Using Infrared Serial Port with MSComm Control

[BobK]

Most computers today have a built-in Infrared port, but they are not assigned a Com Port number. I would like to be able to receive serial data from my Infrared Port using VB and the MSComm Control.

Does anyone know how, if possible, to assign a Com Port # to a built-in Infrared Port, or some other method of getting serial data from the Infrared Port into VB. I am sending serial data from a Palm device using Infrared.

Bob

[Phil Weber]

Hi, Bob: It depends on the specific hardware and operating system. Here, for example, are the instructions for Windows 2000: http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000...erial_irda.htm

[BobK]

Hi Phil,

I am trying to connect with an IBM ThinkPad 380Z running Windows XP Pro. The ThinkPad has a functional Infrared Port that works fine with Palm's Hot Sync program, but you can only send program files, not serial data.

The Infrared Port does not have an assigned Comm Port, so MSComm, cannot find it. XP will not allow me to assign a Comm Port to the Infrared device, and the 380Z does not have a CMOS program to change any hardware assignments. It only has a limited setup program. I guess it is time for a new laptop?

There is no information on Microsofts website or in the Knowledge Base concerning using MSComm with an Infrared device. I have been searching for an answer on the Internet for weeks.

Bob