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What is Cutecom ?
Cutecom is a graphical serial port communications program, similar to Minicom. The Windows equivalent is Hyperterminal. It's available for all versions of the Ubuntu family.
Install via Software Centre
Open up Software Centre and enter 'cutecom' in the search box. Click on the 'MoreInfo' button and select the 'Add-on' Lrzsz box so that it's ticked. The lrzsz package contains tools for zmodem/xmodem/ymodem file transfer. Now click on 'Install'.
CuteCom will appear in the Main menu under the 'Other' submenu and now has a graphical interface.
Manual Installation (older Ubuntu versions)
Cutecom is in the Universe Repository. Go to Applications - Accessories - Terminal update the apt cache with
sudo apt-get update
Install the program with
sudo apt-get install cutecom lrzsz
The lrzsz package contains tools for zmodem/xmodem/ymodem file transfer.
Now you may or may not have a Cutecom menu item under Applications-Accessories depending on whether Xubuntu or Ubuntu is running. To create a new menu item right-click on Applications in the task bar and select 'Edit Menus'. Click on 'System Tools' in the new window that opens and then 'New Item'. Enter the following information
- Type - Application
- Name - Cutecom
- Command - cutecom
- Comment - Serial port terminal
To change the icon just click on it and you'll be shown a number of options to choose from. Now click on 'Close', 'Close'.
Running from start-up
Go to System-Preferences-Sessions. Click on the Add button. Enter the following
- Name - Cutecom
- Command - cutecom
- Comment - Serial port terminal
This will start up Cutecom every time you log into Ubuntu.
Finding Ports
Select Applications-Accessories-Terminal. In order to find the name of your port(s) enter this command in terminal:
dmesg | grep tty
The output will be something like this:
[ 22.587279] console [tty0] enabled [ 24.186230] serial8250: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A [ 24.186860] 00:08: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A [ 51.598012] audit(1243322582.732:2): type=1503 operation="inode_permission" requested_mask="a::" denied_mask="a::" name="/dev/tty" pid=5705 profile="/usr/sbin/cupsd" namespace="default"
What we are interested in is the name of the serial port, in this case ttyS0, which we will need in order to use Cutecom.
Using Cutecom (older Ubuntu versions)
Run the program by going to Applications-System Tools-Cutecom. From the pull-down menus set your Device to
/dev/ttyS0
- (or whatever port has been found above) as well as all other settings as detailed in the user manual of the external devices that you wish to connect to. Now click on 'Open device' to connect (all settings will be greyed out until you select Close device (disconnect)). Now you can enter commands to the external device.
Command Examples
With a phone connected to the serial port ttyS0 and port settings already set for the device, in the Input box, enter at The reply should be "OK" suggesting that there is communication with the phone. Now enter at+cbst? this will display the current communication setting of the phone (in this case "+CBST: 0,0,1" - the phone is set to auto-detect the incoming data speed). Now enter at+cgmr The response will be something like "R5C 001 CXC123456EMEA1" (only works on SonyEricsson phones). This is the software revision of the phone.
Useful Links
There is also a manpage which can be accessed via terminal with man cutecom