# Configure terminal communications

There are two ways of configuring communications for your run-time terminal:

- You can create a configuration on the runtime terminal itself, by going into Configuration Mode and selecting Terminal Settings > Networks and Communications > FactoryTalk Linx Communications. You cannot add devices to the tree in this box.
- You can create a configuration in FactoryTalk Linx on the development computer. This configuration becomes a part of the runtime (.mer) file and is downloaded with the runtime file.

When you download your run-time file to the run-time terminal, you have the option of overwriting the communications configuration on the terminal with the communications configuration that is included with your .mer file.

Important: | Before you overwrite the terminal's communication configuration, be very sure that is what you want to do. If time and effort have been expended in creating a configuration on the terminal itself, do not overwrite it without considering that it may be unnecessary or even unwise to do so.

## See also

Start an application

Start an application automatically

Configuration Mode

Keywords: configure