Connecting to a Cisco router via serial

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How do I know if my serial adapter card is working?

I'm not quite sure if I worded the title correctly, but here's my issue: I want to connect to a heavy duty Cisco router (not quite sure what model, but its an older one) using a USB to serial adapter on my Linux netbook. The netbook has a few USB 2.0 ports and a 10/100 Ethernet port.

I plugged the adapter in, loaded the modules for it, opened up putty, configured the baud rate, flow control, told it to use /dev/ttyUSB0, etc... pressed connect, and .......... nothing. I found a thing saying to use "sudo screen /dev/ttyUSB0" but that didn't do squat. I even tried a total shot in the dark by plugging the rollover cable directly into my RJ-45 port and sending the putty connection through eth0 (though I was posative that wasn't going to work, and it didnt).

Any ideas to get my Linux book connected to the cisco routers?

Can you connect to the router from any other OS or system, using a USB-to-serial adapter? — ish, Aug 22 '12 at 05:41
Yeah, a fellow student connects to the same router with an adapter on his Windows 7 laptop. — Cygnus X, Aug 22 '12 at 14:00
Already did, I have all of the settings correct. It just seems to be an issue with how Linux uses at the adapter. — Cygnus X, Aug 23 '12 at 16:47
Also see http://askubuntu.com/questions/22509/how-to-access-to-ciscos-serial-port-using-an-usb-adapter?rq=1 — belacqua, Aug 25 '12 at 00:26

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 25 '12 at 00:20

I have used several different laptops and serial adapters to connect to Cisco devices. I typically use minicom to connect -- you might try that. It is available from the software center, or you can use sudo apt-get install minicom. (If you do use minicom, use Ctrl-A and Z to access options -- check the speed and serial settings. Everything else tends to be correct.)

And /dev/ttyUSB0 is most likely correct if you're using a USB to Serial adapter.

Rollover to RJ-45 will not work, as you suspected.

If things still do not work, look for a different serial adapter -- I've been through several that work fine in Linux, but I suppose it's possible you might have gotten one that needs drivers that are not easily loadable under Ubuntu/Linux.

Borrow your friend's adapter if you can, and you can rule out your adapter that way.

Got one that supports Linux kernel 2.4 and above. Run putty (or whatever terminal program you prefer) as root and BAM! it works. — Cygnus X, Sep 07 '12 at 16:32

Connecting to a Cisco router via serial

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