I’ve often found the need to break out the console cable to configure a router, switch, or other device that only had a serial console.  On Windows, most folks fall back on the good old hyper terminal to get the job done.  This works great, as long as your on Windows.

Since I’ve been getting myself to use Linux (specifically Archlinux) more and more, I’ve managed to find a way to connect to these devices in a fairly straightforward manner.

Here comes minicom.  Included in most package management systems, is just a {yum,apt,pacman} away, and you’re ready to roll.  On first run, you need to execute minicom -s and setup some basic configurations options. Namely, if you’re connecting to a Cisco device, set the port speed to 9600 baud, and the rest of the defaults should be fine.

At this point, you’re ready to start configuring. Enjoy.

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