Console access with MacOS 26.1?
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Has anybody been able to connect to their Netgate via their console cable from a Mac running 26.x? I could not do with my MacBook Air (26.1) this weekend. The last time I did it (Sequoia era or so) I didn't need to install any external drivers, /dev/cu-[something] was just there, screen just worked.
With 26.1, /dev just offers cu.debug-console and Bluetooth, thats it. True on both my Macbook Air and my new Mac Mini. Trying to install external drivers, either Prolific or silabs (which should I use?) gives me the attached complaint in system report, even after I booted into recovery mode and allowed external signed kexts. Still looking at the issue.
So, do I need to install an external driver? Which one? Has anybody actually done a serial console with MacOS 26.x?
I had to scrounge up an old Win box, install putty, do it that way to get to the console.
Netgate 1100 and Netgate 2100, latest pfsense+ version
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Picture of complaints from MacOS system report.
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Didn't saw a Mac for a decade or so, but this :
looks like : ask the admin to "validate" the install ?
The driver seems disabled.
Enable it ? -
@beerguzzle Yeah, you need to install a driver package from the app-store or vendor website depending on the chipset. For FTDI and sillicon labs (the most common ones) its a simple unified driver package in app form (.DMG) from each vendor on their website
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@beerguzzle I use console on MacOS 26. Also driver is here, https://www.silabs.com/software-and-tools/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers?tab=downloads. I use the app "Serial2" by Decisive Tactics, works fine for console connection. I don't think I had to download the driver as far as I remember with the app, pretty sure it detects the usb bridge with a built in driver but my memory could be betraying me as it's been a while since I installed it. There are other free options that required some tweaking (you may have better luck) but this was the console app that worked immediately after install without any issues for me. I will say putty on windows was nicer as it would auto connect on rebooting the firewall.
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With previous macOS versions, the FTDI and Prolific drivers were built in and all one needed to do was download a serial console app like CoolTerm.
https://freeware.the-meiers.org
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@beerguzzle yes I've used 26.1 to connect to the console of my 6100 as well as assorted other Netgate devices in the field: an old 4860, a 2100, a 4200..... it can/does work
Have you checked your privacy settings to make sure the usb-serial chip is allowed to connect?
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@beerguzzle The point is, the drivers are no longer native in MacOS 26, so you have to add them.
MacOS <= 15 installations that used the drivers before might have keept them installed when doing the upgrade to 26, but I doubt it.
So you have to install the drivers from the vendors download site. -
Short story for those who read this later: Do not attempt to use your MacOS 26 device to access the console! Go find a Win/Linux box instead, use Putty or standard Linux stuff like "screen" or "tip". Save yourself a lot of heartache.
Long story: I finally got the Prolific device driver installed on my MacBook Air (26.1), with /dev/cu.PL2303G-USBtoUART130 and got the console connection to work via "screen -U /dev/cu.PL230G-USBtoUART130 115200". To get the driver installed you have to:
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Boot into "options" mode by holding down on the power button until you see "options" under the boot-up Apple logo. This method replaces the "Recovery boot" method in earlier OSes of holding the Apple key+R while starting up. Then go to "options", select an admin user, login, and open "Startup Security Utility" under the Utilities menu. Change the setting from "Full Security" to "Reduced Security" and select "Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers".
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While still in options mode open a terminal window, do the following:
csrutil status
(it should say enabled)
csrutil disable
This will totally disable Apple's System Integrity Protection. At this point you have taken the safety off of the gun, and neutered Apple's system protections. Beware. Hence my advice to go find a Win box.
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Reboot, and install the device driver from Prolifics. During the install, you will get a popup that says "System Extension Blocked" and another that says "PL2303Serial would like to use a new driver extension". Click the "Open System Settings" button. System Settings will open and you will get another popup saying "Driver Extensions" with a greyed-out slider bar for PL2303Serial. Click on the slider bar to change it. You will get another popup asking for
admin user/pw. The slider will change. Click done on the popup box. The Install box for PL2303Serial should say successful, telling you to restart your Mac. -
Restart, and log back in. Fire up System Settings, search for Logins and Extensions. Scroll down until you see Extensions, click on By Category. Look for driver extensions. Click on the circled i. The PL2303Serial driver should be enabled.
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Go to "About" in System Settings, scroll to the bottom and run System Report. Click on Software->Disabled Software. Your Prolific stuff may well appear there. Note the bundle number, something like 2MP849R8J5. It will probably say "no user consent".
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do a "ls -l /dev/cu*". The cu.PL30... device may or may not be there. If it is there, great. Try it out with
screen -U /dev/cu.PL230G-USBtoUART130 115200
from a terminal window and see if you get to your Netgate console. If so, done.
- If not, reboot back into options mode and open up a terminal window. Then do:
spctl kext-consent status
(it should be enabled)
spctl kext-consent list
spctl kext-consent add 2MP849R8J5
spctl kext-consent list
2MP849R8J5This gives user consent for the disabled software bundle, even though the Mac will never show this in the Disabled Software section.
- Reboot again. Go look for /dev/cu.PL230G-USBtoUART130. If it is there, great. If not then commit seppuku. Your work was in vain. You should have found a Win 10 box instead. I told you.
Note: With great pain, I got /dev/cu.PL... installed and working on my MacBook Air. I went through this again with my 2024 Mac Mini (26.1): failure. I don't know why.
Netgate 1100 and Netgate 2100, latest pfsense+ version
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@beerguzzle Or just use Serial.app which has its own native driver that supports this UART without needing any extra software. One time purchase that I made years ago and do not regret!
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@beerguzzle as I mentioned before and luckman mentioned above Serial2 just works without any tweaking.
