Perhaps there is a way for me to test this out? I don't actually have 255 devices available to me right now, but is there a way I can trick Windows into assigning all of the COM ports so that I can try the 256th with a Bluetooth device?

It is my understanding that there is a limitation of 255 COM ports for Windows 7. Suppose I have added enough unique Bluetooth devices to consume all 255 COM ports. What happens when I try to add another Bluetooth device? Does Windows automatically bump one of the COM ports, or does it give me the option of which COM port I would like to replace?

Hi, I would like to confirm that whether you want add more than 256 devices in the future? I cannot test this on my personal computer, but based on my understanding, if you add them more than the limitation number, Windows should not bump one of COM ports because of assigning procedure. For more information, you may refer to the MSDN's link. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff546481(v=VS.85).aspx Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Thank you for the link, very helpful. Yes, I would like to be able to add more than 256 bluetooth serial port emulation devices. They won't all be connected at once, but I would like to maintain the pairing information for each, and therefore the COM port assigned to each, so that they automatically re-pair when I am in range. The article seems to indicate that the limit to the number of COM ports is COMDB_MAX_PORTS_ARBITRATED, though I cannot find a value for this. It also suggests that the number of available COM ports is given in multiples of 1024. Does this mean that under normal circumstances, there are at least 1024 COM ports that can be used?

Google for virtual COM port drivers/emulators, and install enough of these. -- pa

Thanks Pavel. I installed Eltima Virtual Serial Port Driver 7.0 and used it to create a total of 254 ports. After restart, my Bluetooth manager crashed and became unrecoverable. I imagine the two are related. Also, after I had created 254 ports, the Eltima software grayed everything out, not allowing me to create any more virtual ports. Signs are pointing toward a limit of 255.