connect to server or router serial console port under Linux or Windows

Jephe Wu - http://linuxtechres.blogspot.com




Please check also this comprehensive article regarding how to login from serial console - How to login from Linux serial console - http://linuxtechres.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-login-from-serial-port-under.html

Objective: connect to server or route serial console port under Linux or Windows
Environment: CentOS 5, Windows




Methods:

1. minicom under Linux
run minicom command under CentOS 5, it will firstly try to look  for /etc/minirc.df1, if it doesn't exist, it might prompt you the following warning
message:
minicom: WARNING: configuration file not found, using defaults
Device /dev/modem access failed: No such file or directory.


Then, you can configure the serial port by using command 'minicom -s', save setting as df1, a typical minicom configuration file is below:

----
$ more /etc/minirc.df1
# Machine-generated file - use "minicom -s" to change parameters.
pr port        /dev/ttyS0
pu baudrate    9600
pu bits        8
pu parity     N
pu stopbits    1
-----

If you are not using modem, you can blank out A B and K for 'modem and dialing' part. So it will become like this:

# Machine-generated file - use "minicom -s" to change parameters.
pr port             /dev/ttyS0
pu baudrate         9600
pu minit          
pu mreset         
pu mhangup       
  


Note:
a. please make sure the serial port setting is correct, you can vi file /etc/minirc.df1 to check.
because sometimes, the screen display will be corrupt.
b. If error comes then you can set hardware flow control to no.


2. Hyperterminal or Putty under Windows

The easist way is to use Putty, choose serial port and baud rate, then connect

3. hardware such as Raritan KVM over IP Switch

http://www.raritan.com/products/kvm-over-ip/

4. HP ILO VSP(virtual serial port)

http://linuxtechres.blogspot.com/search?q=vsp


5. References
http://www.howtoforge.com/setting_up_a_serial_console

6. FAQ
a. For Sun machines, if both end is the DB25/ethernet port connector or DB9/ethernet port connector, you might need to use standard network cable to connect both connectors. Otherwise, the ok prompt will not come up.

b.Sometimes, if you are expecting a menu coming up in the minicom console, you might need to enter 'ctrl +L' to get the menu appear before you see anything.