I want to have a lan party with some friends so I was hoping to use the Catalyst 2950 that I got as a hand-me-down instead of buying a switch. I even have an rj45 to serial and serial to usb adapter. The only problem is that I'm running Windows 8.1 and can't connect to it because the driver is outdated. Also, since HyperTerminal is no longer available, what type of software could I use to change the settings?
Thanks
Use a linux distro instead of windows and go from there. Or connect a straight-through cable to any of the front ports. Press & hold some button on the front - Mode, or something like that - enables express setup.
Should be able to access web portal 10.0.0.1 and do a very basic config.
Any dramas just consult the cisco manual - its overly comprehensive. Being 2nd hand be sure to check the config in case it has interfaces shut down that you need etc.