Connecting HP Serial Console Server to a Cisco switch - SOLVED

[colonel_fred]

Hi All,

Anyone out there successfully have their HP serial console server talking to a Cisco switch? Could you share your HP port setting and the type of cable you used?

...I have an HP 48-Port Serial Console Server (AF102A). I've tried connecting the server to the RJ45 console port on a Cisco switch using a straight-through Cat5 cable. I've also tried a Cat5 crossover cable, and also a blue Cisco console cable and also tried all those cables in conjunction with an HP "CAT5 RJ-45 Cisco" adapter (AF104A).

The current port settings on the server are:-

Port  Serial Port Settings                    TX Bytes RX Bytes   Errors Power
 1      9600,8,N,1,NONE,3101,0,SER CLI=^D          143        0        0
Toggle:         None
Power Signal:   None
Port Name:      xxxxxxxxxx
Group:

Port NFS        : DISABLE
File            : "" (default: "P%#.hst")
Size threshold  : 0
Time threshold  : 1 (secs)
Port NFS Status : No recent errors detected
Current file    : "" (file not open)

I also tried changing the port config by setting TD to RAW/CONSOLE and TOGGLE to NONE/DTR and FLOW to NONE/XONXOF/RTSCTS/DTRDCD

This is how I'm trying to communicate with the Cisco device (which is cabled to port 1):-

1) logon to console server over SSH

2) enter "connect 1" (this outputs "Connected to Port: 1 9600,8,N,1,NONE")

3) press enter a few times (no output)

4) press Ctrl-D (to switch back to command mode)

5) enter "port break 1", followed by "resume" (still nothing), press enter a few more times (still nothing)

I can successfully connect to the Cisco device with a laptop and a blue Cisco cable using putty/minicom/hypertrm.

I'm sure I'm mising something obvious or simple, but I can't see what it is for love nor money. Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks.

[colonel_fred · Accepted solution]

Problem solved. For anyone else with the same issue, here's the pinout of the cable you'll need to connect your Cisco device to your HP SCS:-

HP End Colour Cisco End

------ ------ ---------

1      W/Or   1

2      Or     2

3      W/Gr   5

4      Bl     3

5      W/Bl   6

6      Gr     4

7      W/Br   7

8      Br     8

You'll also need to configure the HP ports to strip linefeeds from the output, for instance:-

port 1 set out lf=strip

Now you should be able to telnet to your Cisco device using the IP address of your HP SCS and 3000 + port number. For example, to connect to the device plugged into port 1:-

telnet <ip of HP SCS> 3001

Hope this helps somebody.