Understand the Terminal Connection to a Console Port on Catalyst Switches

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Contents

Introduction

This document describes how to use the default parameters to connect and configure management terminals.

Prerequisites

Requirements

There are no specific requirements for this document.

Components Used

The information in this document is based on these software and hardware versions:

These switches require the use of either a rollover or straight-through RJ-45 cable to connect a terminal to the console port. The cable you use depends on the type of Supervisor Engine and other factors. Rollover cables and straight-through cables have pinouts that are different than crossover cables, which can connect 10/100BASE-TX Ethernet ports between switches. To identify the type of cable you use, refer to Configure Cable Requirements for Console and AUX Ports.

The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, ensure that you understand the potential impact of any command.

Conventions

For more information on document conventions, refer to the Cisco Technical Tips Conventions.

Background Information

This document focuses on use of the default parameters to connect and configure management terminals. This document covers the Catalyst 1900, 2820, 2900, 3500, 3560, 2948G-L3, 4500, 4840G, 4908G-L3, and 6500/6000 series switches.

Connect a Terminal to Catalyst 1900/2820, 2900/3500XL, 3560, and 3750 Series Switches

Use the supplied rollover cable and the DB-9 adapter to connect a PC to the switch console port. You need to provide an RJ-45-to-DB-25 female DTE adapter if you want to connect the switch console port to a terminal. You can order a kit (part number ACS-DSBUASYN=) that contains the adapter from Cisco. The PC or terminal must support VT100 terminal emulation. The terminal emulation software—frequently a PC application such as Microsoft Windows HyperTerminal or Symantec Procomm Plus—makes possible the communication between the switch and your PC or terminal during the setup program.

To connect the PC or terminal to the switch:

  1. Be sure that you have configured your PC or terminal emulation software to communicate with the switch via hardware flow control.
  2. Configure the baud rate and character format of the PC or terminal to match these console port default characteristics:
  3. With the supplied rollover cable, insert the RJ-45 connector into the console port.
  4. Attach the supplied RJ-45-to-DB-9 female DTE adapter to a PC or attach an appropriate adapter to the terminal.
  5. Insert the other end of the supplied rollover cable in the attached adapter.
  6. Run the terminal emulation program if you have a PC or a terminal.

Table A-1: Console Port Signaling and Cabling with a DB-9 Adapter

Console Port (DTE) RJ-45-to-RJ-45 Rollover Cable RJ-45-to-DB-9 Terminal Adapter Console Device
Signal RJ-45 Pin RJ-45 Pin DB-9 Pin Signal
RTS 1 1 8 8 CTS 2
No connection 2 7 6 DSR
TxD 3 3 6 2 RxD 4
GND 5 4 5 5 GND
GND 5 4 5 GND
RxD 6 3 3 TxD
No connection 7 2 4 DTR 6
CTS 8 1 7 RTS

1 RTS = Request To Send

2 CTS = Clear To Send

3 TxD = Transmit Data

4 RxD = Receive Data

6 DTR = Data Terminal Ready

Connect to a Terminal

Use the thin, flat RJ-45-to-RJ-45 rollover cable and RJ-45-to-DB-25 female DTE adapter to connect the console port to a terminal. Table A-2 lists the pinouts for the console port, the RJ-45-to-RJ-45 rollover cable, and the RJ-45-to-DB-25 female DTE adapter.

Note: The RJ-45-to-DB-25 female DTE adapter does not come with the switch. You can order a kit (part number ACS-DSBUASYN=) that contains this adapter from Cisco.

Table A-2: Console Port Signaling and Cabling with a DB-25 Adapter

Console Port (DTE) RJ-45-to-RJ-45 Rollover Cable RJ-45-to-DB-25 Terminal Adapter Console Device
Signal RJ-45 Pin RJ-45 Pin DB-25 Pin Signal
RTS 1 8 5 CTS
No connection 2 7 6 DSR
TxD 3 6 3 RxD
GND 4 5 7 GND
GND 5 4 7 GND
RxD 6 3 2 TxD
No connection 7 2 20 DTR
CTS 8 1 4 RTS

Connect a Terminal to Catalyst 2948G-L3, 4908G-L3, and 4840G Series Switches

You can configure the Catalyst switch routers from a direct console connection to the console port or remotely through the management port.

