So I made a mistake configuring a managed switch, and can no longer access the switch or even fin...

[G+_T Nohands]

So I made a mistake configuring a managed switch, and can no longer access the switch or even find it. The switch can only be restored to factory default via console port. All devices on other side still function within network just can't access switch for other configs. The console cable has  a 9 pin serial form pc connection and rj45 for switch, is there a way to use a cat6a patch cable to use instead because all pc/laptops have 15 pin serial ports do I really need to buy an adapter cable? What would you suggest Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ?

[G+_Arcturus Lancaster]

If you know the pinouts and need 9 conductors am thinking a length of shielded cable would work. 4 pairs gives you 8 and shield for 9. Just land the shield on the ground plane.

[G+_Ben Reese]

Are you sure the 15-pin port is for serial? The D-sub 15 is usually for VGA. A lot of computers don't come with serial ports anymore and I don't known when the last time was that I saw a laptop with one. I used to use a USB to serial port when working on PBXs and that worked pretty well.

 

As for the pinout, I would just search for a console cable for that unit. I don't know if they all follow Cisco's design or if each uses it's own.

[G+_T Nohands]

well what's so frustrating is I have serial over LAN capability just can't figure out how to make use or activate the feature and yes the 15 pin serial is dedicated on system as vga port but I've got a few friends that can use the vga through cmd on a few hacks as well as every other port but when the best of them is at Norfolk communications tend to be brief and if I make a mistake hacking system board bios or running a virtual server on a laptop to configure the RJ45 to setup a serial over ethernet, Norfolk is not a short drive away and it seems like everytime I want to talk to him the US Navy is always elevating something making him too busy to fix anything that goes wrong. But what's the point of having serial over LAN capabilities if you can't even hook up to a simple console port, setting up switches are not brain surgery but 1 hurried mistake and get locked out for a week until I get an adapter for their console cable which is an RJ45 port on the switch Cisco even sells the adapter cable yet they can't just make the console port cable that comes with these class switches from any company RJ45 on both sides then I could run all the console cables for router and switches via RJ45 cat6a to a patch panel at a single location for easier setups and trouble shooting.

[G+_Arcturus Lancaster]

May be length limet issues with serial cable. I would find the pinouts and make a cable see if it works. Is all of 10 min to make a cable if you have all the parts

[G+_Ben Reese]

They make a DB9 to RJ45 adapter that's super easy to configure as you want. I used to use one in conjunction with a similar DB25 to make a serial cable out of any patch cable, but you could pin it out just for your Cisco switch. Even if you could hack the VGA port for serial use, I don't know why anyone would. The USB Serial adapter is the easy with to go after that and also cheap, but if you want something more DIY I'm sure you could hack the USB to Serial chip found on most Arduinos.

 

SF Cable, DB9 Female to RJ45 Modular Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016RRS88

 

Wait, here's a USB to serial cable that comes with the Cisco console cable lol

HDE USB to Serial Interface Cable with Serial to RJ45 Console Adapter Cable for Cisco Routers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HUZ6OMQ

[G+_T Nohands]

Ben Reese Thanks for the links The whole goal that I wanted to achieve was just to unplug my cat6a cable from the wall and in to the console RJ45 port my laptop has a driver package that can use serial communication over the LAN ethernet but I just can't activate that feature and not buy anything but I'll be buying some adapter except instead of usb I'll get it to an ethernet use couplers and run cat6 from all console on all routers and switches to 1 patch panel so I can work from 1 spot and access all device from that spot