Connecting over serial
USB-to-serial adapters, line settings, and the device that has no address yet.
Before you start
- A COM port or USB-to-serial adapter
Serial is what you use when the device has no working network configuration — out of the box, or after you have locked yourself out of the one it had.
Connecting
- Plug the adapter in. FTDI, Prolific, CP210x and the rest are detected automatically and listed by the name Windows gives them, so you are choosing “Silicon Labs CP210x” rather than guessing between COM3 and COM7. Refresh if you plugged it in after opening the app.
- Set the line. Most console ports are 9600 8-N-1, which is the default. Some newer kit uses 115200.
- Connect, then press Enter once or twice — a console usually says nothing until you do.
If the port is busy
Windows gives a serial port to whoever opened it first. If PuTTY, a terminal emulator or a vendor tool still has it, this one cannot open it. Close the other program. See serial port already in use.
What it does not do
No modem control, and no file transfer over the serial line — XMODEM, YMODEM and ZMODEM are not implemented. Copy, paste and encrypted transcripts work exactly as they do in the SSH terminal.