Then you set the serial communications to the old-reliable standard: 9600 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit, no flow control. You need to set the terminal emulator to use the proper COM port that is being used by the USB port on your laptop.

My favorite one happens to be SecureCRT from VanDyke. Once you install the driver you need to create a connection using your favorite terminal emulation software. Redhat / Fedora Core 10 with kernel 2.6.27.5-117.Windows 2000, Windows XP 32- and 64-bit, Windows Vista 32- and 64-bit.The latest version of the USB Console Software is version 3.1 The filename of the software is 'Cisco_usbconsole_driver_3_1.zip' and the current version was release on with a file size of 14692.83 KB (15045453 bytes).Ĭurrently, Cisco has USB console drivers for the following operating systems: The same utility works for the entire ISR-G2 line. Don't worry that this link shows the download location for 3900 ISR G2 routers. You still need to install a driver on your laptop to use the USB interface as a serial communications port. Cisco has added USB Type-B ports to their devices and these ports can be used as a console cable. You know you have logged into a lot of Cisco routers when you wear out the RJ-45 connector on the end of your favorite console cable.Ĭisco has now given us the ability to connect our laptops to the USB ports for console access. Note that the end on the light-blue console cable has been replaced and a yellow boot added because of excessive wear. I realize that this is expensive but it is the most reliable and its driver seems universally accepted by laptop operating systems. I use a Keyspan USA-19HS USB to serial adapter. Here is a picture of one of my typical USB cables. Because I often connect to multiple devices at the same time, such as redundant supervisors on 6500s or to two supervisors in redundant 6500s or VSS, I need two serial cables. For years I have hauled around two console cable sets. I also hope that Cisco will enable all of the USB Type-A ports on their other devices for similar connectivity. I am hoping that this new method continues to be spread to other devices. Wouldn't it be cool if you could connect the myriad of USB devices to a Cisco router to further the list of amazing things you could do? Cisco has started to put mini-USB ports on their devices to allow for console port connectivity. I have been hoping for all kinds of USB functionality to routers, switches, firewalls but Cisco has been slow to unlock the power of these USB ports. For years I have been wondering when Cisco would activate the USB ports on their devices.

Cisco serial connector types