generics - How to use a common interface between SerialPort and NetworkStream in C#? -

i have c# method _tryreadchunk reads bytes serialport connection:

private bool _tryreadchunk(serialport connection, int n_exp, out byte[] received) {     ...     received = new byte[n_exp];     int bytes_read = connection.read(received, length, n_exp);     ... } 

i need same method again, reading networkstream. thought elegant way use generic method like

private bool _tryreadchunk<t> (t connection, int n_exp, out byte[] received) {     ... } 

however, somehow need add constraint method t has implement read method. first thought define interface like

interface _canread  {     int read(byte[] buffer, int offset, int count); } 

and require

private bool _tryreadchunk<t> (t connection, int n_exp, out byte[] received) t : _canread {     ... } 

but when reading more got impression serialport , networkstream have implement interface explicitly, which, of course, don't.

i new generics , feel bit stuck. there way want or should bite bullet , implement method twice?

this isn't application generics, using base classes. serialport has property called basestream, stream. networkstream derives stream, this:

private bool _tryreadchunk(stream connection, int n_exp, out byte[] received) {     ... } 

then pass in serialport.basestream object or networkstream object, can use standard stream.read methods read data out same way.