minicom Command in Linux

Introduction to Minicom

This guide provides a practical introduction to using the Linux minicom command. Learn through hands-on examples covering minicom installation and configuration on Ubuntu 22.04, establishing connections to serial devices, and optimizing minicom settings for an enhanced systemadmin experience. This tutorial walks you through installing the minicom package, setting up serial port configurations, and utilizing minicom to interface with serial devices. Furthermore, you'll discover how to tailor minicom settings to achieve optimal usability.

Install and Configure minicom on Ubuntu 22.04

In this section, we'll walk through installing and configuring the minicom terminal emulator within an Ubuntu 22.04 Docker container.

Begin by updating the package index and installing the minicom package using the following commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y minicom

Example output:

Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy InRelease [270 kB]
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-updates InRelease [119 kB]
Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-security InRelease [110 kB]
...
Fetched 1,546 kB in 1s (1,546 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libuucp1 lrzsz
Suggested packages:
  cu
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libuucp1 lrzsz minicom
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 287 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,036 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
...

Next, configure minicom settings. Execute the command below to access the minicom configuration menu:

sudo minicom -s

The minicom configuration menu will appear. Use the arrow keys to navigate and choose the options you wish to configure, including:

  • Serial port setup
  • Modem and dialing
  • Screen and keyboard
  • Save setup as dfl

Once you've applied the desired modifications, select "Exit from minicom" to save your configuration and exit.

You can now launch minicom using the following command:

sudo minicom

This will start the minicom terminal emulator, allowing you to begin connecting to serial devices.

Connect to a Serial Device Using minicom

This section details how to use minicom to connect to a serial device.

First, identify the serial port to which your device is connected. Within an Ubuntu 22.04 Docker container, serial ports are typically located under the /dev/ directory. For example, if the device is connected to the first USB serial port, the path might be /dev/ttyUSB0.

Next, launch minicom and configure the connection settings:

sudo minicom -s

Within the minicom configuration menu, navigate to "Serial port setup" and configure the settings as follows:

  • Serial Device: /dev/ttyUSB0 (or the correct serial port path for your device)
  • Baud: 9600 (or the baud rate specified by your device)
  • Parity: None
  • Databits: 8
  • Stopbits: 1

Save the configuration and exit the menu.

Now, connect to the serial device:

sudo minicom

You should see the terminal emulator window. You can now begin interacting with the connected serial device. As a systemadmin, this is crucial for debugging and configuration.

Example output:

Welcome to minicom 2.8

OPTIONS: I18n
Compiled on Feb 10 2022, 17:15:30.
Port /dev/ttyUSB0, 09:00:00

Press CTRL-A Z for help on special keys

To disconnect from the serial device, press Ctrl+A followed by X.

Customize minicom Settings for Better User Experience

This section explores customizing minicom settings to enhance the overall user experience for systemadmin tasks.

First, access the minicom configuration menu:

sudo minicom -s

Here are some settings you can customize to improve your workflow:

  1. Screen and keyboard:

    • Customize screen colors
    • Adjust font size for readability
    • Enable or disable local echo

  2. Modem and dialing:

    • Configure the dialing directory for frequently accessed devices
    • Set the default baud rate and other critical serial parameters

  3. File transfer protocols:

    • Select the preferred file transfer protocol (e.g., Xmodem, Zmodem) for firmware updates or data transfer
    • Configure the file transfer directory for easy access

  4. Save setup as dfl:

    • Save your customized settings as the default configuration for consistency

For instance, to modify the screen colors, navigate to the "Screen and keyboard" option, choose "Screen color," and select your preferred color scheme.

Example output:

+-----[configuration]------+
| Filenames and paths      |
| File transfer protocols |
| Serial port setup       |
| Modem and dialing       |
| Screen and keyboard     |
| Save setup as dfl       |
| Exit from minicom       |
+-------------------------+
Screen color

After making the desired changes, select "Save setup as dfl" to save the configuration as the default.

Now, each time you launch minicom, it will automatically use your customized settings, streamlining your systemadmin tasks.

Summary

In this lab, you learned how to install and configure the minicom terminal emulator on an Ubuntu 22.04 Docker container. You updated the package index, installed the minicom package using apt-get, and tailored the minicom settings to match your individual preferences. Next, you learned how to establish a connection to a serial device using minicom by identifying the serial port and carefully configuring the connection parameters. Finally, you explored how to further customize the minicom settings for a more efficient user experience as a systemadmin, including fine-tuning the screen and keyboard settings and understanding how to save the setup for later use.

400+ Linux Commands