How do I connect to my appliance using a serial cable?

Introduction

This document describes how to connect to your Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA), Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA), or Cisco Security Management Appliance (SMA) via a serial cable.

How do I connect to my appliance using a serial cable?

In the event network connectivity is not an option for administering your appliance, you may also connect directly to the appliance's COM port using a null modem cable (9-pin serial) in order to establish a command line interface (CLI) session. This is particularly useful during the initial configuration process of the device.

In order to proceed, you will need the following:

• 9-pin female-to-female serial cable (null modem)
• Serial console client (such as HyperTerminal or PuTTY)

Please use the following procedure as a guide:

1. Connect your laptop (or other client device) to the serial port on the back of the unit using a standard 9-pin null modem cable.
2. Launch your preferred serial console client. Specify the appropriate COM port to use on your local machine, and use the following settings for the connection:
   
   Bits per second: 9600
   Data bits: 8
   Parity: None
   Stop bits: 1
   Flow control: Hardware (RTS/CTS, DSR/DTR)
3. Once the session has been opened, you may need to press Enter to trigger output. At this time, you should see a login prompt akin to what would be seen in a Telnet- or SSH-based CLI session.
4. Log in using your appropriate credentials.

Please refer to the Quick Start Guide (QSG) for your appliance for direct information.

Related Information

• Cisco Email Security Appliance - Quick Start Guides
• Cisco Web Security Appliance - Quick Start Guides
• Cisco Security Management Appliance - Quick Start Guides
• Technical Support & Documentation - Cisco Systems