One method used to bridge the com port data is to use a custom driver that gets installed prior to using the bridge. This method is the easiest to use since there are no host side application modifications required. From a software perspective there is no difference between the Virtual Com Port (VCP) and a standard com port. The VCP driver method does require an installation step since these drivers are not part of the operating system. Silicon Labs provides a VCP driver that can be freely downloaded and distributed.