diff --git a/src/mcserial/server.py b/src/mcserial/server.py
index 2be675c..5438b6f 100644
--- a/src/mcserial/server.py
+++ b/src/mcserial/server.py
@@ -750,6 +750,249 @@ def set_break_condition(port: str, enabled: bool) -> dict:
         return {"error": str(e), "success": False}
 
 
+@mcp.tool()
+def detect_baud_rate(
+    port: str,
+    probe: str | None = None,
+    timeout_per_rate: float = 0.5,
+    baudrates: list[int] | None = None,
+    use_sync_pattern: bool = True,
+) -> dict:
+    """Auto-detect baud rate using multiple heuristics.
+
+    Uses several detection methods:
+    1. 0x55 sync pattern analysis - The byte 0x55 (01010101 binary, 'U' char)
+       is self-synchronizing. At wrong baud rates it produces predictable
+       garbled patterns that reveal the baud rate ratio.
+    2. Byte distribution analysis - Correct baud shows text-like distribution,
+       wrong baud shows uniform/random distribution.
+    3. ASCII readability scoring - Percentage of printable characters.
+    4. Framing indicators - Line endings, null bytes, valid UTF-8.
+
+    Args:
+        port: Device path (will be opened temporarily if not already open)
+        probe: Optional string to send to trigger response. Use "U" or "UUUUU"
+               for sync-based detection on echo-enabled devices.
+        timeout_per_rate: Seconds to wait for data at each rate (default 0.5)
+        baudrates: Custom list of rates to try. Default: common rates
+        use_sync_pattern: Analyze 0x55 sync patterns (default True)
+
+    Returns:
+        Detected baud rates sorted by confidence score
+    """
+    import time
+    from collections import Counter
+
+    # Standard baud rates to try (ordered by commonality)
+    default_rates = [
+        115200, 9600, 57600, 38400, 19200,  # Most common first
+        230400, 460800, 921600,  # High speed
+        4800, 2400, 1200, 300,  # Legacy
+        500000, 576000, 1000000, 1500000,  # Non-standard high speed
+    ]
+    rates_to_try = baudrates or default_rates
+
+    # Check if port is already open
+    was_open = port in _connections
+    original_baudrate = None
+
+    if was_open:
+        original_baudrate = _connections[port].connection.baudrate
+
+    results = []
+
+    def analyze_sync_pattern(data: bytes) -> dict:
+        """Analyze 0x55 sync patterns in the data.
+
+        0x55 = 01010101 binary. At correct baud rate, this pattern is preserved.
+        At wrong rates, it transforms predictably:
+        - 2x rate: 0x55 might become 0xFF, 0x00, or framing errors
+        - 0.5x rate: 0x55 becomes stretched patterns
+        """
+        if not data:
+            return {"sync_score": 0, "sync_bytes": 0, "alternating_bits": 0}
+
+        # Count 0x55 bytes (perfect sync)
+        sync_count = data.count(0x55)
+
+        # Count bytes with alternating bit patterns (0x55, 0xAA, etc.)
+        alternating = sum(1 for b in data if b in (0x55, 0xAA, 0x33, 0xCC, 0x0F, 0xF0))
+
+        # Analyze bit transitions - correct baud has consistent timing
+        transitions = 0
+        for b in data:
+            # Count bit transitions within byte
+            for i in range(7):
+                if ((b >> i) & 1) != ((b >> (i + 1)) & 1):
+                    transitions += 1
+
+        avg_transitions = transitions / len(data) if data else 0
+        # 0x55 has 7 transitions, random data has ~3.5 average
+        transition_score = min(100, (avg_transitions / 7) * 100) if avg_transitions > 3 else 0
+
+        sync_score = (sync_count / len(data)) * 100 if data else 0
+        alt_score = (alternating / len(data)) * 100 if data else 0
+
+        return {
+            "sync_score": round(sync_score, 1),
+            "sync_bytes": sync_count,
+            "alternating_bits": round(alt_score, 1),
+            "transition_score": round(transition_score, 1),
+        }
+
+    def analyze_distribution(data: bytes) -> dict:
+        """Analyze byte distribution for text-like patterns.
+
+        Text data clusters around ASCII letters/digits (0x20-0x7E).
+        Wrong baud rate produces more uniform distribution.
