Tuesday, November 9, 2010

MINICOM A Serial Comm. Program for Linux/Ubuntu/Mac and etc

I discover this program via net blog.Its a substitute program for hyper-terminal in linux to access CISCO Console port via USB serial port.A very simple program to be used and also easily to be installed in my Ubuntu box.

Minicom have a lots of features can be used and their commons features are as belows :-

=> Setting up a remote serial console
=> Access a computer / server if the LAN is down
=> Connect to embedded Linux / BSD device via null modem cable
=> Connect to Cisco routers for configuration
=> Connect to dump device i.e. device w/o keyboard and mouse
=> Dialing directory with auto-redial
=> Support for UUCP-style lock files on serial devices
=> Separate script language interpreter
=> Capture to file
=> Multiple users with individual configurations

Now let's configure Minicom inside our Linux Box...

Install minicom

Use apt-get under Debian / Ubuntu Linux, enter:
$ sudo apt-get install minicom

If you are using Red hat Linux (RHEL) / CentOS / Fedora Linux, enter:
# yum install minicom


How do I use minicom?

First, make sure Linux has detected serial ports. Use setserial command to set and/or report the configuration information associated with a serial port.

Setup minicom

The -s option use to setup minicom. Type the following command at shell prompt:

$ minicom -s

Configure the first time when you run minicom

Some terminals such as the Linux console support color with the standard ANSI escape sequences. Type the following command start minicom with colours:

$ minicom -s -c on

Minicom in configuration mode with colour console

When minicom starts, it first searches the MINICOM environment variable for command-line arguments, which can be over-ridden on the command line. Thus, if you have done:

$ export MINICOM="-m -c on"

Start minicom

$ minicom

minicom will assume that your terminal has a Meta or key and that color is supported. You can add MINICOM variable to your shell startup script such as ~/.bash_profile.
minicom keyboard short cut keys

Use the following keys:

1. UP arrow-up or k
2. DOWN arrow-down or j
3. LEFT arrow-left or h
4. RIGHT arrow-right or l
5. CHOOSE (select menu) Enter
6. CANCEL ESCape

Configure serial port

You need to configure serial port. Use up and down arrows to select menus. Press down and select Serial port setup.As for me my box detected the serial connected as ttyUSB0 :

Minicom serial port configuration


* Press A to setup serial device name such as /dev/ttyUSB0
* Press E to setup Bps/Par/Bits
* Press [ESC] to exit
* Save setup as DFL
* Exit

More on shortcut keys

To activate help menu press [CTRL+A] followed by [Z] for help on special keys:
minicom command summary

minicom in action

You need to connect your serial device such as router or modem using modem cable. Once connected power on device and type minicom command without -s option:

$ minicom -c on

Minicom is active to connect to your Cisco Box via Serial Comm. Port.


---------------

If you used RS232 Cable below is the setup
==========================================
A - Serial Device : /dev/ttyUSB0
E - Bps/Par/Bits : 115200 8N1
F - Hardware Flow Control : No


For Mac Setting
============

A -    Serial Device      : /dev/tty.PL2303-000012FD                 

    │ B - Lockfile Location     : /usr/local/Cellar/minicom/2.8/var        

    │ C -   Callin Program      :                                          

    │ D -  Callout Program      :                                          

    │ E -    Bps/Par/Bits       : 9600 8N1                                 

    │ F - Hardware Flow Control : No                                       

    │ G - Software Flow Control : No                                       

    │ H -     RS485 Enable      : No                                       

    │ I -   RS485 Rts On Send   : No                                       

    │ J -  RS485 Rts After Send : No                                       

    │ K -  RS485 Rx During Tx   : No                                       

    │ L -  RS485 Terminate Bus  : No                                       

    │ M - RS485 Delay Rts Before: 0                                        

    │ N - RS485 Delay Rts After : 0    

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