8300 console port not working

[Steve Pfister]

We are trying configure and install a new 8300. We have the light blue console cable plugged into the RJ45 jack and a USB serial adapter plugged into a Dell laptop. No matter how we configure the terminal program or the console port on the router, we get no output whatsoever. Does the 8300 need a different console cable? This same laptop, cable, and USB adapter work fine on other Cisco models. Is there some trick to getting this to work?

[marce1000]

 - Checkout : https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/cloud_edge/c8300/hardware_installation/b-catalyst-8300-series-edge-platforms-hig/Preinstall.html#con_1055709
                    https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/cloud_edge/c8300/hardware_installation/b-catalyst-8300-series-edge-platforms-hig/Install_Connect.html#con_1055543

 M.
                     

[Steve Pfister]

So the standard console cable really should work, and if it doesn't the hardware is probably faulty?

[marce1000]

  - Try using another console cable , if available , (even from another brand)

 M,

[liviu.gheorghe]

What console cable are you using? Is it a console cable RJ45 ordered from Cisco?

For the USB cable any micro USB cable should work.

Keep in mind the settings for the console port: speed 9600, databits 8, parity None, stopbits 1

[Steve Pfister]

I've tried several console cables, plus a micro USB cable. And I've used those settings since they're standard and everything works on other equipment. All console cables were official Cisco cables, BTW

[marce1000]

              - Could you also try with another laptop (?)

 M.

[Steve Pfister]

Yes, same results with 2 different laptops

[marce1000]

                     >...Yes, same results with 2 different laptops
  - Could you try the intended 'global console infrastructure' on another Cisco device ?

 M.

[marce1000]

  - Added reply (on 7/27) :         there might be a way to find out if in the end the 8300 is working or not :
                                         Connect the 8300 to a normal cisco switch (standard network
                                         connection with one of the ports for networking use)
                                         ; and let the assumed time period for bootup pass.
                                         Then on the switch issue the command show cdp neighbors detail , look at the output
                                         for the interface where  the 8300 is connected to.

 M.

[Steve Pfister]

The device itself boots just fine. I can connect it to a switch and can ssh into the device. I probably should have mentioned that in the original post.

[marce1000]

  - Since you have access to the switch through SSH , check the running configuration and check if there are no special settings attached to the console line. For the rest , depending on urgency one could try a factory reset of the device (but save the configuration to an external repository first) , check if that helps and or restore the configuration afterwards. If not using the console for a while and or because of urgency for production use , then you could for instance install an ssh connected-to device beside it and issue the command terminal monitor (to always have console outputs available)

 M.

[Steve Pfister]

Another thing I probably should have mentioned in my original post... under the console line, the settings are just "login local" and "stopbits 1"., which seem to be working on other devices. The strange thing is, the transport command under the console line has only two options, "output" and "preferred". It seems like the console might only support outbound connections. Is that possible? Is that a clue as to what's going on?

[marce1000]

            >... might only support outbound connections. Is that possible?
  Normally not , you could try to remove all extra settings in the console configuration except login local and see if that makes a difference ,
              + Could you also check the current value of confreg (the configuration register)

 M.

[MichaelMcCoy]

If you are connecting via a windows computer, make sure that you are entering the correct COMM port in your terminal program.  Mine will bounce around from time to time.  This can be found in device manager-->com ports and ensure that you are using the correct comm port.  

Hope that helps