+        """
+        if not data or len(data) < 10:
+            return {"entropy": 0, "text_cluster": 0}
+
+        counter = Counter(data)
+        total = len(data)
+
+        # Calculate entropy (0 = uniform, higher = more random/wrong baud)
+        import math
+        entropy = 0
+        for count in counter.values():
+            if count > 0:
+                p = count / total
+                entropy -= p * math.log2(p)
+
+        # Max entropy for 256 symbols is 8 bits
+        normalized_entropy = entropy / 8 * 100
+
+        # Check clustering around printable ASCII (0x20-0x7E)
+        printable_range = sum(counter.get(b, 0) for b in range(0x20, 0x7F))
+        text_cluster = (printable_range / total) * 100
+
+        return {
+            "entropy": round(normalized_entropy, 1),
+            "text_cluster": round(text_cluster, 1),
+        }
+
+    def score_data(data: bytes, use_sync: bool) -> dict:
+        """Comprehensive scoring of received data."""
+        if not data:
+            return {"score": 0, "printable_pct": 0, "sample": "", "bytes_received": 0}
+
+        # Basic readability
+        printable = sum(1 for b in data if 32 <= b <= 126 or b in (9, 10, 13))
+        printable_pct = (printable / len(data)) * 100
+
+        has_newlines = b'\n' in data or b'\r' in data
+        null_pct = (data.count(0x00) / len(data)) * 100
+
+        # Start with printable percentage as base score
+        score = printable_pct
+
+        # Sync pattern analysis
+        sync_info = {}
+        if use_sync:
+            sync_info = analyze_sync_pattern(data)
+            # Boost score if we see sync patterns
+            score += sync_info.get("sync_score", 0) * 0.5
+            score += sync_info.get("transition_score", 0) * 0.3
+
+        # Distribution analysis
+        dist_info = analyze_distribution(data)
+        # High text clustering boosts score
+        score += dist_info.get("text_cluster", 0) * 0.3
+        # High entropy (randomness) penalizes score - might be wrong baud
+        if dist_info.get("entropy", 0) > 70:
+            score -= 20
+
+        # Bonuses and penalties
+        if has_newlines:
+            score += 15  # Strong indicator of text protocol
+        if null_pct > 30:
+            score -= 40  # Lots of nulls = likely wrong baud
+
+        # UTF-8 validity bonus
+        try:
+            decoded = data.decode('utf-8')
+            score += 10
+            sample = decoded[:60].replace('\n', '\\n').replace('\r', '\\r')
+        except UnicodeDecodeError:
+            sample = data[:30].hex()
+
+        return {
+            "score": round(max(0, min(100, score)), 1),
+            "printable_pct": round(printable_pct, 1),
+            "has_newlines": has_newlines,
+            "sample": sample,
+            "bytes_received": len(data),
+            **sync_info,
+            **dist_info,
+        }
+
+    try:
+        for rate in rates_to_try:
+            try:
+                if was_open:
+                    conn = _connections[port].connection
+                    conn.baudrate = rate
+                    conn.reset_input_buffer()
+                else:
+                    conn = serial.Serial(
+                        port=port,
+                        baudrate=rate,
+                        timeout=timeout_per_rate,
+                    )
+
+                # Send probe if provided
+                if probe:
+                    conn.write(probe.encode())
+                    conn.flush()
+                    time.sleep(0.05)
+
+                # Wait and collect data
+                time.sleep(timeout_per_rate)
+                available = conn.in_waiting
+                data = conn.read(available) if available else b""
+
+                # Score this rate
+                score_result = score_data(data, use_sync_pattern)
+                if score_result["bytes_received"] > 0:
+                    results.append({
+                        "baudrate": rate,
+                        **score_result,
+                    })
+
+                if not was_open:
+                    conn.close()
+
+            except serial.SerialException:
+                continue
+
+        # Restore original baud rate
+        if was_open and original_baudrate:
+            _connections[port].connection.baudrate = original_baudrate
+            _connections[port].connection.reset_input_buffer()
+
+        # Sort by score
+        results.sort(key=lambda x: x["score"], reverse=True)
+        best = results[0] if results else None
+
+        return {
+            "success": True,
+            "port": port,
+            "detected_baudrate": best["baudrate"] if best and best["score"] > 50 else None,
+            "confidence": best["score"] if best else 0,
+            "results": results[:5],
+            "rates_tested": len(rates_to_try),
+            "algorithm": "sync_pattern + distribution + readability analysis",
+        }
+
+    except serial.SerialException as e:
+        if was_open and original_baudrate:
+            import contextlib
+            with contextlib.suppress(Exception):
+                _connections[port].connection.baudrate = original_baudrate
+        return {"error": str(e), "success": False}
+
+
 # ============================================================================
 # RESOURCES - Dynamic data access via URIs
 # ============================================================================