If you tried to connect an Aruba AP/IAP 3-series via console you probably have noticed a special kind of connection that is different from standard RJ45. While AP-205 and others use RJ45, AP-305, AP-315 and also some RAPs are using TTL connectors.
Standard RJ45 console
According to AP-305 datasheet, Item JW071A is the recommended cable for console use.
The downside of this solution is the price, US $68 to $159 without shipping, but also it comes with an old serial DB9 connector.
Instead, a more reasonable solution would be a an alternative cable, without the serial DB9 connector. A solution compatible with recent Macbooks USB-C connection. With some help from google, compatible gear could be found at http://www.adafruit.com.
The following components were used.
FTDI Serial TTL-232 USB Type C Cable – 3V Power and Logic
Premium Female/Male ‘Extension’ Jumper Wires – 40 x 3″ (75mm)
FTDI cable pinouts
AP Pinouts
When connecting two peers Rx and Tx is swapped, as outgoing data from one peer should go to incoming data for the other peer. Rx pin on the computer/FTDI interface should therefore connect to APs Tx pin and opposite (follow the color codes on pictures above).
AP-315
AP-305
Console connection
dmesg shows status of the connected FTDI-device and loaded drivers in linux/macOS.
screen /dev/ttyUSBx 9600 starts user-interaction with device (Ubuntu).
In MacOS/terminal device is often assigned /dev/tty.USBxxx.
RAP
RAP-3WN has the same type of connection. Tests has not yet been done on RAPs using this solution. Therefore, I would recommend anyone to be cautious connecting to RAP-3WN, as I have not yet been able to fully test this solution.
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