Learn how to configure a console cable on a MacOS Apple device to manage your network equipment.

A console cable is a type of cable used to connect a computer or other device to a terminal or console port. It is typically used to access the command line interface of a device, such as a router, switch, or server. The cable is usually a serial cable with an RJ-45 connector on one end and a DB-9 or DB-25 connector on the other. The cable is used to connect the device to a computer or laptop, allowing the user to access the command line interface of the device. Console cables are commonly used in networking and IT environments to configure and troubleshoot network devices.

MacOS is an operating system developed by Apple Inc. for its Macintosh line of computers. It is the successor to the classic Mac OS, which had been Apple’s primary operating system since 1984. MacOS is designed to be easy to use and provides a wide range of features, including a graphical user interface, support for multiple users, and support for a variety of applications.

Screen Terminal is a free emulation program that can be used to manage your network devices, eliminating the need for paid software versions.

$ ls /dev

The command $ ls /dev is used to list the contents of the /dev directory. The /dev directory contains device files, which are special files that represent physical devices connected to the system. These device files can be used to access the devices, such as hard drives, printers, and USB devices.

$ ls /dev/*usb*

The command ‘ls /dev/*usb*‘ is used to list all files and directories in the ‘/dev’ directory that contain the string ‘usb’. This command will list all files and directories that have ‘usb’ in their name, such as ‘ttyUSB0’, ‘usbmon0’, and ‘usbfs’.

After connecting the USB-C cable, tty usb serial is the one that going to be used (driver will be detected automatically but in case it does show up, you need to download and install the driver).

$ screen /dev/tty.usbserial-DN05LN59 9600

the command is connecting to the serial port /dev/tty.usbserial-DN05LN59 at a baud rate of 9600. This connection can be used to send and receive data from the serial port.

Use screen command (you get different name/identifier in your device) with baud rate 9600.