Chapter 11 Setting Up Terminals and Modems (Tasks)

This chapter provides step-by-step instructions for setting up terminals and modems using Solaris Management Console's Serial Ports Tool.

This is a list of the step-by-step instructions in this chapter.

• How to Set Up a Terminal

• How to Set Up a Modem

• How to Initialize a Port

For overview information about terminals and modems, see Chapter 10, Managing Terminals and Modems (Overview).

Setting Up Terminals and Modems with Serial Ports Tool

You can set up serial ports with the Solaris Management Console's Serial Ports Tool. Select a serial port from the Serial Ports window and then choose a Configure option from the Action menu to configure the following.

• Terminal

• Modem – Dial In

• Modem – Dial Out

• Modem – Dial In/Dial Out

• Initialize Only – No Connection

The Configure options provide access to the templates for configuring the preceding services.You can view two levels of detail for each serial port: Basic and Advanced. You can access the Advanced level of detail for each serial port after it is configured by selecting the serial port and selecting the Properties option from the Action menu. After a serial port is configured, you can disable or enable the port with the SAF commands. For information on using the SAF commands, see Chapter 12, Managing Serial Ports With the Service Access Facility (Tasks).

For information on using the Serial Ports command line interface, see smserialport(1M).

Setting Up Terminals

The following table describes the menu items (and their default values) when setting up a terminal using Serial Ports.

Table 11–1 Terminal Default Values

Detail	Item	Default Value
Basic	Port	—
	Description	Terminal
	Service Status	Enabled
	Baud Rate	9600
	Terminal Type	tvi925
	Login Prompt	ttyn login:
Advanced	Carrier Detection	Software
	Option: Connect on Carrier	No
	Option: Bidirectional	No
	Option: Initialize Only	No
	Timeout (seconds)	Never
	Port Monitor	zsmon
	Service Program	/usr/bin/login

Setting Up Modems

The following table describes the three modem templates available when setting up a modem using Serial Ports.

Table 11–2 Modem Templates

Modem Configuration	Description
Dial-In Only	Users can dial in to the modem but cannot dial out.
Dial-Out Only	Users can dial out from the modem but cannot dial in.
Dial-In and Out (Bidirectional)	Users can either dial in or out from the modem.

The following table describes the default values of each template.

Table 11–3 Modem Template Default Values

Detail	Item	Modem - Dial-In Only	Modem - Dial-Out Only	Modem - Dial In and Out
Basic	Port Name	—	—	—
	Description	Modem – Dial In Only	Modem – Dial Out Only	Modem – Dial In and Out
	Service Status	Enabled	Enabled	Enabled
	Baud Rate	9600	9600	9600
	Login Prompt	ttyn login:	ttyn login:	ttyn login:
Advanced	Carrier Detection	Software	Software	Software
	Option: Connect on Carrier	No	No	No
	Option: Bidirectional	No	Yes	Yes
	Option: Initialize Only	No	Yes	No
	Timeout (seconds)	Never	Never	Never
	Port Monitor	zsmon	zsmon	zsmon
	Service Program	/usr/bin/login	/usr/bin/login	/usr/bin/login

The following table describes the default values for the Initialize Only template.

Table 11–4 Initialize Only - No Connection Default Values

Detail	Item	Default Value
Basic	Port Name	—
	Description	Initialize Only - No Connection
	Service Status	Enabled
	Baud Rate	9600
	Login Prompt	ttyn login:
Advanced	Carrier Detection	Software
	Option: Connect on Carrier	No
	Option: Bidirectional	Yes
	Option: Initialize Only	Yes
	Timeout (seconds)	Never
	Port Monitor	zsmon
	Service Program	/usr/bin/login

How to Set Up a Terminal

1. Start the Solaris Management Console, if it's not already running.

   % /usr/sadm/bin/smc &

   For information on starting the Solaris Management Console, see “Starting the Solaris Management Console” in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.

2. Click This Computer icon in the Navigation pane.

3. Click Devices and Hardware—>Serial Ports.

   The Serial Ports menu is displayed.

4. Select the port that will be used with a terminal.

5. Choose Configure—>Terminal from the Action menu.

   The Configure Serial Port window appears in the Basic Detail mode.

