[luau] Linux Console

[Brian Chee]

1.    don't use hyperterminal....it's had LOTS of wierd side effects.  We've
especially had problems with it on embedded devices.  Use teraterm
instead...still free, but MUCH better terminal emulation. Hyperterminal
actually prevented a linux based router from booting until I removed the
serial cable.  It's also given me MUCH gas pain with QNX and VXworks based
RTOS machines. (real time operating systems for stuff like video appliances,
access points, switches, etc)

2.    You're just needing a standard cross over cable...you can purchase one
from just about any computer store or make one.  They're also called "lap
link serial cables" and that's what I tend to use all over my lab.  They
have both a DB-25 and  DB-9 at both ends so that I don't have to worry about
what kind of connector I have.

3.    The technical term is a DTE to DTE cable.....

4.    Typically these are the pinouts normally used in cross over cables
(DB9 female to female):

PC side:        Server Side:
pin 2                pin 3
pin 3                pin 2
pin 4                pin 6
pin 5                pin 5
pin 6                pin 4
pin 7                pin 8
pin 8                pin 7

Wacky Willy's on Kawaihao street has DB-9 to RJ-45 shells for under a buck
each....best price in town.  Just make sure you get the gender correct and
use a multimeter to check which pin goes where.

5.    Lastly, most motherboards do not have the capability of using a serial
port as a true console device.  (ala Sun sparcs) and thusly you don't get a
console until the linux/bsd/etc is up and running.  Some of the Intel
motherboards do have a true serial console...the cool part about that is
that you can actually connect a terminal/console server (like the Lantronix
SSH terminal servers) to the console.  I've created a airgapped network
(separate from the world) just for console devices (Networld+Interop calls
it "Access Ether") so that even if I'm getting dos'ed I can get into the
console and deal with it. I've done some of my servers and almost all of my
switches.  That way I can get into a serial console without having to walk
all over my building....even better when you have to deal with a campus.

/brian chee

University of Hawaii ICS Dept
Advanced Network Computing Lab
1680 East West Road, POST rm 311
Honolulu, HI  96822
808-956-5797 voice, 808-956-5175 fax

----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel J Nishimura" <djnishim at hawaii.edu>
To: "LUAU" <luau at videl.ics.hawaii.edu>
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2002 12:33 PM
Subject: [luau] Linux Console


> I was wondering if anyone could help me out here.  I want to be able to
> console into my linux box via the COM port with window's hyperterminal
> program.  I know I probably need a rj-45/serial port tranceiver and a
> rollover cable, or just use a serial cable, but are there special settings
> that I have to configure on the linux system?  My linux OS is debian
> by the way.  Thanks in advance.
>
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