In this article, we are going to discuss two ways to resolve the problem of the lack of COM ports on computers running the Windows 10 operating system. Windows 10 COM port issues plague many users whose computers have been designed without the inclusion of any serial interfaces. The absence of physical COM ports can hinder a user’s ability to make use of computing peripherals that transmit their data serially.
COM port assignement changes after reboot - WINDOWS 10. Windows manages the COM port number assignments, and a device's COM port number may change after a reboot. To manually change the COM port number of a device: 1. Open Windows Device Manager right click the device Properties 2. Under Port tab Advanced. Jul 04, 2011 Each time Windows sees a new device with a serial port (or each time one with without a unique id is unplugged/replugged), it permanently allocates a serial port number. There is no tab for port settings in windows 7 home. Do u know how to change port settings in windows 7 home? Jeff Everett October 25, 2012 Reply.
The way to resolve this issue is through the use of Windows virtual serial ports. It can be very frustrating to query your Device Manager with the expectation of finding COM ports only to find that they are not present. We are going to show you two different methods you can use to add COM ports to Windows 10. One is a procedure that employs the native functionality built into the operating system and the other uses third-party software.
Contents
The Problem: Windows 10 COM ports missing
How To Change Port Settings
Locating virtual COM port in Windows 10 can be a problem for users. You navigate to your Device Manager with the expectation to see the virtual COM port drivers that were previously loaded on your machine and find they are not there. The serial port option might not be available due to the installation of a Windows 10 update. The update may have impacted the ability of the virtual serial port drivers for certain devices to load by default. This poses a significant issue when you are trying to use these devices.
First, we will investigate the use of Eltima Software’s Virtual Serial Port Driver to add Windows 10 virtual serial ports. We provide a step-by-step procedure which can help you eliminate issues related to COM ports on Windows 10 in as little as three clicks. Read on to learn more about how to use this efficient virtual COM port driver for Windows 10.
Add COM port Windows 10 with Virtual COM Port Driver
When the COM and LPT ports do not appear in your Windows 10 Device Manager your ability to perform your work is negatively impacted. There is a way to resolve this annoying problem in a manner that will prevent it from recurring. The solution is to install the aforementioned Virtual COM Port Driver from Eltima. This application allows the creation of an unlimited number of virtual serial port pairs. The virtual COM port pairs employ a virtual null-modem connection to enable communication with each other.
Users engaged in the practice of developing and testing serial applications and hardware will benefit from the configuration options that are possible through the use of Virtual Serial Port Driver. One example is the ability to allow two applications to share data via virtual serial ports. Connecting the apps with a pair of virtual COM ports lets the data written by one program be immediately made available to the other program. This can save significant time and effort when debugging and testing serial apps and devices.
- 01What is a serial port?
- 03Best Serial Port Logger software
Step-by-step guide to add virtual COM port Windows 10:
Following these steps with Virtual Serial Port Driver (VSPD) will enable you to easily create virtual serial ports on a Windows 10 machine:
- Download and install VSPD on your Windows 10 computer.
- Launch the application and navigate to the “Manage Ports” tab. Here you can select ports from the drop-down menu or manually enter custom port names.
- After selecting the port names, simply click the “Add Pair” button and you are done! You have now created virtual COM ports which will appear as if they were physical ports in both Serial Ports Explorer and your system’s Device Manager.
- If you desire to delete the pair of ports, simply select it in the Serial Ports Explorer. In the “Manage port” tab just select and click on “Delete pair” and they are gone.
Native method to mount virtual COM ports in Windows 10
There is a fix to the problem of mounting virtual COM ports in Windows 10 that does not require the use of a third-party app. These are the steps to follow to use the Windows 10 operating system fix:
- Go to the Device Manager and type “Device Manager” in the lower left corner of the screen. (See below) Device Manager
- Locate the USB to Serial Converter Settings. After plugging a USB device into your machine, expand the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” list in Device Manager. Click on the “USB Serial Converter” and open the USB Serial Converter properties.
- Enable the VCP Driver loading by opening the “Advanced” tab within the USB Serial Converter properties. Make sure the “Load VCP” option is enabled and then click OK to load the VCP.
- Re-connect the device. Unplug the USB device and re-connect it to your computer. At this time, Windows 10 should recognize the device and load the Virtual Com Port Driver.
How to assign a COM port to a USB device Windows 10?
There are multiple scenarios in which you may need to assign a COM port to a USB device on your Windows 10 computer. Some devices need to have a COM port identifier that falls within a certain range, say between COM1 and COM4. Windows may have assigned a different identifier to the port which you will be required to modify. It’s a relatively simple procedure to perform.
Here is how to assign a COM port to a USB device Windows 10:
- Open the Windows Device Manager.
- Click on the Ports (COM & LPT) to expand the selection. You will see the ports currently in use along with their designated port identifier.
- Right-click on the device whose designation you want to change and select Properties.
- Click on Port Settings and then click the Advanced button.
- Locate the COM Port Number at the lower left of the Advanced Settings window.
- Click the Com Port Number to change the currently assigned port identifier. Select the COM port identifier that you wish to assign to the USB device attached to the port.
- Click OK on all open Property windows.
Following these steps will enable you to change the COM port identifier for USB devices attached to your Windows 10 machine.
Conclusion
Virtual COM Port Driver is an advanced way to add virtual COM port pairs. There are many instances where this Windows 10 COM Port Driver software can be instrumental when working with serial devices and applications. Some of the uses of the software include testing and debugging in usage scenarios that include:
- Verifying the functionality of serial applications for intercepting data transmitted over the network;
- Troubleshooting serial applications which are using null-modem connections;
- Developing firmware for devices that are not physically located near your computer;
- Testing virtual serial port emulators such as GPS, fax, and other devices.
Virtual Serial Port Driver
Version 9.0.575 (23rd May, 2019) Release notes
Category: Communication Application