Terminal Emulators

Establishing communication between your computer and your remote monitoring system (using a dialup modem or direct serial connection) requires a 'Terminal Emulation' application.

The terminal emulation application is software for your computer that enables you to interact with your remote monitoring system. It enables you to send keyboard commands to the remote system and view information that comes back.

Computers running Windows 95 through Windows XP include an excellent terminal emulator named 'HyperTerminal'. Computers running Vista or Windows 7 do not.

If your computer does not have a terminal emulator, you'll need to install one of the many low-cost or no-cost applications that are available from various third-party sources. Below is a description of some of the many terminal emulator options available to you.

 HyperTerminal

Even though HyperTerminal is no longer bundled with the Windows operating system, it remains a viable product that we continue to recommend - especially if you are already familiar with its operation. There are several ways to get it:

1) Set up a dedicated computer with Windows XP. Put an old computer to work or buy a high quality, name-brand, off-lease computers with Windows XP. As of this writing, an off-lease computer with XP-Pro can be purchased for under $150. As a bonus, many off-lease computers include an RS232 port and/or a modem (which are not included with many newer computers).

2) If you have software experience and have a licensed copy of Windows 95 through Windows XP that you no longer use, you can re-install it on a newer computer as an alternate operating system. Each time you reboot your computer, you'll have the option of using Windows XP and running HyperTerminal. A much simpler approach is to move just the necessary HyperTerminal files to the newer computer. Search for files named 'hyperterm.dll' and 'hyperterm.exe' and move them into the same locations on the target computer. Create a shortcut that points to 'hyperterm.exe.

3) Most high-end computers with Windows 7 Professional can be configures to run a "virtual XP computer" from within the Windows 7 environment.

 HyperTerminal Plus

The company that created HyperTerminal for Microsoft offers an updated version (HyperTerminal Plus) with new features and full Windows 7 compatibility. It is available for evaluation or purchase at www.hilgraee.com

HyperAccess

The company that created HyperTerminal for Microsoft also offers "HyperAccess"; an advanced communications application that supports scripting. It is available for evaluation or purchase at www.hilgraee.com

 Indigo

The application that Global Monitoring has adopted for internal use is "Indigo" by www.shadeblue.com

Indigo's user-interface can be difficult for first-time users, but the program itself is robust and reasonably priced. Indigo supports advanced scripting but lacks an xmodem file transfer capability. Nevertheless, we highly recommend this program for more advanced users.

Free Alternatives to HyperTerminal

1 - Check your modem manufacturer's website for free utilities and software downloads or contact their technical support department. Many modem manufacturers offer free terminal emulation software to their customers.

2 - Search a reputable download site (such as cnet.com or download.com) for free terminal emulation software. There are many excellent terminal emulations programs in the public domain or with a free-to-use license. One such program is "PuTTY". Please beware of the risks associated with software downloads.