How to use a MAC for connecting through the console port ?

[riveron08]

I have a MAc book air with OS x 10.7.5,

I bought the adapter usb to serial port, but the drivers that come with it are for Windos , I am stuck .

No idea what to do for using the mack for connect to the console port of my cisco labs routers.

Please any idea of what to do would be graet .

Thanks

[John Blakley · Accepted solution]

You'll need to get a usb-serial adapter and then connect with a console cable. Adapters aren't very expensive.

Connecting to the Console Port with Mac OS X
To connect a Mac OS X system USB port to the console using the built-in OS X Terminal utility, follow these steps:
Step 1 Use the Finder to go to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.

Step 2 Connect the OS X USB port to the router.

Step 3 Enter the following commands to find the OS X USB port number:

macbook:user$ cd /dev
macbook:user$ ls -ltr /dev/*usb*
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 9, 66 Apr 1 16:46 tty.usbmodem1a21
DT-macbook:dev user$
Step 4 Connect to the USB port with the following command followed by the router USB port speed:

macbook:user$ screen /dev/tty.usbmodem1a21 9600
To Disconnect the OS X USB Console from the Terminal Window
Enter Ctrl+A followed by Ctrl+\

Hth,
John

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[riveron08]

Thank you for your time answering my question , I appreciate it .

Let me try it.

[riveron08]

What I am making wrong ?

Last login: Tue Jan 21 21:49:18 on ttys001

Ernestos-MacBook-Air:~ riveron08$ cd /dev

Ernestos-MacBook-Air:dev riveron08$ ls -ltr /dev/*usb*

ls: /dev/*usb*: No such file or directory

Ernestos-MacBook-Air:dev riveron08$ crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 9, 66 Apr 1 16:46 tty.usbmodem1a21

-bash: crw-rw-rw-: command not found

Ernestos-MacBook-Air:dev riveron08$ DT-macbook:dev user$

-bash: DT-macbook:dev: command not found

Ernestos-MacBook-Air:dev riveron08$

[riveron08]

I found this in my MAC in about my MAC

USB-Serial Controller D:

Product ID:          0x2303

Vendor ID:          0x067b  (Prolific Technology, Inc.)

Version:           4.00

Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec

Manufacturer:          Prolific Technology Inc.

Location ID:          0xfd110000 / 3

Current Available (mA):          500

Current Required (mA):          100

[John Blakley · Accepted solution]

There are a couple other things that can be tried. Connect the usb cable to your laptop, and then drop to terminal and type this:

ls /dev/tty*

Find the device that's associated to your usb port. Then use screen to that:

screen /dev/tty-xxxx

If that doesn't work try this:

ioreg -c IOSerialBSDClient  | grep usb

If it comes back with something, find the IOSerialCallOutDevice and screen to that:

screen /dev/cu.usbserial

HTH,
John

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[nathan]

Hi

Whilst I am using the Serial app successfully, I would still like to understand how one could connect with the min-USB cable without paying $30. It is not a lot of money, to be sure, but it is a barrier to adoption, which is a shame.

I am using El Capitan 10.11.3. None of the options for finding a device I can use the "screen" command with are working for me.

Many thanks

Nathan

[ahenao]

Thank you John. Although my terminal command use knowledge is limited, your first two terminal commands in this post clued me into what I needed to do. thank you.

Albert

[JoeHClifford1968]

John,

I tried a lot of suggestions before yours. Lets just say I don't need to try anymore. Thank you.

[zoyaa]

First, plug in your Keyspan to your MacBook using the cords or dongles. Plug the other end of the roll over cable to the console port. This will list all of the connections and their names. You'll need to locate the drive for your Keyspan adapter and use it in the next command that calls on Screen. To a new day dawns in Colombia and the country's high rollers are wondering what were the results of the main lotteries played this Sunday night. From this page you can check if you have been one of the winners of the Sinuano noche draw.

[kmccourt]

Have you installed a driver for the Prolific 2303 chipset on the serial-USB adapter?

http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=229&pcid=41

[davidbroadnax]

Thank you so much..Up and running! So long third party software....

[ejlbarcelon]

hi,

hope someone still answer my question, i have installed the drivers and was able to see the the tty.usb from my mac terminal, i can also connect properly. My problem is that when i issue a command through console, it freeze up after a few lines of output. It will not let me continue and i have to exit "screen" and run it to gain access. Even if i use other terminal application, results are the same.

Am i missing something or do i have to configure something on my terminal app?

TIA for those who will answer.

[edlazarenko]

Hello! Your solution works great, except Mac went to some kind of BSOD, after unpluging usb-to-com adapter. 

[rakeshreddy210]

New to MAC and found this post helpful. Thank you