Connecting to a Headless machine, after install

[Rob]

Bruce Hunter wrote:
> I have setup a headless machine via a null modem cable. Instalation went 
> fine. The only problem now, is connecting to the machine after the 
> install. When I #cu -l /dev/cuaao/
> I see the boot process, but it gets to the date prompt but doesn't show 
> the login:
> i did install ssh, but won't let me login with the password I set for 
> root. Any other methods for connecting? This system is connected in my 
> local network, with a firewall protecting my systems.
> - i am not running xserver on this system

Of course you cannot login as root over the ssh connection; that's a
default behaviour for security reasons. Haven't you installed a regular
user on this PC, which is also member of the wheel group to allow using
su for becoming root?

Funny, that I'm struggling with opposite problem: I do not get the
boot messages over the serial cable, but do get the login prompt,
which I do not understand :(.

For the login prompt, I have following in /etc/ttys on the headless PC:

   ttyd0   "/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"   unknown on  secure

but be sure the serial port is enabled in the BIOS, and you have
serial port support compiled into your kernel.
Your cu command should then work, I suppose.

Cheers,
Rob.