topic Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal in Spark Firewall (SMB)

SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

G_W_Albrecht — Wed, 17 May 2023 09:28:14 GMT

More than 10 years ago i did struggle in vain to establish console CLI connection with Mac OS X terminal. Adapter cables at that time needed drivers not incuded in OS X and also used different chipsets. This has changed a lot as drivers are now included and it is easy to have the serial console running !

First, plug the USB cable into your Mac and connect the other side to the console USB port.

Open terminal and change directory: # cd /dev

Look for a device name containing usb:

Issue: # ls | grep -i 'usb'
cu.usbserial-DA01I373
tty.usbserial-DA01I373

Connect to SMB:
```
# screen tty.usbserial-DA01I373 115200
```
Connect to GAiA appliance:
```
# screen tty.usbserial-DA01I373 9600
```
Disconnect:
```
Ctrl+A then Ctrl+\
```
This procedure works with the micro USB console port on 700/1400 a.o. - but what about the USB type-C to USB-2.0 type-A cable for 15xx, 1600 and 1800 ? @Mikael added the link to the needed drivers, and here is the procedure:

First, install the driver and wait for the chache being rebuild. Then plug the USB cable into your Mac and connect the other side to the console USB port.

Open terminal and change directory: # cd /dev

Look for a device name containing usb:

Issue: # ls | grep -i 'usb'
cu.SLAB_USBtoUART
tty.SLAB_USBtoUART

Connect to SMB:
```
# screen tty.SLAB_USBtoUART 115200
```
Disconnect:
```
Ctrl+A then Ctrl+\
```

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

PhoneBoy — Fri, 05 May 2023 22:26:13 GMT

On my older Mac, I was actually doing this with Z-Term.
Z-Term is a 68k Mac program, which should give you an idea of how old that program is 🙂
Nice to know it can be done with native tools, though.

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

G_W_Albrecht — Sat, 06 May 2023 08:38:04 GMT

68k Mac - yo, i still own the Motorola CPU manuals 😉 My oldest was a Mac Plus (+ external floppy drive)...

Still have a Classic II somewhere.

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

G_W_Albrecht — Sat, 06 May 2023 14:08:32 GMT

The procedure also works with GAiA appliances - you only have to replace 115200 with the number from https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk108095

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

PhoneBoy — Mon, 08 May 2023 17:12:54 GMT

I remember having an upgraded "Fat Mac" (originally came with 512k, but was upgraded with third party hardware).

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

G_W_Albrecht — Tue, 09 May 2023 13:13:05 GMT

My dearest was a Mac IIfx - used it for 12 years...

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

Mikael — Wed, 17 May 2023 06:14:23 GMT

This has sure been an issue but as long as you have a cable with a FTDI FT232R chip in it I have not had any issues over the last 10+ years...

BUT, that brings the question about the 1500´s that only have USB-C serial console.

sk159712 mentions a Silabs-driver that does exist for Mac...
https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers

But I have not yet managed to get that to work. Has anyone gotten them to work with a Mac?

Cheers

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

G_W_Albrecht — Wed, 17 May 2023 08:55:55 GMT

Thank you for the reply and link ! I have tested and added the steps for USB type-C to USB-2.0 type-A cable and 15xx, 1600 and 1800 SMBs !

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

Mikael — Wed, 17 May 2023 22:05:28 GMT

I was happy to find the driver so I figured I wasn't the only one looking.

And for clarity, the devil is in the details...

Just as you wrote you used a USB-2.0 Type-A cable and that works (I tried multiple cables and all works).

When I initially tested I used USB-C to USB-C cables directly to my Mac. I tested with both the "charge cable" and a Thunderbolt-3 cable... none of them worked (nothing was discovered when running dmesg).

A bit annoying having to go from USB-C to USB-A to USB-C, but I guess it has to do with "down-grading" to USB-2.0.

Cheers

Re: SMB console connection with Mac OS X terminal

G_W_Albrecht — Thu, 18 May 2023 09:15:12 GMT

The USB type-C to USB-2.0 type-A cable is the one that comes with the 15xx / 1600 / 1800 and and uses the Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge Virtual COM Port. USB-C to USB-C cables will not work...