Re: help with seting up a dumb terminal to Linux please

["L. C. Robinson" <lcr@draken.localnet>]

On Wed, 7 Jan 1998, Travis Siegel wrote:

> On Wed, 7 Jan 1998, K.C. Habib wrote:
> 
> > I would really appreciate detailed instructions on how to set up a DOS PC
> > as a dumb terminal to Linux.  I have a DOS machine, with Telix, Vocal
> > Eyes, and a serial cable.  I just installed Redhat 5, I tried editing the
> > /etc/initab file but I am not still quite sure what to add.
> > I had such a terminal set up, but I just installed Redhat 5, and I lost my
> > configuration files.
> 
> I don't use redhat, but for slackware, the lines you need to change in the
> /etc/inittab look like the following;
> # Serial lines
> #s1:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 9600 ttyS0 vt100
> #s2:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 ttyS1 vt100
> 
> To make it so you can log in on these ports, simply remove the number sign
> "#" from the beginning of the line, reboot, and you should be able to log
> in via either serial port.  (assuming you're using com1 or com2 on the
> linux machine)  You'll need a null modem cable (or a straight through
> cable, and a null modem adapter)  I honestly don't know why the linux
> installs don't have the lines uncommented, so we can log in from the get
> go, but perhaps there's a reason. :)  Hope this helps.
 
Well, I DO run RedHat, and I can tell you that the above advice, which
is pretty much the same as a few other messages, is inadequate.
There are too many different terminal types, and serial protocols, and
at least 4 different getty programs available, for this to work in any
but a few situations.  Your best bet is to read the Serial-HOWTO (in
/usr/doc/HOWTO/Serial-HOWTO on a RedHat box), and the getty and
gettydefs man page, and the man page for inittab, thoroughly.  I have
set up several different terminals, and can give you examples which
you could modify.  I use the getty_ps version, which RedHat provides.
The mingetty stuff that they set up by default, for the console, is
only good for the console.  If you want a canned example, I will give
you one, if you will tell me what kind of terminal you are running (or
in your case, emulating, on the dos box), with what protocol (this may
be obvious to others, but I am not blind, and do not run and any kind
of vocal hardware, though I do have a print disability).

Here is an example, for getty_ps, the getty version which I recommend:
In /etc/inittab:
For com2:
t1:345:respawn:/sbin/getty -r1 ttyS1 DT19200 vt100
For com5:
t4:345:respawn:/sbin/getty -r1 ttyS4 vt100-DEC vt100

Note that the vt100-DEC is just an arbitrary label for which protocol
to use in the gettydefs.  The DT19200 is a stock label for a stock
dumb terminal line in the default gettydefs.  You may want to delete
the "-r1" unless you know what it's for (can help with getty
respawning too fast messages, but requires you to type something at
the terminal end, to get a login prompt).

In /etc/gettydefs:
vt100-DEC#  B19200 SANE CS8 PARENB -PARODD CLOCAL -IGNPAR -ISTRIP CRTSCTS # B19200 SANE PARENB -PARODD CS8 -ISTRIP TAB3 -IGNPAR CRTSCTS CLOCAL #@L\nEnter your login name: #vt100-DEC

This terminal is running at a speed of 19200 (B19200), 8 bits (CS8:
you might do better with CS7, to eliminate or garble line drawing
characters), even parity, and has a customized login prompt.  If you
change the speed or protocol, you must change it in both sections of
the long (single) line.  Do "man stty" to get in on the meanings of
the various protocol names, which you must do in uppercase.

You may also want an /etc/conf.getty file, for more control (mine puts
the date and time, and some other stuff on the screen).

I have no idea how you set up Telix on the other end, to use a
matching protocol, and speed.

L. C. Robinson
reply to infynity@cyberhighway.net (a family account)

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