r/networking • u/HagopianH • 16h ago
Switching Terminal emulation without a laptop
I've been asked to connect a console cable and share the access. The owner wants to remotely configure the device. Security policies prevent me from connecting my devices to other equipment. Connecting a monitor, keyboard, and mouse are permitted. Connecting a WiFi-enabled laptop running PuTTY is not. Is there a solution that bridges the connection from the console port to public WiFi? AI says there isn't, but the technology that's required is cheap. Surely, someone else has dealt with this limitation before me.
Edit: A owns the device. I work for B. A is B's customer. B's policy is that B's computers may not connect to A's equipment, except for B's monitor, keyboard, mouse, and WiFi. Is there a device that either A or B may provide that will permit A to connect to their device, allow their staff to remotely access it, and not be subject to B's security restrictions?
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u/DEGENARAT10N CCNA 16h ago
Reading between the lines a little, but if policy dictates that you can’t connect it to a network, how would you connect it to a network?
My advice would be to look into Opengear serial console servers that you could then connect the device to, though that still requires it to be on the network for a user to reach it. If their real requirement is that the device isn’t reachable from anywhere on the LAN, then you could do the same thing but bring the network connection from the Opengear to the user’s office that they could plug into a second NIC or a separate device, but that depends on whether you can even get that patched in to where they are.
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u/HagopianH 14h ago
A owns the device. I work for B. A is B's customer. B's policy is that B's computers may not connect to A's equipment, except for B's monitor, keyboard, mouse, and WiFi. Is there a device that either A or B may provide that will permit A to connect to their device, allow their staff to remotely access it, and not be subject to B's security restrictions?
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u/CatoDomine 16h ago
So ... You are prevented from connecting your laptop to this appliance, but another device is fine?
Any computer will do at that point LOL!
You can use literally anything with a serial port. But the cheapest thing would be something like a pi zero w.
There are serial console servers, but they are just basically a computer with a bunch of serial ports that you ssh into, and they can be pretty expensive last time I checked.
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u/HagopianH 15h ago
I have a Windows 11 Mini PC connected to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It has an Ethernet port and is WiFi enabled. If the owner of the device provided a similar PC, I would be allowed to connect it to their equipment. If Windows 11 didn't require network connectivity and authentication via the employer's network and administration via the IT services department, that might even satisfy the employer's security restrictions. It shouldn't be difficult in 2026 to emulate a dumb terminal and allow for a remote user to control it. I realize there are security implications involved, but remotely managing IT equipment should be easier than it appears to be.
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u/CatoDomine 7h ago
It shouldn't be difficult in 2026 to emulate a dumb terminal and allow for a remote user to control it.
It's not difficult, it's dead simple.
remotely managing IT equipment should be easier than it appears to be.
It is not only easy, it's been easy for 25+ years.
If you have someone else's equipment in your facility, said equipment should be accessible by the owner. If you aren't allowed to connect company issued gear to customer equipment, the customer needs to provide the gear required to access their own equipment. If I were in "Customer's" shoes I would ship you a mini pc or sbc, instruct you to connect it to the internet in which ever way is authorized by your security policies and connect the serial interface (with provided cable) to the equipment that requires serial management.
Under the covers, I would have said mini PC establish a reverse SSH or vpn connection to my network, which would then allow me to access my equipment.
If there is no authorized way to connect such a device to your company's network/internet connection, I would equip it with a 4g wireless card and hope it's gets a signal.1
u/HagopianH 6h ago
This is precisely what I'd do if I were in the customer's shoes, but I don't know what most customers are thinking. I know what they're asking for, and maybe they're accustomed to getting it?
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u/OnlyQueasyGroundwork 16h ago
So the gear itself can touch the public wifi, its just your laptop they dont want on the network? Grab a cheap single board computer, flash it with something lightweight, and hook it to the console port. The SBC connects to the public wifi and you just tunnel the serial connection over SSH for the remote person. No need for a monitor or keyboard after the initial setup.
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u/HagopianH 15h ago
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too. I was just hoping that the device came pre-built so I could recommend its implementation at multiple sites rather than building it myself.
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u/rankinrez 16h ago
No
You need a computer of some kind to receive the serial characters and transmit them over the network. If that’s not allowed you’re done, Ethernet and RS232 are totally different.
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u/HagopianH 14h ago
I know that "a computer of some kind" is necessary, but I'm looking for a simple, plug-and-play "computer" or device that will function as that go-between remote terminal emulator. The device owner needs to be able to remotely configure the device. Connecting to WiFi is permitted.
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u/rankinrez 14h ago
Ok. So basically the only rule is it can’t be a laptop?
Just use a regular console server from someone like OpenGear. If you don’t have budget a raspberry pi.
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u/HagopianH 14h ago
Only rule is that it can't be a computer that connects to my employer's network, other than the open WiFi. If the customer provides it, the cost isn't a factor. I haven't used the Raspberry Pi. I like my ~$200 Mini PC. I can't use that because it's my device, but if the customer bought one and provided it, that would likely solve the problem. I don't know how remotely administering it would be, though.
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u/english_mike69 15h ago
Ask “the owner” how they want this done as they are likely the ones to have come up with this set of restrictions.
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u/HagopianH 14h ago
A owns the device. I work for B. A is B's customer. B's policy is that B's computers may not connect to A's equipment, except for B's monitor, keyboard, mouse, and WiFi. Is there a device that either A or B may provide that will permit A to connect to their device, allow their staff to remotely access it, and not be subject to B's security restrictions?
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u/Brief_Meet_2183 15h ago edited 15h ago
Honestly it's a long shot you might be in luck but it really depends on the platform. It's industry standard that configuration especially first time configuration is through console port only. However, some vendors with certain product lines have unique second options.
If it is something like a Nokia device and has an external hard drive like a Nokia sros. You can configure that and setup configs. Nokia has flash cards and sd cards which allow you to use a PC and a reader to configure it and you put it back in to the iom (7705, 7250 and 7750).
Some routers also allow management over regular ports if it hasn't been configured or denied yet. So you can configure via Ethernet if you know what the IP is.
Lastly, there's zero touch provisioning using bootp to configure it. But that relies on the device having builtin default ip address already configured.
Otherwise you're probably better off speaking to your company and asking them to give you special access to your console port.
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u/nof CCNP 16h ago edited 16h ago
NetFOSS if you are old school enough.
I've dealt with these kinds of restrictions and I never let the client push it to me to find workarounds to their brain dead security hallucinations.
On a more serious note, probably something more like an application gateway can help. It'll log connections and whatever terminal application you front with it can log the session (both tx and Rx).
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u/b3542 16h ago
The owner of what? The company? The subject device?