<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-07-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001060824</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COSINE COMMUNICATIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>COSN.PK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001452857</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>590 MADISON AVENUE, 32ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001422282</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Steel Partners LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>590 MADISON AVENUE, 32ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001262861</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STEEL PARTNERS II GP LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>590 MADISON AVENUE, 32ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001005784</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LICHTENSTEIN WARREN G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>590 MADISON AVENUE, 32ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.0001 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-07-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2631384</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.6000</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2631384</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Form 4 is filed jointly by Steel Partners Holdings L.P. (formerly known as WebFinancial L.P.) (&quot;Steel Holdings&quot;), Steel Partners LLC (&quot;Partners LLC&quot;), Steel Partners II GP LLC (&quot;Steel Partners GP&quot;) and Warren G. Lichtenstein. Partners LLC, Steel Partners GP and Mr. Lichtenstein may be deemed to be 10% owners of the Issuer and Steel Holdings is a 10% owner of the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The securities reported in this Form 4 are owned directly by Steel Holdings, and owned indirectly by Partners LLC by virtue of it being the manager of Steel Holdings, by Steel Partners GP by virtue of it being the general partner of Steel Holdings and by Mr. Lichtenstein by virtue of his position as the manager of Partners LLC and the managing member of Steel Partners GP. Partners LLC, Steel Partners GP and Mr. Lichtenstein disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares owned by Steel Holdings except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. This Form 4 reports the acquisition by Steel Holdings of all the shares of common stock of the Issuer owned by Steel Partners II, L.P., an affiliate of Steel Holdings.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Steel Partners Holdings L.P., By: Steel Partners II GP LLC, General Partner, By: /s/ Sanford Antignas as Attorney-In-Fact for Warren G. Lichtenstein, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Steel Partners LLC, By: /s/ Sanford Antignas, as Attorney In Fact for Warren G. Lichtenstein, Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Steel Partners II GP LLC, By: /s/ Sanford Antignas, as Attorney In Fact for Warren G. Lichtenstein, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: By: /s/ Sanford Antignas, as Attorney In Fact for Warren G. Lichtenstein</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