Console Port Pinouts

The console port is an RJ-45 receptacle. There is support for DTR and DSR handshake signals. The RTS signal tracks the state of the CTS signal.Table B-1 lists pinouts for the console port.

Table B-1: Console Port Pinouts

Pin Signal Direction Description
1 1 RTS/CTS Output Request To Send/Clear To Send
2 DTR Output Data Terminal Ready
3 TxD Output Transmit Data
4 SGND Signal Ground
5 SGND Signal Ground
6 RxD Input Receive Data
7 DSR Input Data Set Ready
8 1 RTS/CTS Input Request To Send/Clear To Send

1 Pin 1 has a connection to pin 8.

Connect a Terminal to Catalyst 2926 and 2926G Series Switches

On the Catalyst 2926 series switch, you find the console port on the Supervisor Engine front panel. The port has the label CONSOLE, as shown in this figure:

Figure: Console Port Connector (Catalyst 2926 Series Switch)

The Supervisor Engine console port is a DCE DB-25 receptacle that supports a DCE EIA/TIA-232 interface. EIA/TIA-232 supports unbalanced circuits at signal speeds of up to 64 kbps.

Before you connect the console port, check the terminal documentation to determine the baud rate. The baud rate of the terminal must match the default baud rate (9600 bits per second [bps]) of the switch console port. Set up the terminal in this way:

Use a straight-through cable to connect the switch to a DTE device, such as a terminal or a PC. Use a null modem cable to connect the switch to a remote DCE device, such as a modem or a data service unit (DSU). See this next figure for DCE and DTE cable connectors:

Figure: EIA/TIA-232 Adapter Cable Connectors, Network End

Note: The console port is an asynchronous (async) serial port; any device that connects to this port must be capable of asynchronous transmission.

Both DSR and data carrier detect (DCD) are active when the system runs. The RTS signal tracks the state of the CTS input. The console port does not support modem control or hardware flow control. Table C-1 lists the console port pinouts:

Table C-1: Catalyst 2926 Series Console Port Pinouts

Pin Signal Direction Description
1 GND Ground
2 RxD —> Receive Data
3 TxD Transmit Data
4 CTS Clear To Send
5 RTS —> Return To Send
7 GND Ground
8 DTR —> Data Terminal Ready
20 DCD Data Carrier Detect

Catalyst 2926G Series Switch

The next figure shows the console and auxiliary (AUX) ports, which you find on the front panel of the Catalyst 2926G series switch.

Note: There is currently no support for the AUX port.

Figure: Console and AUX Port Connectors

The console port, which is an EIA/TIA-232 async serial port with an RJ-45 connector, is a full-featured DTE connection with hardware flow control.

Connect the terminal with a thin, flat RJ-45-to-RJ-45 rollover cable and one of these adapters:

Note: The adapter you use depends on the terminal connector.

Table C-2: Catalyst 2926G Series Console Port Pinouts

Console Port Console Device
Pin (Signal) Connect to
1 is looped to pin 8
2 (DTR) DSR
3 (RxD) TxD
4 (GND) GND
5 (GND) GND
6 (TxD) RxD
7 (DSR) DTR
8 is looped to pin 1

Note: You find an RJ-45-to-RJ-45 rollover cable and the adapters in the console port accessories kit that shipped with your Catalyst 2926G series switch.

Connect a Terminal to the Catalyst 4500/4000 Supervisor Engine I Console Port

The console port, which appears in the figure that follows, is a DCE DB-25 receptacle that supports a DCE EIA/TIA-232 interface. EIA/TIA-232 supports unbalanced circuits at signal speeds of up to 64 kbps.

Figure: DCE DB-25 Connector

Use a null modem cable to connect the switch to a remote DCE device, such as a modem or a DSU. Use a straight-through cable to connect the switch to a DTE device, such as a terminal or a PC.

The console port of the Catalyst 4500/4000 Supervisor Engine I uses a DB-25 connector and supports DTR, DSR, CTS, and RTS handshake signals. Table G-1 lists the Catalyst 4500/4000 Supervisor Engine I console port pinouts.

Table G-1: Catalyst 4003 Console Port Pinouts

Pin Signal Direction Description
1 Ground
2 RxD Input Receive Data
3 TxD Output Transmit Data
4 CTS Input Clear To Send
5 RTS Output Request To Send
7 Ground
8 DTR Output Data Terminal Ready
20 DSR Input Data Set Ready

Connect a Terminal to the Catalyst 4500 Supervisor Engine II/II+/III/IV, 2948G, 2980G, and 4912G

You can configure the Catalyst 4500/4000 series switches from a direct console connection to the console port.

