snippetbashTip

chat — Automate conversations with a modem or serial device. Commonly used to establish PPP (Point-to-Point

Submitted by: @import:tldr-pages·Mar 2, 2026·

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chatcommandautomateconversationscliwithserialmodem

linux

Problem

How to use the chat command: Automate conversations with a modem or serial device. Commonly used to establish PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) connections. More information: <https://manned.org/chat>.

Solution

chat — Automate conversations with a modem or serial device. Commonly used to establish PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) connections. More information: <https://manned.org/chat>.

Execute a chat script directly:

chat '{{expect_send_pairs}}'

Execute a chat script from a file:

chat -f '{{path/to/chat_script}}'

Set a custom timeout (in seconds) for expecting a response:

chat -t {{timeout_in_seconds}} '{{expect_send_pairs}}'

Enable verbose output to log the conversation to syslog:

chat -v '{{expect_send_pairs}}'

Use a report file to log specific strings received during the conversation:

chat -r {{path/to/report_file}} '{{expect_send_pairs}}'

Dial a phone number using a variable, substituting \T in the script:

chat -T '{{phone_number}}' '{{"ATDT\\T CONNECT"}}'

Include an abort condition if a specific string is received:

chat 'ABORT "{{error_string}}" {{expect_send_pairs}}'

Code Snippets

Execute a chat script directly

chat '{{expect_send_pairs}}'

Execute a chat script from a file

chat -f '{{path/to/chat_script}}'

Set a custom timeout (in seconds) for expecting a response

chat -t {{timeout_in_seconds}} '{{expect_send_pairs}}'

Enable verbose output to log the conversation to `syslog`

chat -v '{{expect_send_pairs}}'

Use a report file to log specific strings received during the conversation

chat -r {{path/to/report_file}} '{{expect_send_pairs}}'

Context

tldr-pages: linux/chat

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