GNS3 : How to Use Putty Connection Manager for Console Access
In this tutorial, I will show you how you can setup your PuTTY Connection Manager (PuTTyCM) with GNS3. This will help you to manage all your cisco/network devices from single window. PuTTyCM is a great free utility that allows you manage PuTTY connections. It gives you the ability to create tabs and manage your connections in a much easier fashion.It gives you the power of Secure CRT absolutely FREE.
Here is what PuttyCM author says about it:
“PuTTY Connection Manager is a free PuTTY Client Add-on for Windows platforms which goal is to provide a solution for managing multiple PuTTY instances.”
Here are some of its best features(Directly from PuttCM website):
- Tabs and dockable windows for PuTTY instances.
- Fully compatible with PuTTY configuration (using registry).
- Easily customizable to optimize workspace (fullscreen, minimze to tray, add/remove toolbar, etc…).
- Automatic login feature regardless to protocol restrictions (user keyboard simulation).
- Post-login commands (execute any shell command when logged).
- Connection Manager : Manage a large number of connections with specific configuration (auto-login, specific PuTTY Session, post-command, etc…).
- Quick connect toolbar to quickly launch a PuTTY connection.
- Completely free for commercial and personal use : PuTTY Connection Manager is freeware.
You will need to create a database file yourself OR you can download the one i created for you here (RightClick and Save to your desktop)
Download Putty Connection Manager
Download Putty
Enjoy!
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Tags: Add new tag, Connection Manager, console, GNS3, Graphical Network Simulator, Putty, Putty Connection Manager, Secure CRT
Hello Tariq,
Thanks for the wondeful tutorial. I did had issues earlier but not is works fine.
Infact the tutorial was awesome.
What about your CCIE voice >
Have you got it ? All the very best for it and do update it about your progress.
GNS3 is just awesome. I compelted my CCNA , CCNP and now looking for CCIP.
Its really inspiring from all the tutorial and
the very good work done by you All.
Many Thanks for everything.
Mohd Aftab
how to create tap win-32 v8 adapter in windows XP SP2
Tariq
I have managed to use PuttyCM a few times but I am finding that a small window saying “PuTTy Connection Manger Applcation already started” keeps coming up (without the PuttyCM GUI) when I click the PuttyCM icon on my desktop or if I console in from GNS3. I cannot console into my projects that I have worked on for hours.I would very much appreciate your advice on this please.
I’ve watched the tutorial and am still having some problems.
1) When connecting to the router via console, Putty kicks in and seems to connect with the message:
Connected to Dynamips VM “R0″ (ID 0, type c2600) – Console port
But then thats it, nothing else happens???
2) When trying to connect to a second router using console 2001, nothing happens?
Is there something im doing wrong????
Thanks
I also encountered the same problem as experienced by Stuart and John.
Is this issue within GNS3 v0.6.1?
I haven’t rolled back to the older version yet.
Please advise. Thanks. Btw, great video!!!
Thanks for the tutorial!
I have an issue though – when Puttycm loads up and I attempt to connect using the session from the database it can’t connect to anything. The window opens up momentarily and then disappears. I’ve checked that the base port in GNS3 is 2000 and it is. Any ideas?
Cheers,
I have a topo of 6 router and have set the settings up identical to tutorial but when i launch a console from GNS3 i get error messages:12/10/2009 2:11:04 PM:Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
When i open the puttycm application i see the loaded db and i can connect to the first few routers. However when i connect to the others it will open a session and immediately close it. I have even tried to add the path in the reg. Please advise. Thanks for all the great info.
OK, i just figured out that if you run a netstat -a you will a list of the ports that you will need to make the connections. the ports on the session file are in consecutive order -2000,2001,2002,2003… In the netstat -a I found the other ports- 2000,2001, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013… Once i changed the GNS2SessionDB to the corresponding ports it worked. Hope that helps. Cheers!
thanks for gr8 tu
Create Console Sessions.
Sorry to be so dense, but I can’t figure it out.
I go here
http://www.brainbump.net/download/gns3sessions.dat
and there is a script. What do I do next please.
@Everyone,thanks for comments.I couldn’t reply back due to time constraints earlier.Hope you guys have figured things out on your own;)
@Raphael,Download this file(right-click and save to your PC) and load it into PuttyCM Database(shown in tutorial).Its not mandatory but if you have to manage multiple devices,this will help you keep track of inventory(devices) in your lab.
Please let me know how to open multiple tabs in puttycm using script/command line interface from one terminal…..\
Thanks!!!
I tried out everything in your tutorial as mentioned. But for some reason it shows me that the application already started. How do I fix this error?
Hi,
Thanks for the Great Tutorial. I saw the posts related to error some people are getting, if they actually view the Video properly there wont be any problems. It took me <5 mins to set it up.
Thanks Again
Hi,
Many Thanks for the tutorial!
I am running into a small issue and hope someone can help me figure it out.
Here is my setup:
- total of 3 routers running in GNS3.
Issues:
1) I am only able to connect to the first two routers and not the 3rd using PuttyCM.
2) Router 1′s connection is actually on “Console 2001″ (not on 2000)
3) Router 2 is actually on “Console 2007″.
Double clicking on all others Console ports in connection manager does not do anything and connection to R3 does not exist even though it is powered on in GNS3.
Thanks again. All help is greatly appreciated.
Actually… just figured it out.
everything is working smoothly now.
peace!
