Most Ethernet-to-Serial converters come with port redirecting software that allows the operating system to map a serial port to a remote communications port. Despite this, it is recommended that customers use converters that support a raw TCP connection, which allow Kepware's application to be in charge of creating the embedded serial frame. This is recommended for the following reasons:

1. It is one less program to install and configure. Ethernet Encapsulation can be used to copy and deploy the project on other systems.
2. When third-party port redirecting software is used, Kepware's application cannot detect that the communications port is not real and expects that it will behave as a real one would. If the vendor does not support a function, it may cause instability in Kepware's server.
3. When the third-party port redirecting software handles the socket to the converter, it may cause latency that results in timing errors.
4. In cases where the converter has multiple serial ports, a communications error on one of those ports can result in all of the mapped serial ports becoming unresponsive.