Windows Vista: No HyperTerminal to Configure Cisco Routers Connected Via a Local COM Port

by Vivek Gite · 25 comments

Recently I was hired to work on a Government project. They are 100% Microsoft shop expect for few Redhat boxes and Cisco gear.

They also have lots of customized VPN and cisco routers supplied by local company. Apart from securing those RHEL boxes, I had to connect routers / vpn devices via a local com port to upgrade BIOS and other configurations. They have Windows vista on all desktops and my Laptop has no serial port. So I decided to use old good HyperTerminal. I thought HyperTerminal is still under the Programs > Accessories > Communications menu. I failed to locate hypertrm.exe. From Microsoft support website:

HyperTerminal is no longer part of Windows. There are several options you can use to replace its functionality. If you previously used HyperTerminal to control serial devices, you can usually find a downloadable version of HyperTerminal on the Internet that is free for personal use.

So what was the purpose of removing Hyper terminal from vista ? How do you use the equivalent of Hyperterminal in XP, with Windows Vista to configure Cisco routers?

Get Putty to replace vista hyperterminal

Download and use open source putty terminal software. You can grab putty here.

Start Putty

Double click on putty > Select Serial > Type COM1 and speed rate such as 19200:

(Fig. 01: Putty as replacement for HyperTerinal under Windows Vista)

Configure putty

You also need to setup other serial connection parameters by visiting category > serial menu on left side:

(Fig. 02: Configure putty serial communication options)
Finally, just hit open button:

(Fig. 03: Windows Vista putty serial communication in action)

There you have it.

Other options for vista hyperterminal software

TeraTerm Pro open source terminal
HyperTerminal Private Edition version 6.3
If you have an old Windows XP installation, find and copy the file named "hypertrm.dll" and "hypertrm.exe" to Windows Vista in the same location. Run hypertrm.exe from run > cmd.

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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Si_4&a$=( 02.03.08 at 4:47 am: your screenshot can be better if you save in gif or (better) in png format.

regards
2 vivek 02.03.08 at 5:16 am: Thanks for feedback. Usually, I do use .png, but not sure if paint will support the same.
3 Cisco 03.11.08 at 10:18 am: Thanks for post. It`s help me in job. Respect
4 Balo 03.20.08 at 11:41 pm: Hey,

Thanks for this article. Just the other I found myself wanting to use my MS Vista-running laptop to configure a cisco router and was left befuddled as to where Hyperterminal was.
5 WES 10.26.08 at 4:49 am: thanks for the tip got hyperterminal going in vista.
6 Anthony 11.07.08 at 4:27 am: Thanks solve my problem regarding hyperterminal after i read thru part copying hypertrm.exe & dll.
Now i have no regard using Wins Vista Basic.
7 MikeL 11.23.08 at 6:02 am: As with other comments, thanks for the very useful article. Next problem, though, is how to get a Smartlink modem to work properly under Vista .
8 User 12.19.08 at 12:51 am: Yes, this works, but does not support XMODEM.
9 is 01.20.09 at 9:35 am: i m using windows vista basic but there are no option for hyper terminal.how to use me windows vista tell me?
10 DSU 03.12.09 at 7:34 pm: Very late to this topic but thought I would add that Putty is available as a PortableApp. This made my life much easier.
11 ENS 04.03.09 at 5:08 am: Thx for this useful article sir….
12 Mohammed Mostafa 04.05.09 at 1:48 pm: really i am thanking who guide or help or recommend this software
it is so helpful for me
13 geek 04.15.09 at 4:45 am: Hello, in the graphic the baud rate is set to 192000. This is incorrect. There is an extra “0″. Some people who are familiar with this can figure out, but newbies might not. Could you replace that at your convenience. Let me know if I’m wrong.
14 amera 04.15.09 at 9:04 pm: Thank you so much and all the best
15 Vivek Gite 04.15.09 at 9:23 pm: @geek,

Yes, there is an extra 0. I may update it sometime later…
16 TaToosh 06.03.09 at 6:22 am: Hey, i often got bluescreen on Vista SP1 with putty serial connected to cisco 851.
what can i do to resolve the issues ??
Thx
17 James 06.05.09 at 1:04 am: Thanks man, you saved me precious time and headache. Cheers!
18 varun 07.06.09 at 3:13 pm: thanks
19 js 10.03.09 at 2:38 am: Great article. Thanks!
20 abbas 10.05.09 at 2:35 pm: can we configure hyper terminal in windows vista to Hughes modem
21 kaushik kundaliya 11.20.09 at 7:16 am: as option given putty is working ok. thanks a lot
22 jim 01.05.10 at 11:34 pm: Thanks.
23 zeeshan 01.06.10 at 9:25 am: its was realy helpful
24 someone321 01.24.10 at 5:26 pm: even better than the normal putty, is the portable version:
http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/putty_portable

since you can install on a usb stick, and it’ll save that configuration locally, instead of in the registry. sweet.
25 Latodrecas 01.26.10 at 11:25 pm: Thanks for taking the time to help a newb……Very helpful article.