ok so i ditched the ardunio in favor of a maxim3232cpe serial to 3.3v TTL convert. I simply connected the ground, tx and rx pin and voila! 3.3v TTL to interface with the console port. here's the help menu at bootup:
CPU: IKANOS Fusiv 150 Family
DRAM: 32 MB
Flash: 16 MB
In: serial
Out: serial
Err: serial
Net: voxEmac
Type "h" for HELP. Have fun!
Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0
> h
? - alias for 'help'
askenv - get environment variables from stdin
autoscr - run script from memory
base - print or set address offset
bdinfo - print Board Info structure
boot - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootd - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootelf - Boot from an ELF image in memory
bootm - boot application image from memory
bootp- boot image via network using BootP/TFTP protocol
bootvx - Boot vxWorks from an ELF image
cmp - memory compare
coninfo - print console devices and information
cp - memory copy
crc32 - checksum calculation
dhcp- invoke DHCP client to obtain IP/boot params
echo - echo args to console
erase - erase FLASH memory
flinfo - print FLASH memory information
go - start application at address 'addr'
help - print online help
itest- return true/false on integer compare
loadb - load binary file over serial line (kermit mode)
loads - load S-Record file over serial line
loop - infinite loop on address range
md - memory display
mm - memory modify (auto-incrementing)
mtest - simple RAM test
mw - memory write (fill)
nm - memory modify (constant address)
pci - list and access PCI Configuration Space
ping- send ICMP ECHO_REQUEST to network host
printenv- print environment variables
protect - enable or disable FLASH write protection
rarpboot- boot image via network using RARP/TFTP protocol
reset - Perform RESET of the CPU
run - run commands in an environment variable
saveenv - save environment variables to persistent storage
setenv - set environment variables
sleep - delay execution for some time
tftpboot- boot image via network using TFTP protocol
version - print monitor version
command printenv
> printenv
��:eauthor=Leo@analog devices
bootdelay=1
baudrate=57600
preboot=echo;echo Type "h" for HELP. Have fun!;echo
netboot=dhcp;tftp;run netargs; bootm
nfsargs=setenv bootargs root=/dev/nfs ip=dhcp
localargs=setenv bootargs root=/dev/mtdblock2 ip=dhcp
addmisc=setenv bootargs $(bootargs) console=ttyS0,$(baudrate) read-only=readonly
netargs=run nfsargs addmisc
flash_nfs=run nfsargs addmisc;bootm $(kernel_addr)
flash_local=run localargs addmisc;bootm $(kernel_addr)
netboot_initrd=dhcp;tftp;tftp 80600000 initrd;setenv bootargs root=/dev/ram ramdisk_size=8192 ip=dhcp;run addmisc;bootm 80400000 80600000
rootpath=/export/miniroot-mipsel
autoload=no
myfs_start=0xbfd40000
kernel_addr=BFC60000
ramdisk_addr=B0100000
u-boot=u-boot.bin
bootfile=kernel.img
load=dhcp;tftp 80400000 $(u-boot)
load_kernel=dhcp;tftp 80400000 $(bootfile)
ethaddr=00:00:00:01:02:05
bootcmd=bootm 0xbf060000
bootargs=myfs_start=0xbf1a0000 rootfstype=cramfs root=/dev/mtdblock3
boot_partition=2
firmware_upgrade=0
boot_successfully=1
fw_length=1048576
fw_crc=ffffffff
console_enable=0
u-boot-ver=1.1.4b
ipaddr=192.168.1.2
upgrade_uboot=tftp $(u-boot);protect off all;erase bf000000 bf05ffff;cp.b 0x80400000 bf000000 60000
initenv=protect off all;erase bf020000 bf03ffff
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
stderr=serial
ethact=voxEmac
Environment size: 1293/131068 bytes