Serial Console

Introduction

For devices equipped with a serial console port the device can be managed through the console, without need for a working network connection. The serial console uses the settings 115200/8-N-1.

The console port can also be used to display logging information (if console logging is enabled) and to conduct a factory reset.

Authentication

The console credentials are the same as for connecting through SSH or logging in to the Web interface.

Console login

It is possible to disable console access using either the CLI or the Web interface. After disabling the console it is still possible to manage the device through SSH or Web.

example:/#> configure
example:/config/#> management
example:/config/management/#> console
example:/config/management/console/#> no login

Note: Factory reset is only allowed over the console. This still works if console login is disabled.

Configuration

The console service is available from the management configuration context in the CLI:

example:/#> configure
example:/config/#> management
example:/config/management/#> console
example:/config/management/console/#>
[no] login

Enable or disable the console login.

Default: Enabled

no
Disable the console login.
[no] login-banner [MESSAGE]

Configure a banner to be displayed on the local console login.

This is a banner that will be displayed on the local console login, before the user has logged in to the device.

Tip

For additional general information regarding pre-login banner, refer to the section on Pre-Login Banner on the Management Web configuration page.

Default: no login-banner (Disabled)

Configuration Example

A pre-login banner message can be configured in the following manner:

example:/config/management/console/#> login-banner “This is a message.\n\nThis is displayed on a new line.”

The overview show command will try and display the message as it would be when considering the escape characters: 

example:/config/management/console/#> show
[…] 

Login Banner                                                                  
▏This is a message.                                                          ▕
▏                                                                            ▕
▏This is displayed on a new line.                                            ▕
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

To see how the raw message that was configured the specific show login-banner command can be used:

example:/config/management/console/#> show login-banner
“This is a message.\n\nThis is displayed on a new line.”

Login Example

This is how the message would be displayed when trying to access the device over a console connection:

Please press Enter to activate this console.


This is a message.

This is displayed on a new line.
example login:

no
Remove any configured login-banner and disable it.
MESSAGE

Free-form message, remember to enclose the message like this "MESSAGE" or 'MESSAGE'.

When writing the message certain escape characters can also be included:

  • \a => BELL
  • \b => Backspace
  • \t => Horizontal TAB
  • \n => New line
  • \v => Vertical TAB
  • \f => Form Feed
  • \r => Carriage Return
  • \\ => \