Sun Serial Port & Cable Pinouts
[Last updated May 18, 2001]
Port voltage: Many Sun cpu serial ports can be configured as either RS-232 (+/- 12V) or RS-423 (+/- 5V). Defaults vary. See the hardware documentation for your machine to locate the jumper to configure this, if it exists. Most implementations do not have to worry about the voltage on the serial port.
Port splitter cable: Many Suns need a Y-cable to split the A/B Serial Port into the 2 different devices. Different Suns use different splitter cables for this purpose. Some Suns use small, round Mini DIN8 connectors that require an adapter to connect to a DB25 device, like a modem or terminal. Pinouts are shown below.
Not all Suns are represented here. If you have the pinout of a Sun not listed, please send it to webmistress@stokely.com and she'll include it in this list.
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Webmistress' comments on cable vendors:
- PCCables.com has a good online catalog, and several Sun cables. Good cable and connector pictures. They have some very handy, inexpensive RJ45-DB9/DB25 adapters. These are often used for serial devices and have all wires ready to be pushed into the appropriate spot on the DB9/DB25 connector.
- SunStore (800) SUN-0404, is very knowledgeable and will ship your order for stock cables quickly.
- Ultra Spec Cables (800) 622-2537, seems to carry most or all of these cables, at reasonable prices. There have been some customer service problems with Ultra Spec, but they seem to be working this out. Check your order carefully.
- Network Technologies Inc. makes switches, splitters and extension cables for Sun, PC and MAC machines.
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WorkstationCables.com
carries many cables for Suns and other workstations.
Nice online cable configurator and connector guide.
- More cable vendors are listed in our Cables section.
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Sun ELC and SLC CPU serial ports: The Sun part number is for the ELC serial port splitter cable is X985Q. The SLC serial port splitter cable is Sun part # 530-1667. The pinout below is from the May 1993 Sun FE Handbook.
Pin Signal Port Pin Signal Port ----------------- ----------------- 2 TD A 13 CTS B 3 RD A 14 TD B 4 RTS A 15 TC A 5 CTS A 16 RD B 6 DSR A 17 RC A 7 GND A 19 RTS B 8 DCD A 20 DTR A 12 DCD B 24 TCO A |
SparcStation 2: The SparcStation 2 has 2 DB25, 25-pin serial ports: Pin Signal Description --- ------ ----------- 2 TxD output 3 RxD input 4 RTS output 5 CTS input 6 DSR input 7 GND 8 DCD input 20 DTR output |
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Ultra 1, 2, 30, 60, Enterprise 150/ 220R/ 250/ 6500/ 5500/ 4500/ 3500/ 3000: These machines have 2 DB25, 25-pin RS-423/RS-232 serial ports: Pin Signal Description --- ------ ----------- 2 TxD output Transmit Data 3 RxD input Receive Data 4 RTS output Request to Send 5 CTS input Clear to Send 6 DSR input Data Set Ready 7 GND Ground 8 DCD input Data Carrier Detect 9-14 none Not connected 15 TRxC input1 Transmit Clock input1 16 none Not connected 17 RTxC input2 Receive Clock2 18-19 none Not connected 20 DTR output Data Terminal Ready 21-23 none Not connected 24 TxC output3 Transmit Clock output3 25 none Not Connected
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Enterprise 420R: This machine has 2 DB25, 25-pin RS-423/RS-232 serial ports: Pin Signal Description --- ------ ----------- 2 TxD output Transmit Data 3 RxD input Receive Data 4 RTS output Request to Send 5 CTS input Clear to Send 6 DSR input Data Set Ready 7 GND Ground 8 DCD input Data Carrier Detect 9 BUTTON_POR To be determined 10 BUTTON_XIR_L To be determined 11 +5Vdc +5 VDC 12-14 none Not connected 15 TRxC input Transmit Clock 16 none Not connected 17 RTxC input Receive Clock 18-19 none Not connected 20 DTR output Data Terminal Ready 21-23 none Not connected 24 TxC output Transmit Clock 25 none Not Connected |
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Ultra 5 & 10: Port A is a DB25, Port B is a DB9: Serial Port A (DB25) Pin Signal Description --- ------ ----------- 2 TxD output Transmit Data 3 RxD input Receive Data 4 RTS output Request to Send 5 CTS input Clear to Send 6 DSR input Data Set Ready 7 GND Ground 8 DCD input Data Carrier Detect 9-14 none Not connected 15 TRxC input Transmit Clock 16 none Not connected 17 RTxC input Receive Clock 20 DTR output Data Terminal Ready 21-23 none Not connected 24 TxC output Transmit Clock 25 none Not Connected Serial Port B (DB9) Pin Signal Description --- ------ ----------- 1 CD Carrier Detect 2 RD Receive Data 3 TD Transmit Data 4 DTR Data Terminal Ready 5 GND Ground 6 DSR Data Set Ready 7 RTS Request to Send 8 CTS Clear to Send 9 RI Ring Indicator |
Netra t1 Model 105/AC200/DC200: The Netra has RJ-45 connectors for serial ports.
