MikroTik

Hi,

how can I enable a Serial Console on my hEX (RB 750G r3). Since it doesn't have a serial port is it possible via the USB port? I found this Reddit post but was not revealing.

Sadly there is UART on the board (you could solder the connection) but it's not enabled in ROS and thus not usable by user.
So only way is to use usb to serial converter and after it appears in Ports, enable Console on it.

Is this a requirement that could be well served by the raspberry pi?

So only way is to use usb to serial converter and after it appears in Ports, enable Console on it.

Why a USB to Serial Converter? My PC has a USB port and the Routerboard has a USB Port. So is a Serial Converter really necessary? Why not using a USB to USB cable?

Why a USB to Serial Converter? My PC has a USB port and the Routerboard has a USB Port. So is a Serial Converter really necessary? Why not using a USB to USB cable?

Because in ROS serial console is ... well ... serial.

So you need a gadget which provides serial port over USB. You can plug another such gadget to your computer and use serial cable to connect the DB-9 ports of both gadgets.
Yeah, I know, sounds kind of stupid to use such cabling when simple USB2USB connection should do, but USB standard (up to, USB2.0 with USB OTG) doesn't allow direct connection between two USB hosts (and PCs and RBs are always USB hosts ... contrast that with USB devices, such as keyboards or mice).

So you need a gadget which provides serial port over USB. You can plug another such gadget to your computer and use serial cable to connect the DB-9 ports of both gadgets.

OK, so just to make sure I understand you, I need a cable/adapter which provides USB to Serial Port which I connect to the Routerboard on the USB side. Further I need another USB to Serial Port cable which I connect on the USB side to my PC. And both Serial Ports I connect. So I have USB to Serial Port to Serial Port to USB, right?

That's how it can be done.

or you can use a Woobm USB Stick from mikrotik
you can connect wireless to that stick and use the serial console over web or telnet.

or you can use a Woobm USB Stick from mikrotik

This sounds like it's exactly what I'm looking for.

Thank you very much for your time everyone.

Thanks, r00t!
It worked! I connected a CP2102 based USB/TTL bridge to the RB750g3r USB port and another similar bridge to my notebook. Just 3 wires to interconnect the bridges, GND, TX, and RX signals needed. TX and RX must be crossed connected. From a RealTerm console on the Notebook @9600 baud, I was able to authenticate and work normally.
Instead of guessing the baud rate, just in case, you can run "/port print" in the terminal via Winbox to confirm its current value, among other settings.

Afterward, to change the baud rate to 115200, after temporarily disabling the Console,

[admin@MikroTik] > /system console disabled=yes

I just run

[admin@MikroTik] > port set 0 baud-rate=115200

In case you forget to disable the Console first, you will a get failure message stating that the port is in use.
After a successful change, you must re-enable the Console, and you will be ready to reconnect to your console at the new baud rate.

I hope these additional details prove useful to other readers.
Thanks again to you all!

Or.. A USB-Serial adapter for both your PC and the RouterBoard and a null-modem cable between them...

My computers have real serial ports but I have used a USB-Serial adapter on my RB750Gr3 and RB760iGS.

I found that setting the serial console with RB750gr3 is a mess. I really want to control my router with the serial console because this is the only guaranteed way to get to it in some situations. Things can get messy. I do not run Windows etc. Good old serial console is the way to go.

The fact that the creators of this nice little device did not think enough about the console is a disappointment.

I had a pair of CP2102 modules and tried to connect to the router. I tested them before, they work just fine when using a computer with Linux, TX <-> RX and GND connected, I can send the traffic both ways. When I plug this module into the router it either crashes or fails to show the console. Once randomly I saw the console prompt but then the router has crashed again. Finally I have given up and replaced the router side of this messy solution with FTDI breakout module I had. That does seem to work better, a new USB port has appeared. And the router still crashes when I connect the USB cable but at least it seems to work after the crash. Automatic speed negotiation does not work either

On latest 7.3.1 OS.

Yeah, it sounds like the USB-Serial on v7 is messy from other threads.

Automatic speed negotiation isn't a feature though... 115200,8n1

Hello guys, I discovered this thread and I just tried a Manhattan brand USB serial adapter (which no longer supports my Windows 10 because it has a PL2303 chip) on my RB750Gr3 and the console works perfectly. Without configuring anything, everything by default, I connected to 115200!!! I'm going to try it on an hEXs that I have lying around but I'm sure it will work too. The firmware I am testing with is RouterOS 7.15.

To interconnect the serial port of the PC to the serial port of the RB750Gr3, use a so-called 0 modem serial cable, it is nothing more than the crossed cable that was used to interconnect two modems back to back.

Thanks for the help!