minicom questions, need expert

[Rick Stevens]

Gene Heskett wrote:
> Greetings;
> 
> I'm trying to make an antique computer talk to this linux box via a usb<->serial adaptor and a long USB extension cord 
> that has a hub kit in the far end of it.
> 
> When I plug in the cable to a 7 port extension hub here, dmesg reports:
> 
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.418050] usb 1-1.3: new full speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 33
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.503819] usb 1-1.3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.504986] hub 1-1.3:1.0: USB hub found
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.509657] hub 1-1.3:1.0: 4 ports detected
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.818989] usb 1-1.3.4: new full speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 34
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.910261] usb 1-1.3.4: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.910630] ftdi_sio 1-1.3.4:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.910684] ftdi_sio: Detected FT232RL
> May 12 14:00:58 coyote kernel: [314986.910721] usb 1-1.3.4: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB1
> 
> And I have sent several very long directory listings up the cable, but 
> nothing, not a single character is being output to the minicom screen.
> I do not know if the minicom utility can reach out into that FT232RL to
> tell it what the baud rate is or not, no clue.  If minicom can't do that,
> then what linux utility can perform this initialization?

Are you sure minicom is talking to /dev/ttyUSB1?  Also note that
minicom cannot autobaud...you must manually set the baud rate.

If you're connected to another computer's serial port, it's entirely
possible you need a null modem adapter.  Most computers are set up to be
DCE devices and serial communications requires a DCE<-->DTE connection.
A null modem adapter converts from DCE to DTE (and vice versa).
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- Rick Stevens, Systems Engineer                       rps2 at nerd.com -
- Hosting Consulting, Inc.                                           -
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-  Diplomacy: The art of saying "Nice doggy!" until you can find a   -
-                            big enough rock.                        -
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