Class Lab 4 1: Console to Cisco Multi Layer Switch - Oliver-Mustoe/Oliver-Mustoe-Tech-Journal GitHub Wiki

In this lab, we worked on getting access to a console on a Cisco Multi-Layer switch.
NOTE: I was not present in class when this lab was done

Notes

First I would have plugged the serial console cable, blue, into the USB port on the workstations.

Then in device manager, I could look in the "Ports (COM & LPT)" section to see the COM where the USB serial Port is attached to.

I would have then connected the cable to the console port on the switch, powered it on, and then gone back to my workstation.

On my PuTTY, workstation, I would have setup a Serial connection (look on the left in "Category") with the following parameters:

  • Serial Line to Connect: <COM PORT FROM "Ports (COM & LPT)">
  • Bits per sec : 9600
  • Data bits : 8
  • Parity : none
  • Stop bits : 1
  • Flow control : none

Then I would have gone back to "Session", category, and changed the "Serial line" to the same from "Ports (COM & LPT)" (could also save this session for future use). Then I would have clicked open to gain access.

In the console, I would enter privileged, enable, config, conf t, and use the following command to erase the NVRAM file system and remove all files (confirm at prompt):

  • write erase

Then I would have used the following command, with no at the prompt, to save the config:

  • reload

After confirming to reload the switch, I would reject the prompted setup setup wizard.

After reload, I would re-enter privileged mode and use the command show run to review default configuration. I would then use the following command to reset the hostname of the switch:

  • hostname <ENTER_NAME_HERE>

Alternative

The following details some parts of the alternative that I did instead of the one above. As the in-class lab was originally meant for my Github, I have just added notes for the alternative!

Notes

  • Turn on router ports (may not be by default)
  • How to change password (config mode)
    • 1.enable 2. configure terminal 3. enable secret <PASSWORD> 4. end
  • Change banner (config mode)
    • banner motd $
      • The “$” is how the command will know the motd is done
  • The enable secret command uses the MD5 hashing function to encrypt the password, which is a very secure method of protection.
  • "exec-timeout [minutes] [seconds]” for timeout
  • Configure console line with "line con <BEGINNING LINE> <LAST LINE>"
  • Configure console line with "line vty <BEGINNING LINE> <LAST LINE>"
  • Password command is “password <PASSWORD>”, follow that with “login” to enable login
  • Synchronous logging command is “logging synchronous”
  • Set history with “history size <AMOUNT>”
  • “service password-encryption” command for global password configuration

Sources

⚠️ **GitHub.com Fallback** ⚠️