Accessing CLI for C4003

[Nick Dennis]

Hi,

I'm still pretty new to the networking scene. I'm trying to access the CLI on a Cisco Catalyst 4003 switch.

It has a WS-X4012 Supervisor module, a WS-X4232-L3 - Layer 3 Routing Module, and a WS-X4418-GB switching module. Well to make things short and sweet, I don't have a computer with a COM port on it. I need to access the CLI to setup the switch, and I only have a ethernet port on my computer and I'm running Ubuntu 11.10. Can anyone give me some step by step information on how to access the CLI? This is just a second hand switch I picked up.

Thank you in advance!

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi Nick,

If the switch does not have any config on it, the only way to access it is by console port.  If you don't have serial port, then you have probably USB ports.  What you need to do is to buy q USB to serial converter and connect the USB side of the to your PC. (need to install a driver for it) and connect the other side to your switch. Do you have a console cable?

if yes, what are the connectors on each side?  Also, the console port on the switch is RJ-45 or serial?

HTH

[Nick Dennis]

Hi Reza,

I do have a console cable. One one side is a DB25 Serial connection, and on the other side is a RJ45. On the Supervisor Module, the Console is a 25-Pin serial. On the WS-X4232-L3 Routing module, there is a ethernet console port.

[Reza Sharifi]

DB25 Serial?? Are you sure?

it should be 9 pin female.  DB25 is very very old.  What is the console on the switch?

[Nick Dennis]

Yes. Here are pictures of the switch. The switch itself does not contain any console ports. The modules on it do. The modules are color coded (I had to take 2 pictures so that I could show you both sides of each module. The 3rd picture is the console cable and null modem adapter I have.

Ethernet Console on left for L3

25 Pin Console for Supervisor

Null modem adapter (left) and console cable that came with the switch when it was bought.

[Reza Sharifi · Accepted solution]

Ok, so the console is RJ-45 and I see your cable is DB25 to RJ45.  So you need a new console cable with one side DB9 female and the other side RJ-45.  Then you need a converter to convert from USB to serial.  The converter has one side serial DB9 mail and the other side USB.  USB connects to your PC and DB9 connecters to the other DB9 and the other side (RJ45) to the switch.  I don't know if there is driver for your OS you are running. I know there is driver for windows XP and 7, but you do need a driver for the converter.

here is the console cable

http://www.amazon.com/Kingsmart-Cisco-Console-Cable-RJ45-to-DB9/dp/B000GL3MOY

HTH

[Reza Sharifi · Accepted solution]

Also, here the converter cable:

http://www.iogear.com/product/GUC232A/

HTH

[Nick Dennis]

Thanks for your help.

I got a USB - 9 pin serial, then hooked that up to a null modem, then hooked it into a db25 adapter than into that console cable I have. It worked! Thank you for giving me the advice to get me started!