Finished install . . . - go. . . [threw in the towel - unsolved]

[cookiemonster]

Being on linux, is there a reason to use putty? I wonder if you can try to rule out the application. Minicom is what I normally use with usb-to-serial adapters.

[ajoeiam]

OK - - - - contacted support @ Tripp Lite - - - - very long pauses - - - - didn't seem to know too much - - - - did direct me to prolific.com.tw - - - -.

Interesting information there - - - - as of kernel 5.5 on Linux support is baked into the kernel.

The most recent drivers their web site provides go to kernel 5.4.
After that - - - support is already in the kernel.

Suggestion is to try minicom.

I have some things I need to do but in about an hour I'll be back.

[ajoeiam]

so - - -  the joys continue!!!!

Seems my cable is NOT the issue - - - - and the PL2303 drivers are baked into the kernel as of kernel 5.5 (I'm on 5.10) so that's now covered.

Seems that putty was a large part of the issue.
Tried minicom - - - - can't seem to get it to act in a way that I can understand.
Installed Tabby (tabby-terminal to the .deb folks out there) - - - it has far more features not only than I can understand  - - - likely maybe even than I want.

So I can now log in and with an ethernet cable plugged in I reach the dashboard and can go through the initial setup stuff.

What I cannot do -- - - - is use either user 'installer' and when I try to log in as root - - - - well there is no option '8'.

In fact I cannot use the serial connection to type anything on the install I can only connect over the https connection.

Likely I have something mis-configured in my serial setup.

Is there anyone who might be able to advise on how to setup 'serial' so that when I type on that keyboard that it shows up on the firewall box?

Maybe there is a way to install from the gui - - - - please advise if so.

TIA

[cookiemonster]

In case you haven't seen it https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/how-tos/serial_access.html
You haven't said what hardware you are trying to install OPN onto. What is it, maybe does not need to be serial.

[ajoeiam]

Been having a LOT more fun - - - - but absolutely NO joy!!!!!

Hardware - - - 2 - (branded) Sophos SG115 rev 2 boxes
As far as I can determine - - - Intel Atom E3827 @1.74 GHz - 2 cores, 8 GB RAM, 64 GB some kind of sdd

What's real interesting - - - - I'm running linux boxen here - - - when I try to use 'screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200 - - - I'm getting a mess on the screen. When I connect using tabby (tabby-terminal for the .deb fans) I can actually see what's happening.

Now most of the information flys by faster than I can actually read it (I have been clocked at reading over 5k wpm in timed reading tests so the stuff is just flying by) AND it is not possible to input anything from the machine that I'm running the connection from.

That's the rub!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That means that I cannot run 'installer' (passwd) 'opnsense' to install - - - - I can only use 'root' (passwd) 'opnsense' to get to a live version - - - - but I CANNOT install.

HOW do I install?

Either information from when I'm on 192.168.1.1 - - - - or how do I get this serial connection to allow me to type from the controlling computer? (Either option will do - - - - please.)

TIA 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

Enable ssh in the UI and login as "installer" via ssh? Just a suggestion, I never tried that.

[cookiemonster]

Well you got me confused. According to the title of this thread you have installed it already and this other one seems to confirm it https://forum.opnsense.org/index.php?topic=33564.0. Furthermore, earlier on this one I thought I read you don't have the option to install anymore, which normally means it is not running as live media but as an installed system.
So if you have installed the OPN operating system, are you trying to re-install in a different way, or something else?

[ajoeiam]

Hmmmmmm - - - - so readers are confused - - - - you should be sitting here in my chair - - - - its worse here!!!

At one point I thought I had achieved an install.
Further had issues with, I now understand, my serial system. (Turned out to be problems with both putty and 'screen' on linux.)

With those problems I tried to reboot the system using the install stick - - - that really doesn't work like things do using the linux install media I'm used to. Result - - - - a not installed system.

