Connecting to the Junos OS

After you install the hardware, you are ready to configure the Junos OS beyond the factory-default settings (which are not really adequate for real-world situations). To do this, you have to connect to the Junos OS running on the device.

Generally, here are the three ways to connect to the Junos OS:

  • Via the console
  • Via the CLI interface
  • Via the J-Web interface

Each of the three methods listed above can be used to do almost any configuration task. However, most people use the console connection initially and then switch to either the CLI or J-Web for more detailed configurations, as we'll see.

Console connection

All Junos OS devices have an RJ-45 console port labeled CONSOLE. You can connect from a laptop or other computer using a direct crossover serial connector or through a console server. The console port does not require previous configuration, and there are no restrictions on what can be configured. Only a terminal emulation program is needed on a laptop or computer.

images Although powerful, the console connection configuration method requires a person to be physically close to the device. The device could be located on a mountaintop, in the middle of a remote desert, or locked in a closet in the cell block of a maximum-security prison.

CLI interface

The RJ-45 console port is not the same as the CLI port used for remote TCP/IP access (often labeled ...

Get Junos® OS For Dummies®, 2nd Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial