No more HyperTerminal on Windows 7? Try Putty!

  Bits per sec    :  9600  
  Data bits       :     8 
  Parity          :  none 
  Stop bits       :     1 
  Flow control    :  none 

(This post is re-posted in English from my original post.)

We are all used to start HyperTerminal included in old Microsoft Windows XP to do initial console configurations of routers and switches. However, starting from Windows Vista (and also Windows 7), no HyperTerminal software anymore! Now how can we do console configuration in Windows Vista or Windows 7?

In fact, Putty, the software we use as daily Secure Shell (SSH) client, can also be used to do console configuration on routers and switches.

After downloading it, we can just double-click Putty.exe icon to start it. This is much simpler than locating HyperTerminal from "Accessories/Communications/HyperTerminal" path every time as we did in Windows XP.

First choose "Serial" as the connection type, as the following screen capture.

Because the default "Baud Rate" of Putty is exactly 9600, and the default "Flow Control" is "Xon/Xoff", we can start console configuration right away on Cisco's routers and switches.

NOTE: Cisco asks you to set "Flow Control" as "none". However, Xon/Xoff also works in all my experiences.

Bits per sec    :  9600 
Data bits       :     8 
Parity          :  none 
Stop bits       :     1 
Flow control    :  none  

You can do this additional step to change "Flow Control" to "None", in "Connection/Serial" dialog.

You can save even more time everytime using Putty by saving above Putty attribute set as "Saved Session". Type your chosen name first (in this example, "Console") and then click "Save".

Haven't you start to consider replacing HyperTerminal with Putty, even in old Windows XP?

[Reference]

• Putty author's download page
• Cisco.com: Applying Correct Terminal Emulator Settings for Console Connections