Config Docs

console-workflows

Console Workflows — PacketPilot Config

The Console tab provides direct serial access to network devices via USB-to-serial adapters. It is primarily used for:

  • Initial device setup before SSH is configured
  • Password recovery
  • Devices that only have console access
  • Running vendor-specific bootstrap wizards

Opening the Console

  1. Connect your USB-to-serial cable from the PC to the device console port
  2. Note the COM port (check Windows Device Manager → Ports)
  3. In Config, open the Console tab
  4. Select the COM port from the dropdown
  5. Choose a vendor profile (or Generic)
  6. Click Connect

COM Port Settings

| Setting | Default | Notes | |---------|---------|-------| | Baud rate | Vendor-specific | Cisco: 9600, most others: 9600 | | Data bits | 8 | | | Parity | None | | | Stop bits | 1 | | | Flow control | None | For Cisco: also try hardware (RTS/CTS) if issues |

Config stores your last-used COM settings per vendor profile and restores them on reconnect.

Common Baud Rates by Vendor

| Vendor | Baud Rate | |--------|-----------| | Cisco (most) | 9600 | | Cisco (newer ISR) | 115200 | | Juniper | 9600 | | Arista | 9600 | | Aruba AOS-Switch | 9600 | | Aruba AOS-CX | 115200 | | HPE | 9600 |

Vendor Profiles

When you select a vendor profile, Config automatically:

  • Detects the login prompt pattern (login:, Username:, etc.)
  • Applies the correct baud rate
  • Enables the Bootstrap Wizard button (when available)

Current profiles:

| Profile | Serial | SSH | Bootstrap Wizard | |---------|--------|-----|-----------------| | Cisco | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Juniper | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Arista | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Aruba AOS-Switch | ✓ | — | ✓ | | Aruba AOS-CX | ✓ | — | ✓ | | Generic | ✓ | — | — |

Generic Profile

Use Generic for any device not listed above. It provides raw serial access with no prompt detection or bootstrap wizard. You interact with the device exactly as you would with a terminal emulator (PuTTY, etc.).

Bootstrap Wizards

A bootstrap wizard guides you through the initial device configuration step by step. It generates the actual CLI commands based on your inputs and sends them directly to the device via the serial console connection.

Cisco Bootstrap Wizard

Launches via the Bootstrap button in the Console tab when the Cisco profile is selected and a console connection is active.

Steps:

  1. Hostname — set the device hostname
  2. Management IP — assign an IP address to a VLAN interface
  3. Default Gateway — set the default route
  4. SSH (optional) — enable SSH and generate RSA key
  5. Enable secret — set the privileged exec password
  6. VLAN — configure a management VLAN

Generated commands are shown in a preview panel before being sent to the device. You can review each command before it is applied.

Aruba AOS-Switch Bootstrap Wizard

Applies to Aruba AOS-Switch devices (firmware 16.x and later). Configures:

  1. Hostname
  2. Management VLAN and IP
  3. Default Gateway
  4. SSH — enables SSHv2
  5. Local user — creates an admin account

Arista Bootstrap Wizard

For Arista EOS devices. Configures:

  1. Hostname
  2. Management interface — assign IP address
  3. Default Gateway
  4. Admin password — set the admin account
  5. SSH — enable SSH server

Juniper Bootstrap Wizard

For Juniper MX / EX / SRX series running JunOS. Uses the serial console connection to apply a candidate configuration via configure private. Configures:

  1. Hostname
  2. Root password — set the root authentication password
  3. Management interface — configure re0 interface with IP
  4. Default Gateway
  5. SSH — enable SSH for root-login

Running Manual Commands via Console

In the Console tab, a terminal window shows the device output. Type commands directly and press Enter to send them.

Tips:

  • Press Tab for command completion (device-dependent)
  • Use show ? to see available commands
  • For Cisco: show version, show vlan brief, show interfaces status are safe read-only commands

Console Session Logging

Config automatically logs all console output to a session file stored at:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\PacketPilot\sessions\

Session files are named with the format:

{devicehostname}_{YYYYMMDD}_{HHMMSS}.log

Session logging is enabled by default. You can disable it in Settings → Console.

Troubleshooting Serial Connection

| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix | |---------|-------------|-----| | No output in terminal | Wrong COM port | Check Device Manager, try other COM ports | | Garbled text | Wrong baud rate | Match baud to device (usually 9600) | | "Access denied" on COM port | Port in use by another app | Close other serial programs (PuTTY, etc.) | | Can type but no response | Device needs hardware flow control | Enable RTS/CTS in settings | | Login prompt not detected | Non-standard prompt | Use Generic profile and type login manually |