Ethernet to Serial Alternatives
While Ethernet to serial products have played a critical role in serial to network applications, these products are approaching obsolescence, driving the need to find alternative system solutions.
USB Serial and PCIe-to-Serial solutions now offer improved performance, lower latency, and greater reliability for most applications.
Ethernet to Serial System Migration Options
To ensure an easy transition away from the use of Ethernet to serial products there are a few recommended alternatives:
USB to Serial Adapters (For flexible, plug-and-play industrial connectivity)
Best for: Field engineers, portable test setups, industrial workstations
- Plug-and-play compatibility with industrial PCs and ruggedized laptops
- Suitable for temporary or dynamic serial connections
- Wide OS and legacy system support
PCIe Serial Cards (For high-speed, dedicated industrial applications)
Best for: Factory automation, machine controllers, embedded systems
- Direct motherboard connection for high-speed, low-latency communication
- Stable operation in high-temperature, vibration-prone environments
- Multi-port options for large-scale industrial serial networks
Below is a chart that compares the key difference between the recommended migration options.
| Feature | Ethernet to Serial | USB to Serial | PCIe Serial Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latency | Higher (Network-dependent) | Lower | Lowest |
| Reliability | Affected by network stability | Moderate | High |
| Performance | Limited by network speed | Suitable for field use | High-speed, direct connection |
| Portability | Remote access over network | Plug-and-play, portable | Fixed installation |
| Industrial Suitability | Requires stable network infrastructure | Best for field engineers, workstations | Best for controllers, embedded systems |
| Ease of Use | Requires network configuration | Simple driver installation | Internal installation required |
| Best For | Remote monitoring, distributed control | On-site diagnostics, flexible setups | Factory automation, dedicated machine control |
Migrating from Ethernet to serial to USB or PCIe will improve your industrial computing performance, reduce latency, and enhance system stability.
Have questions about which migration option may best suit your system? At Sealevel Systems, our Sales Specialists and Support team can provide product recommendations and deployment strategies to ensure a smooth transition with minimal downtime for your operations.
Contact our team today at [email protected] or explore recommended product solutions:
USB to Serial Recommended Products: Sealevel’s SeaLINK family of USB Serial Adapters are available in a wide variety of configurations from 1 Port USB to RS-422/485 or RS-232 Serial Adapters, to 16-Port USB to RS-232/485 serial adapters.
PCIe Serial Recommended Products: Sealevel offers both synchronous and asynchronous PCIe serial adapters. All the PCIe serial cards are fully compatible with X1, X2, X4, X8, X16, and X32 PCI Express slots. Windows Software developed for standard PCI adapters will also work with Sealevel PCIe synchronous serial adapters. Software developed on Linux for PCI cards may require changes to work with the PCIe cards. Email [email protected] for more information about Linux software for specific PCIe cards.
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