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Anyone find a tablet, Ipad, Cius, Android based, otherwise that works with console?

rhornberger
Level 1
Level 1

This question is out on Google, no good answers so I figure this is probably the best place to go.  I know that there are a ton of SSH apps, telnet apps, etc for the IPad and Android based OS's.  The one thing I'm not seeing is a serial console utility like a teraterm/hyperterminal for a tablet OS.  I've been wanting to see if I can switch remote troubleshooting to a tablet rather than a laptop (see convenience).  One thing that's keeping that from happening for me is the lack of console capability.  Has anyone got a console working on any tablet system, if so how, and what tools are you using?

Rich

11 Replies 11

Phillip Remaker
Cisco Employee
Cisco Employee

Well, there is no RS-232 hardware on most of these units, and if there is it is usually not accessible short of Jailbreaking or Rooting the device.  Even when available, the low-voltage electronics present either as a USB or a low-voltage serial port which require additional adaptation.

At one point, someone made a Bluetooth Console cable:

http://www.conserver.com/consoles/BlueConsole/

But that project is dead.

If you can get one, it might work on Android with

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/productivity/bluetooth-terminal-emulator_kpeq.html

I see a product that makes a Wifi serial port

http://www.serialio.com/products/mobile/wifi/WiSnapAAA.php

Which may be promising.  Again, I have never used it.

Bottom line is that the serial hardware is generally not available on those platforms, but there may be a path to purpose built wireless dongles to do the job.  The so-called "1 port terminal server" is well suited to this job.

I haven't used the iPhone or Android in this way but would love to hear what you learn.  Seems that Bluetooth would be the way to go.

http://consoleteam.blogspot.com/

and

http://www.conserver.com

deal with this class of issue a lot.

I was hoping to actually use a USB to RS-232 convertor but, none of them seem to function with Android/IoS.  I was hoping the Slate wasn't dead in the water, if the thing is truly running Windows 7 I should be able to load the driver for the USB-RS232 device.

Unfortunately, the USB electrical interface is inherently asymmetric:  There is a single host with up to 127 peripheral devices.  Since the phones are typically USB peripheral devices (slave, type B) they can't act as a host (master, type A) which would be required in order to control a USB to serial adapter.

While there is a USB "on-the-go" supplement to the USB specification which would allow a peripheral device to act as a host, very few phones support it, and no devices on your proposed list do.

I just found this:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rs232-terminal-for-direct/id348887344?mt=8

and

http://hmb-tec.de/iPhoneApps/RS232_Terminal.html

(no wait - that is a transmit-only application...  Not useful)

+1 for getconsole and their cable (made by Redpark)

works nicely (note I'm only using it in my home lab)

http://www.redpark.com/news3111.html

issh  is another good app for ipad - doesn't do serial though.

is great if you need an x client or ssh

Hi Phil,

I can confirm that the terminal emulator you linked to does work with a Blueconsole device when used with my Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet running Honeycomb 3.1.

I guess the Blueconsole was a bit ahead of it's time. I bought mine a few years ago and have not used it very much - maybe with the rise of tablets and smartphones it would be a good time for a mark 2 version.

Thanks for the tip!

simon
Level 1
Level 1

The Get Console app (for iPad / iPhone / iPod Touch) is designed specifically for Cisco engineers to work on the serial console port (the RJ-45 one, not the newer USB one). It needs the Redpark C2-RJ45 cable (which is an iPad to Cisco console cable). it does Telnet and SSHv2 as well, but its main purpose is the serial terminal function that isnt addressed by any of the other apps out there (at least on Apple iOS)

Check out the app and cable at http://www.get-console.com or at the itunes store here - the app also works with most other vendors serial ports with a RJ45-DB9 dongle

The other cool feature is that you can "share" your serial console session with the web (via iPad's Wifi/3G connection) so that remote users can get into serial console port. Kind of like an instant OOB modem.

Full Disclosure: I am one of the Get Console app developers

Simon Hope

CCIE# 8738

www.get-console.com

this is amazing...i hope you guys develop something for android and windows 7

I found Slick USB 2 Serial on the Google Play Store... just started using it but I was able to connect my Android TF300 to my Cisco router via a C2G USB to Serial cable and it works flawlessly. Theres a free version you can try before you buy.

I also have Get Console loaded on my iPad and it works very well!

Both from console and wireless paths.

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