Testing a terminal connection

Use the following procedure (illustrated in ``Testing a terminal connection'') to test the setup of a terminal connection:

1. Log in as root on the console or a working terminal other than the one you are testing.

2. Disable the port you want to test using the command: disable ttyname where ttyname is the non-modem control device name of the port (for example, /dev/tty1a, not /dev/tty1A).

3. Try to redirect output to the terminal by entering: date > /dev/ttyname

   If you still do not see the date printed on the terminal:

   • Make certain that the terminal is plugged in.

   • Check that the cable is configured correctly for pins 2, 3, and 7 if the serial port has a 25-pin connector, or pins 2, 3, and 5 for a DB9 connector. The other pins are only used if you are using modem or hardware flow control on the line. See step 3 in ``Installing serial terminals'' for more information.

     If your system or expansion card has a 9-pin connector, see the serial(HW) manual page for more information on 9-pin connections.

   • Check your terminal setup configuration. Try changing the speed.

   • Check the switches on your serial port. If you are using a multiport card, try other lines on that card.

   • Attach the terminal to a standard serial port (COM1 or COM2) to see if the terminal and cable are working correctly. If you are already using a COM port, try switching to another one.

     If you have successfully installed another terminal, switch hardware between the working and the nonworking terminal one piece at a time. This may help you isolate a hardware problem.

   • Using a serial port line status display can also be extremely helpful in troubleshooting problems with a terminal connection.
   
   

4. When the date is displayed on your terminal, enable the port by entering the command: enable ttyname.

   If you do not see the login: prompt, enter the following command to verify that getty is running on the port and that the software is configured properly:
   
   ps -t ttyname

   Your screen should display a message similar to the one in the following example, with either ``login'' or ``getty'' listed in the command (CMD) column:

      PID	TTY	TIME	CMD
      
   
      2557	1a	0:06	getty
   

5. If you have typed the enable and disable commands many times, it is possible that a new getty cannot be spawned on that port. If so, shut the system down, reboot, log in as root in multiuser mode, and try again. For more information, see ``Setting the terminal type at login''.

Testing a terminal connection