# Wireless/Serial Comms for portable data transfer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-serial-comms-for-portable-data-transfer/218363>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 11, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-serial-comms-for-portable-data-transfer/218363 "2003-12-11T15:05:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kymodoce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8797f3/32.png) [@Kymodoce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kymodoce)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-serial-comms-for-portable-data-transfer/218363/1 "2003-12-11T15:05:00Z")

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I hope this is the right forum for this question…

I would like to replace a cable between a Tablet PC and a portable measuring device we use at work. The portable device has an RS232 compatible port on it and I currently transfer data through a cable to a USB port on the Tablet, using a USB/RS232 adapter.

Is it possible to replace this with a wireless or IR link? From what I have seen so far, IR may be too short range (we would ideally like up to 10-15metres/30-45 feet). The Tablet PC already has WiFi capability, if this can be used somehow. The software on the Tablet is running a Visual Basic program to grab the data from the COMM port (the USB adapter provies a driver which emulates a COMM port), and whatever solution I use has to be able to do the same.

Finally, the solution has to be lightweight and either be powered via the RS232/USB ports or by a small battery (no AC adapters).

Traditionally I guess this would have been carried out by a radio-modem, but these are expensive and clunky. Any ideas/pointers in the right direction? (please forgive me for shamelessly picking your collective brains!)