THanks for the link for PuttyCM alpha guys, that helped with the errors on Win7.
Hi, I tried it using beta version, but still cant connect to. it gives me following error.
############################
4/24/2010 11:46:35 PM:Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
4/24/2010 11:46:35 PM:Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
4/24/2010 11:46:35 PM:RUNTIME ERROR
4/24/2010 11:46:35 PM: Main error : Unable to attach PuTTY process
4/24/2010 11:46:35 PM: Internal error : Process has exited, so the requested information is not available.
4/24/2010 11:46:35 PM: StackTrace :
4/24/2010 11:46:35 PM: at System.Diagnostics.Process.EnsureState(State state)
at System.Diagnostics.Process.get_MainWindowHandle()
at x48b98d898b67428b.x1521d5c1a2ad9cb1.x1248f643d518e66f(x6f302b004bee2deb x69e8923140f2b0a6, xb6e5bd3523128419 xd617aefdd9defbf0)
############################
please help me if you faced the same problem and have solution.
Thanks in Advance,
Jigar Dave
Hi Admin, once again, I delete and remove all Putty and GNS3 software from my machine, and re install it and goes as per the video, but still struggling with the same issue, this time the error is like as below
#####################
4/25/2010 1:25:30 AM:Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
4/25/2010 1:25:30 AM:Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
#####################
please do needful to solve this one
Thanks in advance
Jigar Dave
I have watched the vid and installed PuTTYcm. I have the DB configured and when I start GNS3, all looks good when I open Console, PuTTYcm opens, but none of the connections connect to any router.
Can someone give me any ideas of what to check?
Regards
Rinxer,
How did you fix your problem?
or, can you tell us how to setup a console from the puttycm so we can setup a database on our own?
There is a Video Tutorial on Youtube.com on how to Install putty as Tabs very useful. Hope this helps some.
HOW TO ADD PUTTY TABS USING PUTTY CONNECTION MANAGER.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z37j9JxchQM
#####################
4/25/2010 1:25:30 AM:Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
4/25/2010 1:25:30 AM:Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
#####################
any suggestions ?
Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
any suggestions?
Unable to find PuTTY sessions (registry key ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions’ does not exist)
not working with windows 7
does it work with windows 7 ?
How do i get a console for the PIX to open up now? I installed this and it’s working fine – can see all the routers, however i click on the PIX and it says PuttyCM already open but cant find a way to open a new session…. I am guessing Pemu has a different port?? How would i change that in your XML file?
NVM – I got the XML edited to another connection for port 3000 (default for Qemu terminal) and it worked. Supposed i could have just changed that base terminal to 2007 as well or whatever in GNS3. PIX works now…
I don’t know if anybody found a solution to the “Internal error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object” issue because I only skimmed this thread when looking for a solution myself. If not you can try the solution that worked for me. I had changed some settings to prevent my window from hiding when minimized. I had also unchecked the show Icon in system tray box. When I re-allowed it to show the icon in the system tray the problem went away. So I guess if you have changed any settings in puttycm maybe try changing them back.
Putty connection manager works with windows 7.
Iam using it on Windows 7 X86.
The link provided above for puttycm works wonderfully. Regards.
@Bryan,
Thanks for that solution for “Internal error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object” checking ‘show icon in system tray’ solved it for me.
How do i get the console of a device by giving a left click instead of right clicking and getting console…
The solution for “Internal error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object” also worked for me! Checking the “show icon in system tray” option solved the problem!! Thanks for the solution!
# Santosh Says:
February 10th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
I tried out everything in your tutorial as mentioned. But for some reason it shows me that the application already started. How do I fix this error?
—-
For some reason Putty CM didn’t exit cleanly and putty and puttycm processes are still running. Go to task manager / processes and kill the putty ssh processes first before puttycm.
nice tutorial
“# Tony S. Says:
November 24th, 2010 at 6:31 am
The solution for “Internal error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object” also worked for me! Checking the “show icon in system tray” option solved the problem!! Thanks for the solution!”
Yeah, it works for me too!
Hi all, i fixed the problem by marking the option “Show tray icon (restart necessary) and restarting the app.
Hi all,
While connecting to linux pc,i am getting following exception,please help me..Thanks in Advance
“unexpected error occurred,object reference nt set to instance of object “
I have gotten the same error on windows 7
“unexpected error occurred,object reference nt set to instance of object“
any ideas?
Well, is ease create your own databese with connection to GNS3, I did it, just use the next information:
Name: Console 2000 (Add 1, each time)
Host: 127.0.0.1 (Always the same)
Protocol: Telnet
Port: 2000 (Use to start)
Then, new connection:
Name: Console 2001 (Add 1, each time)
Host: 127.0.0.1 (Always the same)
Protocol: Telnet
Port: 2001 (Use same as name, for reference)
ans so on.
My best regards.
I installed puttycm successfully, but when I try to open it up for the first time it is asking for the path of putty.exe, I went to the puttycm folder and clicked the putty icon. when I double clicked the icon again it is saying that there are no log files created, options is to create and cancel. If I create a notepad appears but i do not know what to put inside the notepad and where to save it… if I click now puttycm closes…
please help
I apparently can’t even get the path right. This is on a 64bit Vista OS. The path it seems it should be is
C:\Program Files (x86)\PuTTY Connection Manager\puttycm.exe
but this does not appear to work.