Enabling Serial Port Console Login

["Peter Kim" <peter@twinsun.co.jp>]

I need to be able to login to my Linux web server, via a communications
server (Portmaster).  The communications server will be connected to web
server with a serial cable.

I've connected my PC to my web server's serial port (COM1) and (COM2)  with
a cross cable and tried to login with Tera Term.  Tera Term cannot connect.
Nothing shows on the terminal and anything I type does not appear on the
screen.

I have heard that I have to recompile the kernel with some options set to
make COM1 AND COM2 come "alive".

Questions:
0. Is it possible to have COM1, COM2, or BOTH come alive?
1. What options do I have to set when I compile my kernel?  I am running
"make xconfig" and I can't seem to find any option that turns this feature
"on" on the GUI.

Help!
:-)

Thanks,
Peter