Mac's are excellent tools for accessing serial device TTY ports (to console into PBX's, switches, and routers). You just need a serial to USB adapter, the right driver, and some Terminal software.
You can use screen, although Minicom (or a GUI program) offer more features and functionality.
You can use screen, although Minicom (or a GUI program) offer more features and functionality.
- I have a MAc book air with OS x 10.7.5, I bought the adapter usb to serial port, but the drivers that come with it are for Windos, I am stuck. No idea what to do for using the mack for connect to the console port of my cisco labs routers. Please any idea of what to do would be graet.
- The Keyspan USB Adapter 1.2 driver can be downloaded from the Keyspan Web site - it requires Mac OS X 10.1 or higher. Keyspan's USB Serial Adapter offers a way to connect serial devices to USB ports.
- Keyspan has released beta drivers for its USB to serial adapter products for the Macintosh. The beta drivers enable the devices to work with Mac OS X, the new version of Apple's operating system.
Drivers:
Most Serial-to-USB adapters will work on a Mac with one of the following OS X drivers...
UPDATE: Mavericks (10.9) includes a driver for FTDI-based Serial-to-USB adapters.
UPDATE: Mavericks (10.9) includes a driver for FTDI-based Serial-to-USB adapters.
➤ Prolific PL2303: | PL2303_MacOSX_1_6_0.zip |
➤ FTDI USB Serial: | FTDIUSBSerialDriver_v2_3.zip |
Driver for Keyspan USA Serial Adapters (Mac OS X 10.2.8 - 10.5.x) Belkin. The Belkin F5U103 is a versatile USB-serial adapter with both a DB9 male and a Minidin-8 female port. Although Belkin doesn't provide a Mac OS X driver for this adapter, an open source Belkin F5U103 USB-serial adapter Mac driver is available. This driver has had issues in.
eg:
$ sudo rm -rf /System/Library/Extensions/ProlificUsbSerial.kext
If your adapter doesn't work with either of these, try the following sources:
- Silicon Labs - CP210x USB to UART Bridge Virtual COM Port (VCP) drivers.
- Belkin - USB Serial Adapters: F5U257, F5U103, F5U003 (poor OS X support).
- Keyspan serial-USB adapter drivers can be found in their Support Section.
After installing the correct driver, plug in your USB-Serial adapter, and open a Terminal session (Applications/Utilities).
Enter the command
Enter the command
ls /dev/cu.*
, and look for something like usbserial
(or similar): This indicates the USB-Serial driver is working. Select this port name in a terminal program.
Note: Check your adapter works after an OS Update, as you may have to re-install the driver.
You might notice that each serial device shows up twice in /dev, once as a tty.* and once as a cu.*. So, what's the difference? Well, TTY devices are for calling into UNIX systems, whereas CU (Call-Up) devices are for calling out from them (eg, modems). We want to call-out from our Mac, so /dev/cu.* is the correct device to use.
The technical difference is that /dev/tty.* devices will wait (or listen) for DCD (data-carrier-detect), eg, someone calling in, before responding. /dev/cu.* devices do not assert DCD, so they will always connect (respond or succeed) immediately.
Software:
Having installed the right driver, our USB-Serial adapter will show up in /dev/cu.* (shown above). We now need to install some terminal emulation software before we can connect to anything.
- Two terminal methods are Screen and Minicom
- For a GUI solution, see OS X Serial Port Apps
Note: If you can't find a driver for your adapter (eg, Belkin), try Serial which has built-in support for many USB-Serial devices.
Screen
It's not actually necessary to download an install extra software, as you can use the Mac OS X built in Terminal and screen. Screen lacks some features, but it does include VT100/ANSI terminal emulation, and can be extremely useful.
Belkin Usb Serial Adapter Driver Mac Os X
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/2/4/6/124628310/317225413.jpg)
- Open an OS X terminal session (window)
- Find the right TTY device. Type:
ls /dev/cu.*
- Then type:
screen /dev/cu.usbserial 9600
(in this example). - To quit the screen app, type CTRL-A, then CTRL-.
With the USB-Serial adapter plugged in, you'll get a list, including something like this:
The 9600 at the end is the baud rate. You can use any standard rate,
eg, 9600, or 19200 for a Sig Server!
Type
man screen
in Terminal for further information on screen. (use 'enter' or 'space' to scroll, and 'q' to quit). Minicom
Alternatively, if you'd like a few more features, and a retro feel, you can install minicom 2.2.
Minicom supports VT100 emulation, which means it sorta kinda works with Meridian Mail (Function keys: fn + f-key).
Minicom supports VT100 emulation, which means it sorta kinda works with Meridian Mail (Function keys: fn + f-key).
- Download and run the minicom 2.2 package installer.
- Then manually edit your $PATH with
sudo nano /private/etc/paths
. - Add the following line to the bottom of the file:
/opt/minicom/2.2/bin
, save and exit - then relaunch the terminal.
Run
minicom -s
first to configure your serial interface device name, and other options. Then, Save setup as dfl (default) and Exit. Your serial interface device name is found with ls /dev/cu.*
(as shown above). Always launch minicom, with your selected serial adapter plugged in and available to avoid an error. In the example below, the serial device is /dev/cu.usbserial:Configuration Options | Connected to Port | Command Summary |
![Usb To Serial Adapter For Mac Os X Usb To Serial Adapter For Mac Os X](/uploads/1/2/4/6/124628310/976536482.jpg)
In minicom, commands can be called by CTRL-A <key>, for example, change your serial port settings with CTRL-A P
Press CTRL-A Z for a Command Summary, and help on special keys. Enter CTRL-A X to quit.
Press CTRL-A Z for a Command Summary, and help on special keys. Enter CTRL-A X to quit.
HINT: Change your OS X terminal window size to 80x25 (1 line more) so you can see the bottom Minicom status bar.
(Terminal Preferences ► Settings ► Window). Open a new window for this change to take effect.
(Terminal Preferences ► Settings ► Window). Open a new window for this change to take effect.
Note, the minicom installer creates /opt, and its not hidden in the OS X finder. Rectify this with:
sudo chflags hidden /opt
Connecting
With handshaking set to software (xon/xoff) or none, which covers most devices, serial data communication needs just 3 wires: RXD (2), TXD (3), and GND (5). Generally, hitting <enter> should cause a response, or <ctrl-r>Usb To Serial Adapter Driver
should 're-draw' the screen. If you don't get any characters, try adding a Null-Modem cable or adapter, which swaps RXD and TXD (pins 2 and 3). Signal ground is Pin 5 in a DB-9, or Pin 7 in a DB-25.
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Keyspan Usb Serial Adapter Software For Mac Os X
+when I plug in the USB cable I get a message that a ‘new network device has been detected’ and suggesting that I use System Preferences to set it up. But in System Preferences it seems to think the USB to Serial adapter is a modem and is looking for a phone number and other configuration data.+
That's normal behaviour for a device of this type E., the OS is designed to see a serial connection as a network interface, you can simply ignore this. If the driver you've installed is FCP compatible and working correctly then I believe you should see your adapter as an available device control option in FCP.
That's normal behaviour for a device of this type E., the OS is designed to see a serial connection as a network interface, you can simply ignore this. If the driver you've installed is FCP compatible and working correctly then I believe you should see your adapter as an available device control option in FCP.