Linux Networking Cookbook

17.7. Dialing In to the Server

Problem

Your server is all set up for remote serial administration over dial-up, so how do you dial in to it and get to work?

Solution

Use your good friend Minicom, your all-in-one serial communications program.

To dial out from your remote serial console machine, enter the phone number in Minicom's dialing directory, then hit the Dial command:

	$ minicom
	Initializing modem
	
	Welcome to minicom 2.1
	
	OPTIONS: History Buffer, F-key Macros, Search History Buffer, I18n
	Compiled on Jan 1 2005, 19:46:57.
	
	Press CTRL-A Z for help on special keys
	
	AT S7=45 S0=0 L3 V1 X4 &c1 E1 Q0
	OK
	Ctrl-A, D

	____________________[Dialing Directory]___________________
	|  Name            Number         Last on   Times Script |
	|1  fileserver1     9322744                    0         |
	|                                                        |
	|                                                        |
	|                                                        |
	|                                                        |
	|                                                        |
	|           ( Escape to exit, Space to tag )             |
	|________________________________________________________|
	   Dial    Find   Add     Edit   Remove   moVe   Manual

	________________[Autodial]________________ 
	|                                         | 
	| Dialing : fileserver1                   |
	|      At : 9322744                       |
	|                                         |
	|                                         |
	|    Time : 39      Attempt #1            |
	|                                         |
	|                                         |
	| Escape to cancel, space to retry        |
	|________________________________________ |
	Connected. Press any key to continue
	<Enter>
	CONNECT 115200/V34/LAPM/V42BIS/33600:TX/33600:RX
	fileserver1.carla.com ttyS0 login: carla
	Password: ********
	[carla@fileserver1:~]$

And there you are. To exit your remote session:

	[carla@fileserver1:~]$ logout

Discussion

This makes a nice backup if your Internet service goes down, or your Ethernet fails, or if you need to reboot your server.

Don't worry too ...