TCP Ports
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- Posts: 10
- Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:26 pm
TCP Ports
Still bench-testing my new NMEA4WiFi unit. I am new to much of TCP and UDP setup. Can anyone offer direction on establishing a TCP or UDP bridge to a virtual serial port? I use SeaClear on Win 10 for navigation and it is looking for one or more COM ports to accept NMEA 0183 from.
I have tried TCP-Serial from CommFront to create a bridge from TCP or UDP to a serial COM port with no success. SeaClear reports "could not open communication port x".
I have tried TCP-Serial from CommFront to create a bridge from TCP or UDP to a serial COM port with no success. SeaClear reports "could not open communication port x".
Re: TCP Ports
Hello,
I do not know SeaClear nor CommFront in order to give you a tip. If you can be more specific I will try to help.
REgards, Luis
I do not know SeaClear nor CommFront in order to give you a tip. If you can be more specific I will try to help.
REgards, Luis
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- Posts: 10
- Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:26 pm
Re: TCP Ports
Luis,
I don't think this is unique to SeaClear. I believe OpenCPN on Windows would require the same sort of setup. These programs can only accept data from a serial COM port; they cannot directly access a TCP or UDP feed. Something must be in place to tie the TCP/UDP broadcast by the NMEA4Wifi to a virtual COM port. The programs open the access the COM port and read the NMEA sentences from there.
This is how I *THINK* it would work. I am not very fluent in network protocols.
Mike
I don't think this is unique to SeaClear. I believe OpenCPN on Windows would require the same sort of setup. These programs can only accept data from a serial COM port; they cannot directly access a TCP or UDP feed. Something must be in place to tie the TCP/UDP broadcast by the NMEA4Wifi to a virtual COM port. The programs open the access the COM port and read the NMEA sentences from there.
This is how I *THINK* it would work. I am not very fluent in network protocols.
Mike
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- Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:26 pm
Re: TCP Ports
Correction. Looking at the most recent OpenCPN documentation, it appears to allow direct setup of TCP or UDP over Wifi. However, I do not use OpenCPN. SeaClear wants a COM port for input of GPS or AIS.
Re: TCP Ports
Hello Mike,
It looks like you need an adapter. Have a look to this post:
https://www.vela-navega.com/forum/viewt ... p=424#p424
If SeaClear is not able to communicate by WiFi you will need a wired connection.
Regards, Luis
It looks like you need an adapter. Have a look to this post:
https://www.vela-navega.com/forum/viewt ... p=424#p424
If SeaClear is not able to communicate by WiFi you will need a wired connection.
Regards, Luis
Re: TCP Ports
I used to use a program that would only take serial and spent a while finding an approach using free software.
The links can be hard to find, so I have popped them below..
Virtual null modem : https://sourceforge.net/projects/com0co ... t/download
Serial-Tcp: https://www.commfront.com/
Dagnall
- First, you need to set up a virtual serial port - in fact a virtual serial port null modem pair..
- Then you need a Serial -TCP program like "Serial-TCP" this links a network IP TCP to one of the virtual serial ports.
- The Navigation program can then connect to the "second- linked" virtual serial port. Setting it all up can be a bit complex, but it can work..(Photo of it working with "com11" and "com12" and showing the simulated data from a NMEA4WIFI..)
- I have only tested it reading data. I have not used it to send data back to an autopilot.
The links can be hard to find, so I have popped them below..
Virtual null modem : https://sourceforge.net/projects/com0co ... t/download
Serial-Tcp: https://www.commfront.com/
Dagnall
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Re: TCP Ports
Brilliant. That did it. Part one, creating the port was a bit funky, but after that, CommFront worked great to bridge UDP to the virtual serial port. I will work on TCP next, then bi-directional.
I will likely move on from SeaClear. It works, I finally got comfortable with the rather obtuse GUI, but it is definitely out of date.
Thank you so much. You have saved me countless hours (on top of the countless hours already sunk).
I will likely move on from SeaClear. It works, I finally got comfortable with the rather obtuse GUI, but it is definitely out of date.
Thank you so much. You have saved me countless hours (on top of the countless hours already sunk).
Re: TCP Ports
Mike,
Thanks for the feedback! Glad it helped.
I discovered Qtvlm by buying the UKHO chart usb from visitmyharbour, and it was on the usb stick. Its perhaps less clean to use than seaclear, but the grib and planning gizmos inside are fascinating. In these times of enforced non sailing I find myself looking at the grib forecasts and being fascinated by the passage planning that can even take into account your polar performance!
(Usual disclaimer, I have no relationship with visitmyharbour or QTVlm!)
Dagnall
Thanks for the feedback! Glad it helped.
I discovered Qtvlm by buying the UKHO chart usb from visitmyharbour, and it was on the usb stick. Its perhaps less clean to use than seaclear, but the grib and planning gizmos inside are fascinating. In these times of enforced non sailing I find myself looking at the grib forecasts and being fascinated by the passage planning that can even take into account your polar performance!
(Usual disclaimer, I have no relationship with visitmyharbour or QTVlm!)
Dagnall
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Re: TCP Ports
Dagnall,
The CommFront port bridge shuts down the ports after 3 hours (free version). Are you aware of a similar product?
Thanks
Mike
The CommFront port bridge shuts down the ports after 3 hours (free version). Are you aware of a similar product?
Thanks
Mike
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- Posts: 10
- Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:26 pm
Re: TCP Ports
TCP Serial Bridge - free, seems to work fine for TCP, but does not have a UPD option. Still looking.
sourceforge.net/projects/tcpserialbridge
sourceforge.net/projects/tcpserialbridge