# Specifying Serial Agent Options

Serial agents can be configured and run from a command-line, GUI, or applet tag. Refer to Starting a JT Harness harness agent for a description of the different features and functions that each provides.

Depending on how you choose to start the agent, you must set the following minimum set of parameters from the command line, GUI Parameter pane, or applet tag:

- Mode
- Port

## Mode

The type of agent mode that you use determines how the agent communicates with the JT Harness harness and the protocol that is used. A serial agent waits for the JT Harness harness to initiate the connection via an RS-232 serial connection or a connection added through the JT Harness harness API that models the serial system.

To specify a serial agent, use the appropriate setting or option from the following table.

Interface | Option or Setting
--- | ---
Default | Active
Command line | -serial
Applet tag | `<param name=mode value=serial>`
GUI Parameter pane |

## Port

Specifies the com port that the serial agent uses to listen for the JT Harness harness. The JT Harness harness and agent must use the same port. If the ports are not the same, the JT Harness harness cannot communicate with the agent.

To specify a port, use the appropriate setting or option from the following table.

Interface | Option or Setting
--- | ---
Command line | `-serialPort` port-number
Applet tag | `<param name=serialPort value=port-number>`
GUI Parameter pane |

Next task:

Specifying Additional Agent Options: Additional parameters to display help or configure other agent properties.

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