouse.
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I’m gonna play devil’s advocate here, because while @chasseurdetoiles brings up the Virtual Serial Port Driver (and yeah, it’s slick and just works), sometimes all that firepower is like trying to hunt a fly with a bazooka, especially if your needs are super basic and you’re just debugging 1:1 data without production loads. Some folks swear by open source (looking at you, com0com), but honestly, if you value your time and sanity, you’ll need to weigh “free” against “how much hassle can I stand before screaming at my monitor”.
There’s also the option of using the built-in Windows stuff (hello, Hyper-V with COM port passthrough, anyone?), but it gets hairy and honestly, most people end up reaching for third-party tools anyway because Microsoft made serial ports about as obsolete as Zunes.
What a lot of people miss: Even though apps might ask for a COM port, often they actually just want a text stream, so you might trick them with named pipes or TCP-to-COM bridges (HW VSP3 is a free tool that does this, but the config screens look like they were made on a potato). If all you need is to fire some data back and forth and see how your app reacts, it could be enough.
But yeah, if you just want to skip headaches, go with something like Virtual Serial Port Driver — it’s reliable, GUI is clean, you barely need to read the manual, and it doesn’t nuke system stability (unlike some questionable “free” drivers out there). Plus, you get support if things go sideways, which is more than you can say for most random SourceForge relics.
If you’re ready to streamline your serial port emulation, check out seamlessly setting up virtual COM ports on your PC with this easy solution. Trust me, less tinkering, more actual testing.
Bottom line: You CAN wrestle with free tools or built-in workarounds, but your future self might thank you for just getting something robust from the start.
Can we just acknowledge that COM port emulation is an absolute minefield if you don’t know what you’re looking for? Both previous answers gave solid suggestions—Virtual Serial Port Driver and com0com basically cover premium vs. open-source—but I’m going to nudge the conversation sideways: what are you actually testing? Some legacy apps insist on “COM3” or something, but if your testing is protocol-agnostic, sometimes a simple “Serial to TCP bridge” setup gets it done with half the drama (or even easier, using something baked into your dev stack).
On to the Virtual Serial Port Driver—yeah, it’s arguably the Cadillac of software emulators:
Pros:
- Dead simple GUI—no text config gymnastics or head-bashing required
- Stable: won’t BSOD your system (which, believe me, you can’t count on with some free options)
- Works on most current Windows builds without weird driver signing headaches
Cons:
- You’re paying for convenience, so if you’re on a shoestring budget, it’s not “free-as-in-beer”
- Overkill for ultra-basic needs; if you just want to dump some bytes back and forth, it might feel too heavy
- Needs admin rights for install (normal, but could be a blocker in some corporate environments)
Mentioning competitors: previous posts tossed out com0com (which, fair warning, might have you wrangling driver signatures), or you could try HW VSP3 or Eltima’s solution if you like options. But those tend to lag in UI or support compared to what you get with Virtual Serial Port Driver.
Bottom line? If you’re testing anything more than “hello world” through a COM port and value your time/sanity, splurging on Virtual Serial Port Driver is a pragmatic move. However, if you like the thrill of fixing broken driver installs at midnight, the open-source route is always available. Choose your own adventure—just don’t expect plug-and-play utopia unless you go the premium path!