[ale] Network access to serial devices

[John Mills]

ALErs -

I want to make some /dev/tts/* devices on a Linux system accessible to
users on other systems as if they were net services: <myIP>:port<n> so TCP
traffic exchanged by an outside user with that port is transparently piped
through to /dev/tts/<n> and vice-versa, one user per port. Security not an 
issue: I can simply connect the two correspondents by cross-over ethernet 
cable. (This is a test/configuration fixture for shop use.)

More globally, I have a Win2K application that can only work to COM<n>:  
ports on its host and I need to connect it to "virtual COM" devices that
are actually hardware on the Linux system. There are a number of $product$
to remap the Win2k COM ports to IP:port connections, if I present my Linux
hardware to the outside world in that way.

If anyone knows of a _free_ tool to handle the Win2k end, that would be
great, of course: something like RedMon to pipes serial traffic both
ways.

Q'n'D suggestions?

Thanks.

 - Mills