Thanks! So that really worked? It doesn't appear to be a null modem cable rather than a straight-through...but I guess if you say it worked, who am I to argue.

I am at a bit of an impasse though. I managed to get my Linux box updated and operational. I was encouraged as when I powered it up (with the serial cable I have connected) that the empeg spun up to alertness. Sure enough, jemplode could connect via IP, but did not recognize the serial connection. Low and behold the empeg boot activity and FID error details showed up in an open system terminal!!

So it appears serial communication is occurring. Yet once WINE was finally installed, I could not establish a connection via serial on emplode nor jemplode. Still trying to sort that part out.