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Setup A Mac As a Serial Terminal to a BSD PC (Tutorial)

benjgvps

Well-known member
This is a tutorial based on my experience, I do not know how this could affect systems other than mine.

Sources:

http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=57336#57336

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/serialconsole-setup.html

On the FreeBSD machine:

1. Plug the Mac into the FreeBSD machine (COM1) with a PC to Mac null modem cable.

2. If you want to see the boot process, type this into the console

Code:
 echo 'console="comconsole"' >> /boot/loader.conf
3. Edit /etc/ttys and change off to on and dialup to vt100 for the ttyd0 entry.

On the Macintosh:

1. Get Zterm ( http://68kmacwin.googlepages.com/ZTerm1.0.1.sit.hqx )

2. In the settings menu, click "Directory..."

3. Click "New", Type whatever you want for "Service Name:", leave the phone number blank, set the Data Rate to 9600, Click "OK".

4. From the dial menu click the Connection you just made, when the Auto Dialing window is gone, press return and you should get a logon prompt.

If you don't have a PC to Mac cable laying around but have a DB9 (9 pin PC serial cable) and Mini Din 8 (Mac serial cable) serial cable, you can make your own with this Pinout:

8 pin DIN DB 9

--------- ------

1.........................8

2.........................4

3.........................2

4,8.......................5

5.........................3

8 7 6

1 2 3 4 5

5 4 3

6 7 8 9

2 1

DB 9 (female)

8 pin DIN

(male)

You might want to find out which wires lead to the pins by making a simple circuit with a battery and a small light or speaker.

If you have any questions, ask and I might know the answer!

 
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