The TCP-Com product from TALtech is basically designed to be a RS232 to TCP/IP converter program however it is an extremely powerful utility that can be used to accomplish tasks that were traditionally considered to be impossible under Windows.

The following are just a few examples:
How to allow more than one serial communications program to open the same serial port simultaneously.
How to open COM ports located on another computer in your network as if they were locally installed COM ports.
How to launch multiple programs at startup in a specific sequence with a delay between launch commands.

For more information on TCP-Com or to download a fully functional demo version, please visit: http://www.taltech.com/products/tcpcom.html
(TCP-Com is also provided free with the WinWedge Professional Edition from TALtech).