On 11/02/14 00:51, Theo de Raadt wrote:
On 2 November 2014 06:15, Theo de Raadt <dera...@cvs.openbsd.org> wrote:
A "serial console" is a serial port on a machine exposing it's boottime
console. OpenBSD cannnot use select a USB serial connector as a console
tty, no more than it can select some random serial pci card. The logic
for finding the device happens too late.
If this is the other way around, then the laptop is just doing serial.
What's console about it. It is just talking serial, to something else
which is console. You don't need the word console, nor do we need
to know the colour of the cable you choose.
Naddy is precise. You used the wrong words.
Ah, okay. Thank you. But even if the laptop end of the setup wouldn't
properly be called a serial console, do I understand correctly then
that it would work to use it with a run-of-the-mill USB-to-serial
adapter in the way I describe? Meaning, use it as a terminal (or
terminal emulator, or technically, laptop, running OpenBSD, running a
terminal emulat-- arrgh!). Anyway, do I understand correctly that it
would work the way I expect, and that (my imprecise terminology
notwithstanding) Patrick's reply is applicable?
And further, just to make sure I'm really getting this, is it actually
correct then to call the (bog standard) physical RS-232 port on the
headless computer the serial console? Or am I still on the wrong
track, and does a real, genuine, proper serial console involve custom
hardware beyond a standard physical serial port?
That is a lot of words. I do not understand your questions.
Can a device which does serial console expose it's console over serial
to another device which does serial?
Yes.
Because serial ports can talk to each other.
Whatever you want, just try it. Unbelievable..
Sounds like the question, in a very around about way, is can you use a
laptop or desktop with a USB to serial converter with a given terminal
program to communicate with an OpenBSD machine that uses a serial console.
The answer is yes and I fail to see why this is such a problem.
Stan