RJ45 Connector
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1 - RTS 5 - REF (GND)
2 - DTR 6 - RXD
3 - TXD 7 - DSR
4 - REF (GND) 8 - CTS
Below are pinouts for a Netra RJ45 - DB25 RS232 serial converter cable, part number 530-2889-01 and a hand-crafted Netra RJ45 - DB9 serial cable. (There is also a part number 530-2889-01 which has the same pinout except that the RJ-45 BODY (black) is wired to RS232 pin 1 GND.) Note that these are wired DCE. If you use the supplied Netra RJ-45 to DB25 RS232 adapter, you get a null-modem cable, suitable for a terminal connection. Use a null-modem adapter or a rollover RJ-45 cable to connect this adapter to a modem. (The webmistress has received conflicting information on the supplied Netra adapter. Verify your pinout before you rely on it.) Netra Sun serial DB25 RJ-45 RS-232 adapter Pin part # 530-2889-01 -------------- ------------------ 1 (RTS) blue --- 5 (CTS) 2 (DTR) orange --- 6 (DSR) 3 (TXD) black --- 3 (RXD) 4 (GND) red --- 7 (GND) 5 (GND) green --- 7 (GND) 6 (RXD) yellow --- 2 (TXD) 7 (DSR) brown --- 20 (DTR) 8 (CTS) gray --- 4 (RTS) Netra DB9 adapter RJ-45 RS-232 Pin Pin (make your own cable) -------------- --------------------- 1 (RTS) blue --- 8 (CTS) 2 (DTR) orange --- 6 (DSR) 3 (TXD) black --- 2 (RXD) 4 (GND) red --- 5 (GND) 5 (GND) green --- 5 (GND) 6 (RXD) yellow --- 3 (TXD) 7 (DSR) brown --- 4 (DTR) 8 (CTS) gray --- 7 (RTS) |
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Sun IPC and IPX CPU serial ports: Sun no longer sells the serial DIN8 to DB25 serial cable part. It's available for about US$28 from Ultra Spec Cables. Macintosh serial cables may also work for terminal connections (if lines 2 and 3 are crossed, as in a null-modem cable), but not for modem connections, since the Macintosh cable has no DCD line. There are several different Mac modem cables, so check that the pinout matches what you need. If you feel we're wrong on this Mac cable issue, please convince us via email to webmistress@stokely.com. Note that DB25 pin 6, 15, 22, 24, and 25 are not supported on the Sun serial port adapter cable. The left pinout below is taken from the SparcStation IPC Installation Guide. |
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IPC & IPX DB25 to DIN8 Cable Pinout DIN8 DB25 Signal Description Pin Pin ---------------------------------------- 1 20 DTR Data Terminal Ready 2 5 CTS Clear to Send 3 2 TXD Transmit Data 4 7 GND Ground 5 3 RXD Receive Data 6 4 RTS Request to Send 7 8 DCD Data Carrier Detect 8 17 RTXC Receive Clock N/A 6 DSR Data Set Ready, not used N/A 15 DB Transmit Clock, not used N/A 22 RI Ring Indicator, not connected N/A 24 DA Transmit Clock, not used N/A 25 - Not connected |
Mini DIN8 MacintoshPlus Serial Cable Pinout Pin Signal Description ---------------------------- 1 HSKo Output Handshake (Zilog 8530 DTR pin) 2 HSKi/CLK Input Handshake *OR* External Clock 3 TxD- Transmit data (-) 4 Ground Signal ground 5 RxD- Receive data (-) 6 TxD+ Transmit data (+) 7 N/C (no connection) 8 RxD+ Receive data (+) |
