M5300 CLI Keyboard Problem

[ciscorandori]

Logging in to an M5300 using Putty and the CLI stream goes fine.  The keyboard does not work though to interrupt boot with a "q"

I have set the keyboard to both ESC (first option) and Linux 

Hooked up via null modem cable on 115200 speed.

Is there some trick I'm missing ... special drivers maybe?

I use this same setup for Fortinet and Cisco gear with no issues.

thanks

[msi]

Hi @ciscorandori 

I haven't used the M5300 but M4100 and M4300, please check if your switch has a small selector switch where you can change the serial port from the RJ-45 Cisco-style serial port to Mini-USB and vice versa. The M4300 has an automatic selection while the M4100 had such a switch where you had to properly select the serial port you wanted to use.

However I'd rather suspect that your (likely) USB-to-DB-9 Adapter has some issues or the. Please use a so-called Cisco style rollover cable, these are usually shipped with each Netgear switch.

In the past I have used several funky USB-to-DB9/RS232 adapters, usually cheap clones of Prolific or FTDI chips - until I finally bought a proper one with an original FTDI chip.

Other than that I remember both on M4300 and older switches that hitting the escape sequence at the right time can take a coupld of attempts. 😉