Contents
1. What is HyperTerminal?
1.1 When is it used?
1.2 Disadvantages of the app
2. Alternative solution - Serial Port Monitor
2.1 Common usage scenarios
2.2 Main features of serial terminal software
What is HyperTerminal?
HyperTerminal is a program that allows you to emulate terminal operations when interacting with remote devices via a standard serial bus (RS-232), dial-up, or Telnet. This Windows serial port terminal is a handy tool for sending data to serial displays. The program can serve for connecting to bulletin boards (BBS) and online services as well. In addition, the utility is often used to configure various network equipment, such as routers, modems, switches, PBX, etc. through the console COM port.
When is it used?
HyperTerminal is an efficient solution which helps take control of external devices or systems like scientific COM port-instruments, robots, or radio communication stations. It allows exchanging data with another computer, networking equipment, phone systems, medical billing systems, medical and lab equipment, industrial equipment, building maintenance systems, and more.
With HyperTerminal, you get the ability to:
- transfer text and commands to a remote computer;
- receive information from a remote computer;
- transfer data saved to the clipboard by using the command 'Paste to host' in the View menu;
- exchange files with another machine;
- reset your modem or issue configuration and diagnostic commands.
Disadvantages of the program
- If your goal is to use HyperTerminal on Win 7 or 10, you should remember that these OS versions support only the private edition of the solution. The private edition is not free if used commercially, so for commercial purposes you'll have to buy the app.
- Although HyperTerminal can serve as a debug tool, the limited abilities of the app won’t let you achieve much success in controlling and debugging serial communications. Functional limitations of the app show that this solution is not the optimal one for working with remote COM interfaces.
If you feel the need for HyperTerminal replacement with a more powerful and versatile terminal solution, Serial Port Monitor will be the best choice. This dedicated software works as a terminal emulator for Windows 7, 10 (as well as other Windows versions) and offers full access to serial data transmitted via any COM port available in your system.
When you are building serial apps (and especially when you are debugging them) sniffing every single serial interface may become a hassle if there are no good tools available that help you simplify this task. Eltima Software has built Serial Port Monitor that will allow you to monitor and control the activity of all the required COM ports and hardware devices connected to them right from the software interface. Serial Port Monitor is a unique solution chosen by software and hardware developers as a HyperTerminal alternative for Windows 7, 10, Windows Vista, etc.
Common usage scenarios
Serial Port Monitor is a serial terminal software that manages challenges ranging from hardware and software testing to sending and receiving binary, ASCII, and HEX data communicated via serial connections.
The software is extremely useful for:
- Emulating data exchange between COM port devices and Windows applications of all types;
- resolving issues with serial communications established between control networks and COM-based devices;
- developing serial hardware and device drivers;
- implementing and reverse-engineering serial protocols, and more.
Advanced features offered by Serial Port Monitor
- Multiple data vizualizers. The software supports four different modes of data display: table view, line view, dump and terminal views. Each of the modes provides data in the different format and you’ll be able to either choose the visualizer best suited to your needs or enable all four views at a time.
- Emulation of data transfer. Thanks to the Terminal mode option, you can easily emulate sending serial data (in string, binary, octal, decimal, hexadecimal, or mixed formats) to the required COM port like it was sent from the sniffed app.
- Simultaneous monitoring of multiple ports. Connect your serial apps to several COM ports at a time and monitor the data exchange within one session. All data received and sent by the ports will be recorded to a single log by using the first in, first out method.
- Modbus sniffing. Serial Port Monitor is fully compatible with Modbus RTU and Modbus ASCII protocols. Additionally to Modbus data, with the app you can easily catch and log data communicated by RS485, RS422, and RS232 devices.
- Session playback option. To be sure in the accuracy of your results, you can repeat sending the same data to the same COM port with a convenient session playback feature supported by the software. This will let you review port's reaction to particular data and analyze results you receive.
As you can see, Serial Port Monitor can be used not only as a great alternative to HyperTerminal but also as an efficient tool for development and debugging of serial apps and hardware. The software is a unique product combining the functionality of a terminal and COM-port sniffer in one solution.
Serial Port Monitor
Version 7.0.342 (13th Jan, 2018) Release notes
Category: Communication Application
Some uses of HyperTerminal Private Edition: Use a TCP/IP network to connect to systems on the Internet or your network using Telnet or Secure Shell (SSH); Use a Dial-Up modem to dial into modem based systems; Talk directly to many different types of devices using serial COM ports; Define key macros, save keystrokes, or adapt to host systems that require special keys or command sequences; Assign passwords, user ID's and host commands to a single key; Select terminal screen size and colors to take advantage of host systems that let you adjust the number or rows and columns displayed; Set the program to automatically exit after you log out. Use pass-through printing to allow host systems to print directly to the users printer; Zmodem crash recovery; TCP/IP support for accessing telnet sites on the Internet; Auto-redial busy telephone numbers; Conduct multiple simultaneous telnet sessions; Set HTPE as your default telnet client. Terminal Emulators: ANSI; ANSIW; Minitel; ViewData; VT100, VT100J, VT52, VT220, and VT320.
What do you need to know about free software?
I recently purchased a laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium, and it doesn't any in-built terminal, so I need to copy hyperterminal.exe
from an external source and then execute it.
I am planning to upgrade to Windows 8. Does Windows 8 have the HyperTerminal program by default? If not, then do I need to install it from Windows Components or install it externally from Microsoft’s site?
Putty
1 Answer
I have Windows 8 Pro, and I don't have the HyperTerminal program installed by default. Additionally, I don't see any option to install it via Windows feature install.
According to this post about HyperTerminal in Windows 8, you'll have to copy it over from a previous installation of Windows XP or Windows Server 2003. If you have them from your Windows 7 machine, save them for Windows 8. Or you could use one of the alternative terminal emulators. I've used TeraTerm in the past, and it was pretty solid.