Issue trying to use console management switch with 9300 network switch

[stretch0069]

I hope I'm in the right spot......

We have a number of Cisco switches and routers from older 2950 switches and 4400 routers to our newest 9300 switch. We have the console port connected to console management switches via RJ45 to serial cables. The console management switches are Western Telematic CMS-32. We have four of the CMSs. All of the switches and routers are able to be accessed via the console port through the CMSs. Until the 9300 switch. 

When trying to connect via the CMS, a message comes up that say we are connected and what our disconnect keystroke is. All normal and its the same for all devices connected to the CMS-32. Unfortunately, when we hit enter, we get nothing on the 9300. When we disconnect, we get out CMS status screen. If we try to do anything, we get a message from the CMS-32 that there is data in the buffer and we have to do our disconnect keystroke again. 

We tried all 4 CMS-32s we have to make sure we didn't have an individual management switch issue.

We can access the 9300 via the same console port using a laptop and rollover cable/usb adapter using putty and another local terminal  program. 

On the CMS-32, we have tried all manner of different settings for baud rate, handshaking, and flow control. Nothing changes.

We need to be able to access the switch via the console port and the CMS-32. Any help would be most appreciated. The googles haven't been any help, mostly due to lack of CMS-32 documentation. Yes...I know it is old stuff, but its what we have. If it comes out that the 9300 can't be accessed via the CMS-32, that is ok, but we need to know so we don't waste any more time.

Thanks.....

[balaji.bandi]

have contacted the CMS-32 vendor to help here. since you have access to cat 9300 using a console cable.

[stretch0069]

I did a search for CMS-32, but the results weren't pertinent so I didn't even think to search for the vendor. 

This really has us stumped, so the solution will probably be really simple. Murphy and all....

[Georg Pauwen]

Hello,

I think the 9300 has RJ-45 and USB Mini-Type B console ports, does the problem occur on both ?

[stretch0069]

Yes it does have both ports. We don't have the cable to use the USB-mini though. We have been using the light blue Cisco rollover cable from the RJ-45 port to the CMS-32 and there is no comm. The same cable to a laptop and it works fine.

We do not have a cable on hand to try the USB mini. I'll see if I can scrounge one up and see what happens. Might take me a few days, but I'll post my results as soon as I can. 

[MHM Cisco World]

can you share the config of console of SW 9300 ?

[stretch0069]

I'll see what I can share. 

[stretch0069]

In amongst the myriad of other tasks we have going on, we compared the console entries in the config file to our other switches. the parameters for line con 0 were the same. unless there is something else in the config that affects console parameters. we have a vty 0 and it was the same as the other switches. 

what does putty and hyperterminal do that would allow them to access the console, but not the CMS-32? 

I appreciate the suggestions. This really has us stumped.

[Venison Mogambi]

Did you ever find a solution for this? We've had the same issue, both with MRV and Perle console management switches. So I don't think it's an issue with the console management platform, I think it's a hardware/software bug with Cisco 9300 switches.

[stretch0069]

No. We never did. The switches have been replaced and we no longer use the CMS-32s. Wish I could help. 

[Georg Pauwen]

Hello,

if the same problem occurs with three different console management switch types, the problem indeed is very likely the console port of the 9300 itself.

If you are willing to spend some time on this, you can change the default settings on the 9300 console port and toggle the available values. It is going to be a lot of trial and error, but use all the possible combinations and see if you get it to work:

speed <baud-rate>
data-bits <number-of-data-bits>
parity <none | odd | even>
stopbits <1 | 2>
flowcontrol <none | hardware | software>

[liviu.gheorghe]

Can you share the output from the show line con 0 command?

[Venison Mogambi]

This is the only config currently on line con 0:

line con 0
stopbits 1

The strange thing is that I've always been able to connect using a laptop and a USB-to-Serial cable, it's just the console switches that won't work. I have the standard config on my serial client (9600/8/None/1).