How to Send a Serial Command Line

Send commands through a serial cable to a device using Windows 7.

Network equipment — such as routers, switches and firewalls, point of sale equipment and electronic appliances — usually include a serial communication port as a standard means to configure and manage the device. Windows 7 can configure devices through a serial command line with the Microsoft HyperTerminal program. Set up the HyperTerminal program in Windows 7 for sending serial commands when configuring devices through a serial console.

Step 1

Connect a serial console cable to the Windows 7 computer's nine-pin serial port. Connect the free end of the cable to the serial console port on a device that requires serial command line communication.

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Step 2

Click the "Start" or "Globe" button in the lower left corner of the desktop, then click "Search." Type "hypertrm.exe," then press "Enter." Double-click the "HyperTerminal" icon that appears in the left pane.

Step 3

Type a name for the serial communication session into the "Name:" field and press "Enter." Click "Connect using:" and select the "Com port" drop-down menu. Click on the port listed that is connected to the serial console device and press "Enter."

Step 4

Click the "Bits per second:" option, then select the setting from the list displayed that meets the "Bits per second" requirement of the serial console device. Click the "Data bits:" drop-down box, and click on the setting that meets the "Data bits" requirement of the serial console device. Click the "Parity:" drop-down box, and click the selection in the drop-down menu that is in accordance with the "Stop bits" requirement of the serial console device. Click the "Flow Control" drop-down menu and select the setting from the list displayed that meeting the "Flow Control" requirements of the serial console device. Click "Apply," then "OK."

Step 5

Tap the "Enter" key until the serial console device command prompt displays. You can now send commands over the serial connection to the device.

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