Zugg Software :: View topic

Newbie Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

First off I've got to thank Zugg for the awesome program Zmud was when I used it obsessively in middle and high school to play muds. (Version 4.62 rules!) Now that I'm in college, I'm using software like Tera Term to program Cisco routers, and noticed the interface was almost identical, and that Zmud would do a way better job than Tera Term. Unfortunately, the one feature I need is Terminal Emulation that can connect to the COM1 port (on the back of the PC) instead of telnet style emulation. Think Hyperterminal, which lets you choose TCP/IP OR COM ports. I need the COM ports. Can Zmud do this already, or is there a way to make it do so? If I could get Zmud's array of scripts and triggers working in a cisco environment, I could configure these things like 5 times faster. Hope to get some replies, and keep mudding!

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:51 pm

Sorry, but no. zMUD and CMUD are completely network-driven programs and have no way to use COM ports. Sorry.

However, I'm confused...most Cisco routers that I have seen allow you to connect to them and manage them via a telnet connection. Unless it's a *really* old router.

Newbie Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

Yes, you absolutely can telnet into them and manage them. However, when a router first wakes up (at least the ones I'm working with), all its ports are switched off except the console port. You have to console in to switch on the network ports, then you can telnet in. So I could use zmud if I was prepared to use hyperterminal first, get the ports up, then switch to zmud. Kind of a hassle though. Thanks for the prompt reply though!

..on a completely unrelated note, any plans for adding COM support? Very Happy

Network professionals would love you.

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:28 pm

Ahh, ok, now I understand. No, I don't have any plans for adding COM support. Handling COM and handling Telnet are really completely different. Unless there is some sort of 3rd party component for Delphi that makes COM communication look like network sockets. But with COM you have to deal with a lot of low-level issues like data errors that you don't have to worry about in Telnet (because it's taken care of at the network socket level).

Wizard Joined: 14 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269

Hmm a quick Google search brings up some results for telnet to COM converters, e.g. http://www.tacticalsoftware.com/products/dialoutez.htm plus some free ones for *nix, e.g. http://sourceforge.net/projects/telnetcpcd/ - looks like software that implements RFC 2217 is the stuff.

In terms of Delphi components, there are some things out there for doing serial / COM stuff (of course):
http://www.sharewareconnection.com/titles/serial-port-component.htm
But I don't know if any make COM ports look like network sockets. Possibly this one?: http://www.zylsoft.com/serialportax.htm

Also some non-Delphi shareware, i.e. converters, here: http://www.sharewareconnection.com/titles/socket.htm

And a blog which I didn't really read: http://blog.eltima.com/category/serial-port-communication
[EDIT: Oh, they're promoting their own products, but still.]

Anyway, with a telnet to serial COM converter, this can work as a proxy, and you could still use zMUD (I imagine).