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Y-cable (Sun Part number X985A) and the DB25 connector on the system unit, labeled A/B. Reprinted from the Sun Microsystem Inc.'s Desktop SPARC Hardware Owner's Guide (Dec '92) and other information. This is the pinout of the Serial Port A/B connector and the Ports A and B of the Y-Cable that attach to it. Legend: x = active pins, o = inactive pins (or pin not there) E450 tidbit: The E450 has its serial port set to RS-423 (+/- 5v) by default. To change it to RS-232 (+/- 12v), move the jumper at J3303 (near the parallel port) from pins 2-3 to pins 1-2. This is seldom necessary with modern serial devices, because most devices can use either voltage set. But, there are those rare times when some strange device cares about the serial port voltage. |
Sun Sparcstation 4, 5, 10, 20, LX, Classic, Classic X
& Ultra Enterprise 450:
1 1 1 1
3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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| x x x o o x x x x x x x o |
| x x o o o x x x x x x x |
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2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4
Pin Circuit Signal Direction Description
--- ------- ------ --------- -----------
1 none none -- not connected
2 BA TD output Transmit Data, Port A
3 BB RD input Receive Data, Port A
4 CA RTS output Request to Send, Port A
5 CB CTS input Clear to Send, Port A
6 CC DSR input Data Set Ready, Port A
7 AB SG -- Signal Ground
8 CF DCD input Data Carrier Detect, Port A
9-10 none none -- not connected
11 SCD SDTR input Data Terminal Ready, Port B
12 SCF SDCD input Data Carrier Detect, Port B
13 SCB SCTS input Clear to Send, Port B
14 SBA STD output Transmit Data, Port B
15 DB TC input Transmit Clock, Port A
DCE source
16 SBB SRD input Receive Data, Port B
17 DD RC input Receive Clock, Port A
18 SDB STC input Transmit Clock, Port B
19 SCA SRTS output Request to Send, Port B
20 CD DTR output Data Terminal Ready, Port A
21-23 none none -- not connected
24 DA TC output Transmit Clock, Port A
DTE source
25 DA TC output Transmit Clock, Port B
DTE source
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Sun Sparcstation 4, 5, 10, 20, LX, Classic, Classic X
& Ultra Enterprise 450:
1 1 1 1
3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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| o o o o o x x x x x x x o |
| o x o o o x o o x o x o |
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2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4
Pin Circuit Signal Direction Description
--- ------- ------ --------- -----------
2 BA TD output Transmit Data
3 BB RD input Receive Data
4 CA RTS output Request to Send
5 CB CTS input Clear to Send
6 CC DSR input Data Set Ready
7 AB SG -- Signal Ground
8 CF DCD input Data Carrier Detect
15 DB TC input Transmit Clock,
DCE source
17 DD RC input Receive Clock
20 CD DTR output Data Terminal Ready
24 DA TC output Transmit Clock,
DTE Source
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Sun Sparcstation 4, 5, 10, 20, LX, Classic, Classic X
& Ultra Enterprise 450: 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ----------------------------------------- | o o o o o x x o x x x x o | | o o o o o x o o o o o o | ----------------------------------------- 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 Pin Circuit Signal Direction Description --- ------- ------ --------- ----------- 2 BA TD output Transmit Data 3 BB RD input Receive Data 4 CA RTS output Request to Send 5 CB CTS input Clear to Send 7 AB SG -- Signal Ground 8 CF DCD input Data Carrier Detect 20 CD DTR output Data Terminal Ready |
