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A yost cable (aka console cable) is used to connect from a serial port on the PC side to an ethernet jack on the device side (switch, router, firewall).<br><br>Console software is Putty and the like.<br><br>Is there a better option than Putty? Probably not for a beginner. Most of what makes other terminals better are bells and whistles that you probably don't want or need.<br><br>
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Just a Guy Trying to Make a Living

brothertruffle880

Software Engineer

noci

"Batchelor", Developer and EE Topic Advisor

Qlemo

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For this I've used a USB to serial converter, USB on the PC (laptop) side and serial on the switch/router side. These are available included in the cable, since you tagged Cisco this could be a cable that you could use:<br><br><a href="https://www.newegg.com/p/12K-04YP-00006?Description=usb%20console%20cable&amp;cm_re=usb_console%20cable-_-12K-04YP-00006-_-Product&amp;quicklink=true" rel="ugc">https://www.newegg.com/p/12K-04YP-00006?Description=usb%20console%20cable&amp;cm_re=usb_console%20cable-_-12K-04YP-00006-_-Product&amp;quicklink=true</a><br><br>The cable when connected to USB will present itself as a serial port, you use PuTTY to connect to the serial port (=connect to switch/router). Depending your router/switch you should configure the serial settings for that port in PuTTY. An example of how you can configure that is here at the Cisco site:<br><br><a href="https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/smb/switches/cisco-small-business-300-series-managed-switches/smb4984-access-the-cli-via-putty-using-a-console-connection-on-300-a.html" rel="ugc">https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/smb/switches/cisco-small-business-300-series-managed-switches/smb4984-access-the-cli-via-putty-using-a-console-connection-on-300-a.html</a>
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I wrote <a href="https://www.petenetlive.com/KB/Article/0000075" rel="ugc">this</a> for firewalls, but the process is pretty ubiquitous to be fair.<br><br>&lt;/P&gt;
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I was told I need a YOST cable. What is it and why is it called YOST?<br>I need console software. PuTTY? &nbsp;TFTP? &nbsp;Are these the same thing?<br>Is there better console software than PuTTY?<br><br>
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I was told I need a YOST cable. What is it and why is it called YOST?
I need console software. PuTTY?  TFTP?  Are these the same thing?
Is there better console software than PuTTY?

Router Configuration Question - What is Console Software?  TFTP? PuTTY?  YOST cable?

A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks. Routers perform the "traffic directing" functions on the Internet. The most familiar type of routers are home and small office cable or DSL routers that simply pass data, such as web pages, email, IM, and videos between computers and the Internet. More sophisticated routers, such as enterprise routers, connect large business or ISP networks up to the powerful core routers that forward data at high speed along the optical fiber lines of the Internet backbone. Though routers are typically dedicated hardware devices, use of software-based routers has grown increasingly common.

Routers

putty

tftp

Cisco PIX is a dedicated hardware firewall appliance; the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) is a firewall and anti-malware security appliance that provides unified threat management and protection the PIX does not. Other Cisco devices and systems include routers, switches, storage networking, wireless and the software and hardware for PIX Firewall Manager (PFM), PIX Device Manager (PDM) and Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM).