Unity Android app controlling Windows non-Unity C++ application

Hello,

I would appreciate any opinions about how best to accomplish the following. I want to a build an Android app in Unity that acts like a remote control for a non-Unity, non-.NET Windows C++ application. Spec would be the following:

- Auto discovery and connect when both the Android and the Windows machine are connected to the same LAN (Wifi)
- The Windows machine would be a server, app the client
- Two way communication of events. Mostly button presses. Would need to be able serialize and send custom data.
- The Windows application does video playback, so I would need to send play/pause, seek commands from the app as well as program title, current playback time, total running time etc. from the server.

I'm not very experienced w/ networking code. The best case scenario would be a common framework that has both a Unity store asset and a C++ dll that I could import on the Windows side that does the discovery, connection, and provides methods for two-way comms between the two (too much to ask??). I would like to avoid Internet-based cloud server solutions if possible. Hoping to avoid getting in the UDP trenches.

I have tried AllJoyn (Unity package found in version 14) and got a single button android app connecting\to the PC application and working. The project discontinued Unity support in later versions and seems to have little activity these days. I have also looked into ZeroMQ, but haven't tried anything yet. Do you know another lib I should investigate? I have Unity pro and I'd happily buy an asset.

Any and all guidance very much appreciated, thank you.

--Matt