No Serial port, console access needed.

So my daughter's PC has gone up in smoke (not literally), and her PC was the only one in the house with a serial port.

I've ordered a PCI card off eBay; it'll be here in 13-22 business days.

Until then I'm curious if there's any alternative ways to access my routers until then. I've powered them up for my studies and either I have some weird configs on them or I've got a blank config; they don't show up in a ping-sweep or sh cdp nei.

Oops; actually one of them is showing up in a ping sweep, unfortunately:

talon@Hoopla:~$ telnet 192.168.1.201
Trying 192.168.1.201...
Connected to 192.168.1.201.
Escape character is '^]'.


Password required, but none set
Connection closed by foreign host.

So no help there. I do have the console ports available on the switches but I don't know if there's any way to do a console to console/aux connection though.

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Comments

ehnde

First thing I usually do is get SSH set up on my routers. You, sir, need a usb to serial adapter! Then you can use *any* of your computers. I don't have even one computer with a serial port. Sadly they are much harder to find nowadays.

hypnotoad

There are a number of USB-Serial adapters available. I recommend getting one with a short cable so it doesn't strain the USB port on the computer and potentially ruin it. Nearly all USB adapters that I've seen use the same Prolific 2303 chipset. In the mean time you might look around work for an older laptop with a serial port.

bermovick

Yeah, I was going to get a usb to serial adapter, but decided to go with a pci card that gave me 2 serial ports, figuring I'd rather increase my total # of ports than convert one of my precious USB's to serial (I Think my usb's are full too).

Going over to a friend's with one of my routers; will get it working, and I think there's a way once I have one working to reverse-telnet into the console ports on the others isn't there?

*sigh*. Her "IT" boyfriend confused the VGA port on her laptop with a serial port so back to square 1.

hermeszdata

bermovick wrote: »
So my daughter's PC has gone up in smoke (not literally), and her PC was the only one in the house with a serial port.

I've ordered a PCI card off eBay; it'll be here in 13-22 business days.

Until then I'm curious if there's any alternative ways to access my routers until then. I've powered them up for my studies and either I have some weird configs on them or I've got a blank config; they don't show up in a ping-sweep or sh cdp nei.

Oops; actually one of them is showing up in a ping sweep, unfortunately:
talon@Hoopla:~$ telnet 192.168.1.201
Trying 192.168.1.201...
Connected to 192.168.1.201.
Escape character is '^]'.
 
 
Password required, but none set
Connection closed by foreign host.
So no help there. I do have the console ports available on the switches but I don't know if there's any way to do a console to console/aux connection though.

This is one of the reasons I keep USB/Serial adaptors on hand all the time!

WillTech105

Really -- I was thinking of picking me up one of those since I have no more space in my new PC for a serial PCI card.

I didn't bother getting a USB/Serial since I have a old Dell that has one but its good to know its possible when push comes to shove.

ZeroHunter

bermovick wrote: »

Yeah, I was going to get a usb to serial adapter, but decided to go with a pci card that gave me 2 serial ports, figuring I'd rather increase my total # of ports than convert one of my precious USB's to serial (I Think my usb's are full too).

Going over to a friend's with one of my routers; will get it working, and I think there's a way once I have one working to reverse-telnet into the console ports on the others isn't there?

*sigh*. Her "IT" boyfriend confused the VGA port on her laptop with a serial port so back to square 1.

Ever think about a USB HUB?

jason_lunde

try to http/https to that ip address. If your lucky and the sdm/express is installed you should be able to login and set an enable password. Ive been lucky enough in the past...worth a shot.