What is the proper upgrade procedure to upgrade from legacy Lantronix Redirector (v3.x and earlier) to Lantronix ComPort Redirector (CPR) v4.x and later ?

Upgrade Procedure:

The following is the recommended procedure to upgrade from legacy Redirector to modern CPR:

1) Launch legacy Redirector and delete all IP host/TCP port mapping for every virtual com port created in Redirector. Save the settings so that the map is deleted.

2) Delete individual vcom ports created in legacy Redirector. Save the settings so that the vcom port is released from the registry.

3) Uninstall legacy Redirector from Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs.

3) Reboot PC. This will completely remove vcom ports claimed by legacy Redirector in the registry.

4) After the reboot, install the most current CPR version and configure the new com ports as specified.  The current CPR is available here:
Latest Version of Lantronix CPR (Com Port Redirector)

The important thing is to not uninstall legacy Redirector without first deleting the vcom port and IP host/TCP port mapping. Otherwise, the vcom ports will remain claimed in the registry and be inaccessible to any other application.

If the legacy Redirector was already uninstalled before vcom port and tcp host/port mappings were deleted, reinstall the Redirector and delete of all undesired mappings and vcom ports. Proceed with above procedure as normal.

Another option is to highlight the port you want to clear out of the registry in CPR v4.2.0.1 or higher, then choose "Release Port" from the Com Port menu.  "Release Port" will be inactive (grayed out) if it is not safe to remove it from the registry.

If you have a Windows Restore Point from before the legacy Redirector (v3.x or earlier) was installed, try restoring it.
 

Background:

Redirector applications are programs that allow non-network enabled (legacy) serial software applications to connect to serial device servers on the network.  They present a virtual com (vcom) port front-end interface for the legacy serial software to communicate, while providing protocol conversion between serial software applications to Ethernet IP hosts.  Basically, their mechanism consists of:  

• creating and managing the TCP socket connection to serial device servers
• packetizing application serial data into Ethernet packets to send to serial device servers, and
• unwrapping received Ethernet packets and delivering the packet payload as RAW serial data for the serial software application to read.

Lantronix has two versions of redirector applications available:

• the legacy Redirector (v3.x and earlier) and
• the current Lantronix Com Port Redirector (CPR, v4.x and later).  

Redirector is compatible with Windows NT, 2000, and XP but is not supported on later versions of Windows.  It is strongly recommended that you use the current Lantronix CPR with the current line of Lantronix device servers.

The legacy Redirector (v3.1.0.4) is still available at the link above for use in older Windows versions with legacy device servers, e.g. the MSS100.

We strongly recommend that customers avoid having more than one version of redirector running on a PC at the same time.  This is to avoid conflict of virtual com port ownership among different redirector software applications and possible resulting system instability.  

[Originally Published On: 02/02/2010 05:18 PM]