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Does anyone know If a solution exists for consoling into routers and switches with a powerbook... On my PC laptop I use the DB9 serial port and either Tera term or Minicom (depending if I'm booted in Win2k or Linux), however the powerbook doesn't have a DB9 serial port. I was wondering if a port of minicom and a USB-->DB9 cable (like the one available from IOGear or Keyspan) would make this possible. Anyone Know? -Thanks, Joe

I don't know. However, I would post this on the discussion board over at apple support or on macosx.org if you haven't already. This board here isn't that active yet.

Although I haven't tried this solution yet, some folks on the apple.com discussion board claim this solution will work like a champ. Download a copy of Zterm (www.download.com) and purchase a USB-->DB9 serial cable from Keyspan or IOGear. This will only work under OS9. Zterm has already been carbonized, but currently there are no drivers for either serial port on OSX. If anyone out there does a lot of work with Cisco, Nortel, Lucent, Nokia, and other networking equipment. I would recomend sending an email to IOGear and Keyspan begging them to continue support for this application of their product.

support@iogear.com, support@keyspan.com

-Joe

Well, I got this working after a lot of hassle but it works just fine. The Zterm solution I have tried but I was done with zterm as soon as OS X PB was released.

1) Do not download Zterm, just use the terminal application which comes with OS X (under the Applications folder)
2) Purchase the keyspan adapter (USA-19 or the dual if you want)
3) Download the drivers for OS X and install them
4) Make sure you have the developer tools installed (gives you GCC, etc)
5) Download consolse server software from <A HREF="http://www.conserver.com" TARGET=_blank>http://www.conserver.com</A>
6) Compile and install conserver on OS X (./configure ; make ; sudo make install You may need to tweak compiler settings)
7) Then create a configuration file that maps the name of the device to your console
a) default install for the configuration is /usr/local/etc/conserver.cf
b) Put a line in conserver.cf like this (on a line by itself):
routera:/dev/tty.KeyUSA19191.1:9600p:&:
if there is more than one keyspan device add another entry:
routerb:/dev/tty.KeyUSA1813.1:9600p:&:
The OS X will dynamical create a device in /dev everytime you plug in the keyspan device so as long as you always plug it in the same port you should have the same device number. It's actually really cool to setup you conserver.cf just plug in the keyspan (after the drivers are installed) and type cd /dev ; ls -l and you'll see the tty.KeyUSA*** device
After you conserver.cf is setup start console server using the script that's also in /usr/local/etc, the conserver.rc:
conserver.rc start or
rc.conserver start (depending on what you call the type.
9) Then after conserver is started, simply run the console program (make sure it's in your path) from the command line:
a) /usr/local/bin/console routera
b) for me it asks the root password for some reason, haven't figured out why. It might ask you for your own password
c) There are other options to 'console' as well, like console -u (show users) or console -x (examine ports and baud) or console -h for help

10) Remember that everytime you reboot your Mac the consoleserver needs to be restarted!

I guess I'm wondering what is wrong with zterm. I purchased the keyspan usb to pda adapter and tried conserver and it did not want to work. My boyfriend (who is really good with unix) and I spent 2 hours trying to get conserver to work and it just kept giving errors. We downloaded and installed zterm and within 1.5 minutes I was able to console into my cisco router. If anyone is going to do this I would recommend staying away from conserver and minicom. We had also tried downloading the source for minicom and couldnt even get it to compile without giving errors (yes I do have developer tools installed.) So I guess Im wondering why you are saying not to use zterm? It works great in OSX

I have to agree with you. I've been using Zterm for about 4+ months now and Its great. It's simple easy and does everything I could want.

Did any of you guys try with minicom? Did any of you compiled minicom on MacOSX 10.1.4?

I'm looking too for a Terminal program for rs232
At this time I'm using Zterm, but I would prefer minicom....

minicom ist listed on fink.sf.net
but it doesn't worked....
so I hope that it will work in the near future...

greetings wavegroom

Zterm now runs native in osx so it should be no problem.
Grab the latest off of version tracker, I am using it
with a USA-19QW Keyspan usb to db9 adapter.

Only gotcha is that you should always use the same
port as when you first configure it.

Yes ZTerm is great.
I got only one problem though, i cannot send BREAK signal
to my SUN machines.

Has anyone a clue on this ?

Does anyone know if RJ45 to RJ45 will work?

command-B works on my Sun's. Be sure that you do not have keyboard abort disabled or alternate set. Check /etc/default/kbd on the Sun for these options. I think that the alternate sequence is

return ~^b

Try using screen from the terminal. Works great for local connectivity with a belkin usb to serial adapter for me.

Zterm now runs native in osx so it should be no problem.
Grab the latest off of version tracker, I am using it
with a USA-19QW Keyspan usb to db9 adapter.

Only gotcha is that you should always use the same
port as when you first configure it.

I've never gotten zterm to work with anything. On OS 9 or OS X all it ever sees in the internal modem, it never sees the USB/serial converter serial port, ever. I know the converter is good since it works with Virtual PC, but never ever has it worked with zterm. So, what is the magic?

I'm trying to get minicom to work, but I don't know how to create the dev file for the Prolific chip based USB/serial converter - Anyone have a pointer for me?

thanks,
DLC

If you are having problems getting ZTerm to connect to a Cisco router via a USB-Serial adapter in Mac OS X try this:

1. Make sure that you've installed the driver for the USB-Serial adapter and have rebooted the Mac.

2. Connect the blue console cable/USB-serial adapter to the router's console port and to the Mac's USB port. Turn on the router.

3. Start ZTerm. Make sure it is not connected to the modem by going to the menu bar and selecting Dial > Hang Up.

4. Go to the menu bar and select Settings > Modem Preferences...

5. In the panel that appears, click on the drop-down menu at the top of the panel and select the serial connection for the USB-Serial adapter you installed. Don't change anything else. Click OK.

6. Go to the menu bar and select Settings > Connection...

7. In the panel that appears, do the following:
- set Data Rate to 9600
- set Data Bits to 8
- set Parity to None
- set Stop Bits to 1
- set Flow Control to Hardware Handshake by clicking its check box.
- click OK

8. Hit the Return (Enter) key on your Mac's keyboard. You should see the router's prompt in the ZTerm window.

Hope that helps!