Connecting MB as a Terminal

[gordoebg]

First off I am in no way computer savvy....so dumb down your responses if possible.

OK So I have almost successfully made the switch from PC to Mac with a MacBook. The only thing I can't do yet is connect to my office's Terminal system.

With my PC I used an adapter that plugged into the serial port and then a telephone like cable plugged into the adapter. But since there is no Serial Port on the MB I am stuck. I thought that it might be as simple as finding a cable that had USB on one end and Serial on the other. However a sales consultant at a computer parts chain store told me this is going to be impossible.

Please tell me he is wrong!

Thanks.

 

[Vidd]

Are you sure it's not just an ethernet cable?

 

[gordoebg]

Yeah it is not normal ethernet cable. It looks more like a telephone cable.

 

[grapes911]

Where does the other end of this cable plug into? What do you do once its plugged in? Does it require software? Unless you can give us much more info, then you'll probably just have to ask someone from work.

 

[gordoebg]

Well there isn't anyone at work to ask. Our IT guy who designed our system is no longer around so I am experimenting. The other end of the cable goes into a server in another part of the building. This allows me to access all of our company data (customer data, payroll data, accounts payable, etc) which is all in a UNIX program. Hope that helps.

 

[gordoebg]

Anybody?

 

[beefy23]

With my PC I used an adapter that plugged into the serial port and then a telephone like cable plugged into the adapter. But since there is no Serial Port on the MB I am stuck. I thought that it might be as simple as finding a cable that had USB on one end and Serial on the other.

From your description it looks like the previous set up was using the serial port on the PC to act as a modem.

If the cable looks like an ethernet one but it isn't - it's most likely a modem cable. If I'm not mistaken, the newer Mac laptops don't come with a modem port as standard, you have to buy an external dongle type thingy. This will then present you with a port that you can plug the cable into.

I'd suggest popping into an Apple store and asking for the dongle, if poss take the cable with you to see if it would fit.

The other thing that you will then need will be the dial up details which you can set up under the networking preferences tab . . .

 

[jeremy.king]

There are plenty of USB to Serial cables out there, but it sounds more like your issue would be software and drivers. I use these types of cables to control RFID readers from Windows laptops without serial ports. The "telephone like cables" is most likely an ISDN terminal connection.

A quick google found this. http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-serial-cable-DB-9-Type/dp/B00065H0QQ

That said, can you SSH or Telnet into the server?