Remote Serial Console HOWTO
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# Chapter 5. Configure Linux kernel

The Linux kernel is configured to select the console by passing it the `console` parameter. The `console` parameter can be given repeatedly, but the parameter can only be given once for each console technology. So `console=tty0 console=lp0 console=ttyS0` is acceptable but `console=ttyS0 console=ttyS1` will not work.

When multiple consoles are listed output is sent to all consoles and input is taken from the last listed console. The last `console` is the one Linux uses as the `/dev/console` device.

The syntax of the `console` parameter is given in Figure 5-1.

Figure 5-1. Kernel `console` syntax, in EBNF

`console=ttyS``<serial_port>`[`,``<mode>`]
`console=tty``<virtual_terminal>`
`console=lp``<parallel_port>`
`console=ttyUSB`[`<usb_port>`[`,``<mode>`]

`<serial_port>` is the number of the serial port. This is defined in Figure 4-2 and discussed in Section 2.2. The examples in this HOWTO use the first serial port, giving `<serial_port>` the value `0`, which in turn gives kernel parameter `console=ttyS0`.

If you are using the devfs device filesystem with your Linux installation the kernel parameter for the first serial port is still `ttyS0`, even though the first serial device is no longer known as `/dev/ttyS0` but as `/dev/ttys/0`.

`<mode>` is defined in Figure 2-7 and is discussed in Section 2.3. The examples in this HOWTO use 9600 bits per second, one start bit, eight data bits, no parity, one stop bit, and no CTS/RTS flow control giving `<mode>` the value of `9600n8`. When the current kernel flow control bugs are corrected this HOWTO will once again recommend the value `9600n8r`.

`<usb_port>` can specify the address of a USB dongle containing a serial port to be used as a serial console.[1] For example, the serial port `console=ttyS0,9600n8` when moved to a USB serial dongle would be written as `console=ttyUSB0,9600n8`. The USB subsystem is started rather late in the boot process, console messages printed during boot before the USB subsystem is loaded will be lost.

With no `console` parameter the kernel will use the first virtual terminal, which is `/dev/tty0`. A user at the keyboard uses this virtual terminal by pressing Ctrl-Alt-F1.

If your computer contains a video card then we suggest that you also configure it as a console. This is done with the kernel parameter `console=tty0`.

For computers with both a video card and a serial console in the port marked "COM1:" this HOWTO suggests the kernel parameters:

Figure 5-2. Recommended kernel parameters, PCs with video card

    console=tty0 console=ttyS0,9600n8

Kernel messages will appear on both the first virtual terminal and the serial port. Messages from the init system and the system logger will appear only on the first serial port. This can be slightly confusing when looking at the attached monitor: the machine will appear to boot and then hang. Don't panic, the init system has started but is now printing messages to the serial port but is printing nothing to the screen. If a getty has been configured then a `login:` prompt will eventually appear on the attached monitor.

For PCs without a video card, this HOWTO suggests the kernel parameters:

Figure 5-3. Recommended kernel parameters, PCs without video card

    console=ttyS0,9600n8

These parameters are passed to the booting kernel by the boot loader. Next we will configure the boot loader used by your Linux installation to pass the `console` parameters to the kernel.

### Notes

[1] | A serial console attached to a USB dongle is only available in Linux kernel version 2.5.7 and later. The 2.5 series of kernels are developer's kernels and are not ready for production use.

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