Now can run the live system but still having some kind of serial issues  - - - also can't find diddly on the intershweb re: serial setups - - - - there are far more details than just speed  and the other 3 criteria ( 8, 1, 0 ) there are the control characters, systems etc.

What really complicates things is that opnsense needs to run at 115200 baud, The box wants things at 38400.

There is no neat little change over time available.

Either you use one or the other - - - - and one obviates the other.

Instead of being flexible - - - - its a nightmare. You try to one tine - - - at one speed. Then you change parameters and try another. If things don't work well - - - then you need to go back and change something - - - - - does that describe the nightmare accurately enough. (Each system insists its parameters be met - - - - and then you have someone in the middle - - -me - - - who is working trying to search out things understanding little of what is found - - - - - spending some 7to 8 hours on an install than should be doable in well under half an hour - - - - its really not encouraging!!!)

Now I can get things to a live system available - - - - can't find a way to effect an install though - - - logging in as installer - - - well that doesn't work - - - - ONLY root is allowed.

So what shall I do to try to actually get an install?

(Understand that at this point I need to shut off my present router when I'm doing this because its also 192.168.1.1 so its an either or kind of situation.)

Its a pity that serial connections aren't more like modem connections - - - you know - - connect at the max possible clean and if that's slow - - - - as long as it works.

[Patrick M. Hausen]

Now can run the live system but still having some kind of serial issues  - - - also can't find diddly on the intershweb re: serial setups - - - - there are far more details than just speed  and the other 3 criteria ( 8, 1, 0 ) there are the control characters, systems etc.

What really complicates things is that opnsense needs to run at 115200 baud, The box wants things at 38400.

1st serial communications is an established and well documented technology. It's decades old. The Unix System Administration Handbook by Evi Nemeth et. al. will tell you everything you need to know. Probably you were expecting "howtos" or however they document things in the Linux world nowadays. A generational problem, probably. You will need RTS/CTS handshake or experience dropped characters.

2nd I already suggested setting a speed matching the system (I suggested 9600 - 38400 will do fine, if that is the system default).

Boot into the install medium, connect via browser, change the serial speed in the web UI. Then adjust the speed in the serial terminal program of your choice.

[cookiemonster]

Serial are legacy, implemented a long time ago and it was an improvement at the time but on the other hand for what they're used, they work just fine. Many people install opn and other os to devices using it without problems.
Maybe your device is faulty, who knows.
A quick online glance and the devices seem to be fiddly as you have found https://forum.netgate.com/topic/176690/sophos-sg-115-rev-2-to-pfsense-or-opensense/14 https://forum.netgate.com/topic/133355/installing-pfsense-on-sophos-xg-105-rev-2/2 but there are some hints there about the OS and the BIOS needing to use different baud rates
All this said, I don't follow

At one point I thought I had achieved an install.
Further had issues with, I now understand, my serial system. (Turned out to be problems with both putty and 'screen' on linux.)

With those problems I tried to reboot the system using the install stick - - - that really doesn't work like things do using the linux install media I'm used to. Result - - - - a not installed system.

Now can run the live system but still having some kind of serial issues  - - - also can't find diddly on the intershweb re: serial setups - - - - there are far more details than just speed  and the other 3 criteria ( 8, 1, 0 ) there are the control characters, systems etc.
I don't understand, seems contradictory.
I any case, pmhausen has already mentioned to boot from install media, and change serial speeds via the UI, followed by connection via serial. Want to try that?

[ajoeiam]

Have chosen to stop dropping even more time into getting these boxen working.

Have another system coming a SFF low power consumption system running an i5 - 6500 (IIRC).

AFAICT freeBSD should be happy and its a 8 GB ram and 256 GB SSD with Gbit port.

I'm going to have to drop a USB3.0 to RJ-45 dongle on it.

Low power consumption boxen are actually quite hard to find and often bloody expensive.

Thanking those that have participated muchly for their assistance!

Arrivaderci