setting up a serial network for my old laptops

[Brian McKee]

> Note: my system is an old 486DX2 (50mhz), 12mb ram, running windows95

Aha - are you trying to connect to the Ubuntu server using that
Windows Direct Cable connection rather than HyperTerm?   That would
explain why it's not working.

Hyperterm should give you a prompt using just getty.

I haven't used that Windows Direct Cable Connection thing in a long
time (if ever)  -  can anybody confirm that's PPP?  or CSLIP?  or ???
  We'd need to figure that out to tell you which way to go next.  I
might have an old box I could fire up for a minute and look at it if
you're serious about making it work that way...

Brian