console

name	console
description	Access the terminal/console of a local or remote machine. Picks the right method from five options: mcp-ssh-wingman (SSH), mcp-jetkvm (KVM over IP for lab-ctrl-1), mcp-redfish (Serial-Over-LAN via BMC), ser2net (UART over network), or screen on a local USB serial device. Use when you need a shell, serial console, SOL session, or out-of-band access to any node.
user-invocable	true

/console — Access a Machine's Terminal or Console

Choose the right access method, connect, and interact with the target machine.

Method Selection

Work through these questions in order — stop at the first match.

1. Is a USB-serial cable physically plugged into this machine right now?
   → screen /dev/tty.usbserial-*

2. Does the machine have a BMC (iDRAC, iLO, IPMI, Redfish)?
   → mcp-redfish  (Serial-Over-LAN)

3. Is the target lab-ctrl-1 / 192.168.6.200, or do you need
   KVM / BIOS / pre-boot access to that machine?
   → mcp-jetkvm

4. Is it a homelab node with a UART port wired to a ser2net server?
   → ser2net

5. Is the machine reachable via SSH?
   → mcp-ssh-wingman

If none match, ask the user for more context before proceeding.

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Methods

mcp-ssh-wingman — SSH

Use for: any machine reachable over the network where you just need a shell.

The mcp-ssh-wingman MCP server manages SSH sessions. It uses the session name mcp-wingman (configured in the MCP server arguments).

• Prefer key-based auth; 1Password SSH agent is available on macOS.
• For hosts not in ~/.ssh/config, confirm the user and key before connecting.
• After connecting, confirm the hostname and OS with uname -a or hostname.

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mcp-jetkvm — KVM over IP

Use for: lab-ctrl-1 (192.168.6.200), or any machine that needs keyboard/ video/mouse access (BIOS, boot menu, OS installer, hung console).

The mcp-jetkvm MCP server connects to the JetKVM device. Credentials are injected via 1Password at apply time.

Key capabilities:

• Send keystrokes (including Ctrl-Alt-Del, function keys, arrow keys)
• Capture screen state
• Mount virtual media (ISO images)

When to prefer over SSH: machine won't boot, OS not yet installed, need BIOS settings, SSH daemon is down, or network is not yet configured.

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mcp-redfish — Serial-Over-LAN (BMC)

Use for: servers with a BMC that exposes a Redfish API (Dell iDRAC, HPE iLO, Supermicro, ASRockRack, etc.) when you need the serial console independently of the OS network stack.

Note: mcp-redfish is not yet wired into the MCP config. Before using, verify the server is listed in dot_claude/mcp-servers-personal.json.tmpl and that credentials are stored in 1Password.

Useful facts:

• SOL session survives OS crashes and reboots — you see the boot sequence.
• BMC access is on the management network, separate from the data plane.
• To find the BMC IP: check the DHCP lease list, ipmitool lan print, or the physical label on the server.

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ser2net — UART Console over Network

Use for: homelab nodes with a serial/UART port wired to a ser2net host (a machine running the ser2net daemon that bridges serial ports to TCP).

Connection pattern:

telnet <ser2net-host> <port>
# or
nc <ser2net-host> <port>

Before connecting:

1. Confirm which ser2net host serves the target node's UART.
2. Confirm the TCP port assigned to that serial device (/etc/ser2net.conf or /etc/ser2net.yaml on the ser2net host).
3. Confirm the baud rate matches the target (common: 115200 8N1).

Escape sequence to exit a ser2net telnet session: Ctrl-] then quit.

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screen — Local USB Serial

Use for: a machine physically connected to this computer via a USB-to-serial adapter right now.

# List available serial devices
ls /dev/tty.usbserial-*

# Connect (replace DEVICE and BAUD as needed)
screen /dev/tty.usbserial-XXXXXX 115200

# Common baud rates: 9600, 57600, 115200

Escape sequence to detach/exit screen: Ctrl-A then K (kill), or Ctrl-A \.

If multiple /dev/tty.usbserial-* devices exist, identify the right one by unplugging and re-plugging (ls /dev/tty.usbserial-* before and after).

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General Console Workflow

1. Identify the target — hostname, IP, or physical location.
2. Choose the method using the decision tree above.
3. Connect and confirm you have the right machine (prompt, hostname, MAC).
4. Do the work — capture relevant output, run diagnostics, make changes.
5. Exit cleanly — use the appropriate escape sequence; don't leave dangling sessions.

Output

When reporting back from a console session:

• Quote the exact terminal output for errors or unexpected state.
• Note the access method used and the target identifier.
• Flag anything that suggests the machine is in a degraded or unexpected state.