Serial Console

Servers typically don’t have screens, keyboards and mouse attached. During normal operation we access the server over SSH.

However there is an ancient way of accessing a server console, without any network involved. Its still has some benefits today:

  • If the serial connection leads to another system which is remotely accesible, you can use that to control the server, as if you where sitting in front of it with a keyboard and display attached.

  • If multiple servers connect their serial lines to one client device, that client device can control as many servers, as it is able to connecct.

  • Some network equipment (i.e. switches, routers), lack possibilities to connect keyboards and displays.

  • A serial cable is a lot cheaper then an expensive KVM (keyboard-video-mouse) switch, it also needs less space and power.

  • More modern remote management technologies embedded in todays computers may be available but only usable with expensive and or proprietary software or service subscriptions from their manufactures (i.e. Intel Active Management Technology). They also might com with their own security problems or might even be considered to be a backdoor.

Required Hardware

You need a crossed-over RS-232 cable, commonly known as null modem cable. Choose the one according to your available connectors on both of your devices.

DB9 Female to Female - 9 pin RS232 Null Modem Cable

If both still have classic COM Port available, you need a null-modem (cross) serial cable with sub-D9 pin female connectors on both ends.

../_images/nullmodem-rs232.jpg

USB to Serial RS232 DB9 Female Null Modem Adapter

Modern computers have less classic serial connections but USB is common. If one side still has the classic RS-232 DB-9 pin port but the other has not, use a USB to RS-232 female adapter.

../_images/nullmodem-usb-adapter.jpg

USB-A to USB-A Null Modem Cable

If both computers have USB but none has a serial port. Use a FTDI USB-NMC-2.5M.

../_images/nullmodem-usb.jpg

RJ45 to DB9 Female Serial Console Cable

Also known as “Cisco Console Cable”.

Some network equipment use a RJ45 for serial connections.

../_images/nullmodem-rj45.jpg

RJ45 to USB Serial Console Cable

The above is available as USB adapter too.

../_images/nullmodem-rj45-adapter.jpg

Serial Connection Parameters

Both side must agree on the same speed and parameters for a connection to be established securely.

Baudrate

115200 (max.)

Databits

8

Parity

None

Stopbits

1

Server Side Setup

What we call “the server” here, is the computer who is to be controlled by the serial connection.

Server Device Serial Port

COM Port

COM1

GRUB Serial

Unit 0

Linux Device

/dev/ttyS0

GRUB Configuration

The Grand Unified Bootloader commonly known as GRUB is responsible for loading Linux.

Here is how we setup GRUB to use the serial console.

Open the file /etc/default/grub and change or add the following lines:

Show a 10 seconds countdown before booting Linux:

GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=countdown
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10

Setup GRUB to use serial port COM1 (unit=0) as terminal with the agreed upon parameters:

#GRUB_TERMINAL=console
GRUB_TERMINAL_INPUT="console serial"
GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT="gfxterm serial"
GRUB_SERIAL_COMMAND="serial --unit=0 --speed=115200 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

Linux Kernel Configuration

After GRUB has successfully started Linux, the Linux kernel is loading.

Here is how we setup the Linux Kernel to use the serial console:

Setup the Linux Kernel to use the serial port COM1 (ttyS0) as a system console.

Also in the file /etc/default/grub change the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="console=tty console=ttyS0,115200n8"

These kernel parameters have the following format:

console=ttyS<serial_port>,<speed><parity><data><flow_control>.

Update Boot Partition

Any changes need to rebuild the GRUB configuration in the /boot/ partition:

$ sudo update-grub

Linux Runtime Configuration

On modern Linux systems systemd automatically will start a serial console service, if a serial console has been detected during boot:

$ systemctl status serial-getty@ttyS0.service

If not, or if you somehow prefer to use a different COM-ports after the boot process completed:

$ sudo systemctl enable serial-getty@ttyS1.service
$ sudo systemctl start serial-getty@ttyS1.service

Client Setup

This is the computer which is connected to the server by the serial cable and is used to control the server.

Client Device Serial Port

COM Port

USB

GRUB Serial

n/a

Linux Device

/dev/ttyUSB0

Install a serial console program:

$ sudo apt install minicom

Add yourself to the dialout user group, for access rights to any serial ports:

$ sudo usermod -a -G dialout ${USER}

Connecting

Connect using the following coomand:

$ minicom --device /dev/ttyUSB0 --baudrate 115200 --color=on

References