Can't access remote console
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@stephenw10 I used a different computer. Same results. It's showing up as COM3 when I plug it into the computer so the connection is taking place. But Putty isn't able to connect. I've checked the speed/parity/etc on both the computer's com in Device Manager and with Putty to make sure they match and match the setting from the manual (115200, 8 bits, 1 stop, no parity, xon/xoff). Can't make it happen.
I used to run PfSense on an old computer and when it came time to update I moved to one of the appliances as I thought it would simplify things a bit but it's had the opposite effect. This appliance has been trouble from day 1.
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Try a different USB cable if you have not already.
The client making a noise when you open the terminal seems more like a problem opening the port. I would expect it to show an error though if it's a permissions issue.
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@stephenw10 I've tried different ports, different cables, different computers. The only thing left is that SG-3100 unit. I've swapped out every other part of the equation.
Is there a setting in PfSense that would disable that connection? I didn't think so, but I don't know what's left.
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It's almost impossible to disable the serial console on the SG-3100, certainly not something you could so accidentally in the pfSense config. However even if you deliberately disabled it it's not possible to disable the output from uboot when it boots. That will always appear on the console it the device is booting at all.
If the port itself was damaged you would not see the virtual com device at the client when you connect it.
The most common cause for this is the Windows driver. Are you able to try a Linux client where the driver is in the kernel already?
Another alternative is to connect it to another pfSense device which also has a driver included. Then you can ssh into the other firewall and open the 3100 console using the cu command.Steve
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@stephenw10 I tried to access it with two different computers (Windows). One has never connected to and PfSense before so I had to install the driver. The other one has connected many times without a problem. However this time neither one could establish an SSH connection. It was as if the port wasn't opening at all.
I don't have any linux machines running that I can use for this connection. My critical operations are running on Proxmox but I can't risk having those servers go down so I can't use that machine.
I haven't tried rebooting PfSense while trying to connect via Putty at the same time. How would a person do that? Just continually clicking the Open button on Putty to see if it connects at some point?
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You should be able to reboot the firewall whilst connected to the console. Or even power cycle it.
The USB-serial IC is powered by the client so it will remain up even if the 3100 is powered down.You should always see the uboot output there when it is powered on.
Steve
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@stephenw10 I don't understand. If I can't get the console to come up at all, how is it going to stay connected during a reboot when it's never connected in the first place?
It shows up as a port in Windows (COM3) but Putty is never able to connect to the SG-3100 over the port connection.
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As I understand it the console connects, putty allows you to open the port, you just don't see any output on it?
If you reboot it whilst that console window is open you would see output from uboot even if for some reason pfSense was not using the serial console.Steve
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@stephenw10 No that's not what's happening. I connect the console, which then shows as COM3 in Windows. I open Putty however it will not connect to the console. When I click on the Open button in putty it does not connect.
I've replaced the cable, the computer, and triple checked the COM and settings but nothing gets the console to open.
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Ah, OK. Then I would expect Putty to show an error when you try, what does it show?
However that rules out a pfSense config issue. There is nothing you can set to make that happen.
Either it's a hardware issue with the USB-serial device or a problem on the client(s).
A hardware issue is possible but I'm not we've ever seen that on an SG-3100. A driver is far more likely but testing from two different clients makes it a lot less so.
Do you have anything else you can try to connect from?Steve
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@stephenw10 No, there is no error from Putty. It shows nothing.
I went and got another computer. I tried to connect it as well. I tried with multiple USB cables with it too. So now I've tried three different computers and about six cables. None of them can connect to the SC-3100 console. They all do exactly the same thing.. that is, nothing but bing.
I don't see how three computers can all have failed at the same time and all those cables could have failed at the same time. This HAS to be a problem with the SG-3100 or my serial settings (115200, 8, 1, none, xon/xoff). Otherwise I don't see any possibility other than the SG-3100 console port.
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Hmm, the 'bing' sounds like Windows complaining trying to open the port. Like a permissions error. But I would expect putty to throw an error if that was the case.
Does Windows log an error?Are you able to test with anything that isn't Windows. Boot a live Linux image?
If it really is the virtual com device that has failed and it's in warranty then open a ticket with us. The only option in that case would be to RMA it.
As I said though, I don't think I've ever seen that sort of failure on the SG-3100.Steve
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@stephenw10 Everything we have here is Windows except for our Proxmox servers. I get lost quickly in Linux. I hate to mess with those Proxmox machines as they are mission critical to our operation.
I doubt there's a warranty on my unit as it was purchased in October 2019.
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@cdsjerry When you say there is "no error from Putty. It shows nothing." Do you at least see a blank screen? If so, have you tried hitting return a few times at this blank screen? Ignore me if you've tried this too
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@theonemcdonald No. I don't even see a blank screen. Normally you hit this open button and get the blank screen and can log in from there etc. In this case it's never getting that far. When you hit the open button the computer bings and that's it. There's no communication being established with the console. No window, not box. Nothing.
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Well I would expect Windows to log an error of some sort. It does really seem like a driver or permissions error.
Otherwise I would boot a live linux image on whatever hardware you have and test from that.
Steve
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@stephenw10 As I've said, my Linux is really poor. If I spin up a VM Linux box what commands would I need to issue to open the SSH connection?
This seems like a really long shot given that three different computers have not been able to reach it, including the one that we've always used to connect to it in the past and have never had a problem.
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I agree it seems unlikely but we have seen Windows driver issues in the past.
If you use a VM you introduce the additional issue or passing through a USB port to it. I would just boot a live Linux USB stick on a laptop and then connect form the live session.
In Linux you can just use screen:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/sg-3100/connect-to-console.html#launch-a-terminal-programSteve
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@stephenw10 I built a Debian Linux machine but I'm having trouble installing the driver due to my lack of Linux experience. I have Putty installed but not the driver so it's not able to connect yet. I don't have a tty/USB0 connection showing. Instead it says /dev/ttyS0 I'm assuming this is because there's no driver.
I have several very busy days ahead of me on other projects so it may be a bit before I can get back to this. I hadn't expected it to take this much effort just to access the console.
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@stephenw10 My Linux skills (or rather the lack of them) are limiting me. I got a Debian machine built but I can't figure out how to create a com port nor how to install the drivers. When I try to enter the commands I find on the help pages it usually comes back as an unknown command. I'm just lost at this point.
The console is dead to Windows and my Lixux sucks.