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Ultra 80 & Sun Blade 1000 CPU serial ports: The serial port A and B connectors are DB25 connectors located on the motherboard back panel. The 2 ports are wired in the same way. Pin Signal Description --- ------ ----------- 1 NC Not connected 2 SER_TDX_A_CONN Transmit data 3 SER_RXD_A_CONN Receive data 4 SER_RTS_A_L_CONN Ready to send 5 SER_CTS_A_L_CONN Clear to send 6 SER_DSR_A_L_CONN Data set ready 7 GND Signal ground 8 SER_DCD_A_L-CONN Data carrier detect 9 BUTTON_POR Power-on reset 10 BUTTON_XIR_L Transmit internal reset 11 +5VDC +5 VDC 12-14 NC Not connected 15 SER_TRXC_A_L_CONN Transmit clock 16 NC Not connected 17 SER_RXC_A_L_CONN Receive clock 18-19 NC Not connected 20 SER_DTR_A_L_CONN Data terminal ready 21-23 NC Not connected 24 SER_TXC_A_L_CONN Terminal clock 25 NC Not connected |
Sun Blade 100 CPU serial port: The 1 serial port connector is a DB9 type connector located on the back panel. The serial port connector provides asynchronous serial communications. Pin Signal Description --- ------ ----------- 1 CD Carrier detect 2 RD Receive data 3 TD Transmit data 4 DTR Data terminal ready 5 GND Ground 6 DSR Data set ready 7 RTS Request to send 8 CTS Clear to send 9 RI Ring indicator |
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Null modem pinout DB25 to DB25: Used in connecting 2 computers with full modem signalling capability. This is usually the pinout found in null modem cables for DB25 to DB25.
DB25 DB25
----- -----
1 GND --------------- 1 GND
2 TD --------------- 3 RD
3 RD --------------- 2 TD
4 RTS --------------- 5 CTS
5 CTS --------------- 4 RTS
7 GND --------------- 7 GND
6 DSR ---+
+----------- 20 DTR
8 DCD ---+
+---- 6 DSR
20 DTR ----------+
+---- 8 DCD
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Null modem pinout DB25 to DB9: Used in connecting 2 computers with full modem signalling capability. This is usually the pinout found in null modem cables for DB25 to DB9. DB25 DB9 ---- --- 1 GND --- 1 GND 2 TD --- 2 RD 3 RD --- 3 TD 4 RTS --- 8 CTS 5 CTS --- 7 RTS 7 GND --- 5 GND 6 DSR --- 4 DTR 20 DTR --- 6 DSR |
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Null terminal pinout DB25 to DB25: Used in connecting 2 computers without modem signalling capability. You usually have to build this cable yourself. DB25 DB25 ---- ---- 1 GND --- 1 GND (optional, but a Very Good Idea) 2 TD --- 3 RD 3 RD --- 2 TD 7 GND --- 7 GND |
Null terminal pinout DB25 to DB9: Used in connecting 2 computers without modem signalling capability. You usually have to build this cable yourself. DB25 DB9 ---- --- 1 GND --- 1 GND (optional, but a Very Good Idea) 2 TD --- 2 RD 3 RD --- 3 TD 7 GND --- 5 GND |
Sun Keyboard and mouse pinouts, Sun and SGI video:
- Keyboard, Monitor and Mouse Pinout from Network Technologies, Inc. Also includes Mac and PC pinouts.
- Pinouts of old Sun equipment gives information on Type 2 to Type 5c Sun keyboards, optical mice, monitors, and more. From the (old but useful) Sun Hardware Reference.
- WorkstationCables.com carries many cables for Suns and other workstations. Nice online cable configurator and connector guide.
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