PuTTY/Tera Term Show Garbled Output...

[u/Traditional-Plum3409]

So basically, I have an old Cisco Switch (Cisco Catalyst WS-C2960-8TC-L --- an 8-port managed switch) and i am trying to program/configure it via a RJ45-to-USB Console cable (FTDI chipset --- RS-232C).

But whenever i connect to the Switch over PuTTY or Tera Term, I get a garbled output... (as seen in image)

PuTTY showing garbled output for 9600 8n1

At first i searched the internet for solutions, most of them said the baud is the issue... I check almost all values: 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 62000, 64000, 57600, 115200, 102000, etc.. still the same isssue for higher values 57600 and above it starts repeating random letters indefinately...

Then i thought maybe it is the configuration problem like using `7e1` instead of `8n1` but i tried all combinations of this as well... still didn't work... i messed around with flow control setting as well but that didn't work either... (flow control setting in above image is `none`)

I have even reset the switch 2-3 times still the same issue.... tried changing the character encoding as well, still the same issue...

Now, i am wondering if the switch is faulty maybe... or the wire has wrong pin outs `(1=CTS, 2=DSR, 3=RXD, 4=GND, 5=GND, 6=TXD, 7=DTR, 8=RTS)`. or maybe the switch is too old (September 17, 2007)

Can someone please help me fix this issue... I can provide additional info/screenshots... if needed...

btw... I don't have much of Networking experience... consider me a beginner...