   For a description of the Terminal menu items, see Table 11–1.

6. Click OK.

7. To configure the advanced items, select the port configured as a terminal. Then, select Properties from the Action menu.

8. Change values of template entries if desired.

9. Click OK to configure the port.

10. Verify that the terminal service has been added.

    $ pmadm -l -s ttyn

How to Set Up a Modem

1. Start the Solaris Management Console, if it's not already running.

   % /usr/sadm/bin/smc &

   For information on starting the Solaris Management Console, see “Starting the Solaris Management Console” in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.

2. Click This Computer icon in the Navigation pane.

3. Click Devices and Hardware—>Serial Ports.

   The Serial Ports menu is displayed.

4. Select the port that will be used with a modem.

5. Choose one of the following Configure options from the Action menu.

   1. Configure—>Modem (Dial In)

   2. Configure—>Modem (Dial Out)

   3. Configure—>Modem (Dial In/Out)

   The Configure Serial Port window appears in the Basic Detail mode.

   For a description of the Modem menu items, see Table 11–3.

6. Click OK.

7. To configure the advanced items, select the port configured as a modem. Then, select Properties from the Action menu.

8. Change the values of template entries if desired.

9. Click OK to configure the port.

10. Verify that the modem service has been configured.

    $ pmadm -l -s ttyn

How to Initialize a Port

1. Start the Solaris Management Console, if it's not already running.

   % /usr/sadm/bin/smc &

   For information on starting the Solaris Management Console, see “Starting the Solaris Management Console” in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.

2. Click This Computer icon in the Navigation pane.

3. Click Devices and Hardware—>Serial Ports.

   The Serial Ports menu is displayed.

4. Select the port to be initialized.

5. Choose Configure—>Initialize Only – No Connection

   The Serial Port window appears in the Basic Detail mode.

   For a description of the Initialize Only menu items, see Table 11–4.

6. Click OK.

7. To configure the advanced items, select the port configured as a initialize only. Then, select Properties from the Action menu.

8. Change the values of template entries if desired.

9. Click OK to configure the port.

10. Verify that the modem service has been initialized.

    $ pmadm -l -s ttyn

Troubleshooting Terminal and Modem Problems

If users are unable to log in over serial port lines after you have added a terminal or modem and set up the proper services, consider the following possible causes of failure.

• Check with the user.

  Malfunctions in terminals and modem use are typically reported by a user who has failed to log in or dial in. For this reason, it is best to begin troubleshooting by checking for a problem on the desktop.

  Some common reasons for login failure include:

  • Login ID or password is incorrect.

  • Terminal is waiting for X-ON flow control key (Control-q).

  • Serial cable is loose or unplugged.

  • Terminal configuration is incorrect.

  • Terminal is shut off or otherwise has no power.

• Check the terminal.

  Continue to troubleshoot by checking the configuration of the terminal or modem. Determine the proper ttylabel for communicating with the terminal or modem. Verify that the terminal or modem settings match those of the ttylabel.

• Check the terminal server.

  If the terminal checks out, continue to search for the source of the problem on the terminal or modem server. Use the pmadm command to verify that a port monitor has been configured to service the terminal or modem and that it has the correct ttylabel associated with it.

  $ pmadm -l -t ttymon

  Examine /etc/ttydefs and double check the label definition against the terminal configuration. Use sacadm to check the port monitor's status. Use pmadm to check the service associated with the port the terminal uses.

• Check the serial connection.

  If the Service Access Controller is starting the TTY port monitor and pmadm reports that the service for the terminal's port is enabled, and if the terminal's configuration matches the port monitor's, then continue to search for the problem by checking the serial connection. A serial connection comprises serial ports, cables, and terminals. Test each of these parts by using it with two other parts that are known to be reliable.

  Test all of the following:

  • Serial ports

  • Modems

  • Cables

  • Connectors

• Do not use Serial Ports Tool to modify serial port settings if the serial port is being used as a console. The correct procedure for changing console settings is by modifying the following line in the /etc/inittab file:

  co:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` console login: " -T terminal_type -d /dev/console -l console -m ldterm,ttcompat