Table H-1 lists the switch console port pinouts. Use a straight-through cable to connect the switch to a DTE device, such as a terminal or a PC.

Table H-1: Catalyst 4500/4000 Supervisor Engine II and later, 2948G, 2980G, and 4912G Console Port Pinouts

Pin Signal Direction Description
1 RTS Output Request To Send
2 DTR Output Data Terminal Ready
3 TxD Output Transmit Data
4 Ground
5 Ground
6 RxD Input Receive Data
7 DSR Input Data Set Ready
8 CTS Input Clear To Send

Catalyst 6500/6000 Supervisor Engine I, II, and 720 Console Port Signals and Pinouts

The Catalyst 6500/6000 series switches come with an accessory kit that contains the cable and adapters you need to connect a console (an ASCII terminal or a PC that runs terminal emulation software) or modem to the console port. The accessory kit includes these items:

These items are the same cable and adapters that ship with the Cisco 2500 series routers and other Cisco products.

Console Port Mode Switch

The Supervisor Engine front-panel console port mode switch allows you to connect a terminal or modem to the console port in this way:

Note: Use a ball-point pen tip or other small, pointed object to access the console port mode switch. The switch ships in the in position.

Console Port Mode 1 Signaling and Pinouts

This section provides the signaling and pinouts for the console port in mode 1. (The port mode switch is in the in position.)

Table I-1: Port Mode 1—Console Port Signaling and Pinouts (DB-9 Adapter)

Console Port RJ-45-to-RJ-45 Rollover Cable RJ-45-to-DB-9 Terminal Adapter Console Device
Signal RJ-45 Pin RJ-45 Pin DB-9 Pin Signal
RTS 1 1 8 8 CTS
DTR 2 7 6 DSR
TxD 3 6 2 RxD
GND 4 5 5 GND
GND 5 4 5 GND
GND 6 3 3 TxD
DSR 7 2 4 DTR
CTS 8 1 1 7 RTS

1 Pin 1 has an internal connection to pin 8.

Table I-2: Port Mode 1—Console Port Signaling and Pinouts (DB-25 Adapter)

Console Port RJ-45-to-RJ-45 Rollover Cable RJ-45-to-DB-25 Terminal Adapter Console Device
Signal RJ-45 Pin RJ-45 Pin DB-25 Pin Signal
RTS 1 1 8 5 CTS
DTR 2 7 6 DSR
TxD 3 6 3 RxD
GND 4 5 7 GND
GND 5 4 7 GND
RxD 6 3 2 TxD
DSR 7 2 20 DTR
CTS 8 1 1 4 RTS

1 Pin 1 has an internal connection to pin 8.

Table I-3: Port Mode 1—Console Port Signaling and Pinouts (Modem Adapter)

Console Port RJ-45-to-RJ-45 Rollover Cable RJ-45-to-DB-25 Modem Adapter Modem
Signal RJ-45 Pin RJ-45 Pin DB-25 Pin Signal
RTS 1 1 8 4 RTS
DTR 2 7 20 DTR
TxD 3 6 3 TxD
GND 4 5 7 GND
GND 5 4 7 GND
RxD 6 3 2 RxD
DSR 7 2 8 DCD
CTS 8 1 1 5 CTS

1 Pin 1 has an internal connection to pin 8.

Console Port Mode 2 Signaling and Pinouts

This section provides the signaling and pinouts for the console port in mode 2. (The port mode switch is in the out position). SeeTable I-4 for the pinouts. Mode 2 gives you the option to use a standard RJ-45 straight-through cable to connect a terminal.

Table I-4: Console Port Pinouts (Port Mode Switch Out)

Console Port Console Device
Pin (Signal) Input/Output
1 (RTS) 1 Output
2 (DTR) Output
3 (RxD) Input
4 (GND) GND
5 (GND) GND
6 (TxD) Output
7 (DSR) Input
8 (CTS) 1 Input

1 Pin 1 has an internal connection to pin 8.

Troubleshoot the Connection of a Terminal to the Console Port on Catalyst Switches

If you have trouble with connection to the device via the console connection, perform these tasks:

Related Information