Switch Configuration Help

Networking Networking Hardware
1

Hello,

So a few months back, I bought an SRW2048 switch from Linksys / Cisco off ebay for a hundred bucks, and I have recently been trying to configure it. The issue is I just cant seem to use the console port on the back to do so. It has a male serial connection on the back, in which I use a female to female serial cable into a male serial to usb adapter which I then use to connect through COM1 on PuTTY or TeraTerm to no results. It opens to a simply blank screen no matter what I do. The documentation I find online all say it uses a speed rate of 38400, with the other settings, which I copy exactly, yet still dont work for both applications. I have tried using other speeds, connecting while rebooting, etc and still nothing. I even connected the serial cable to the switch as normal and the other end directly into a native serial connection on the back of one of my personal rack servers and passing it through to a VM with also no results. I am getting rather confused as to why it is not working and any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

2

Are you sure it’s COM1? Generally when I use a USB-Serial adapter it’s COM 3, 4, 5, or 6.

Depending on the Server, it could also be COM2 or COM3.
What OS are you running on the server? if it’s Linux or BSD, you should be able to use Minicom.

3

originally it assigned itself to COM3, however COM1 was free, so I changed it to it in device manager. I will also give it another shot with other COM ports. As for the server, I believe it was COM1, but I will check that, its running ESXI with a windows VM. Also using PuTTY and TeraTerm.
Thanks for the reply!

4

What about the other settings in PuTTY?

Baud rate: 38,400
Data Bits: 8
Stop Bits: 1
Parity: None
Flow Control: None

I would also test different baud rates. 9600 is what most cisco devices have as default. But I’ve never used one of those SRW2048s.

1 Like
5

I just watch a video on how to access the firmware of Cisco switches and I can confirm that the Baud rate on Cisco switches are set by default to 9600 Baud. Also according to the instructor of the video it might be possible for @Burrito to access the switches firmware by just taking an ordinary patch cable and plugging one end into an empty Ethernet port and the other end into the computer @Burrito is using to run putty. I can’t be anymore help. I don’t have my notes in front of me or access to the video, but when I get home from work I will post the steps.

6

I have my notes now so I am going to suggest a different way to access the command line of the switches software. Instead of trying to set up a serial connection by using the com port on the back of your switch @Burrito I am going to suggest a Telnet connection to your switches commands line software. Remember you need to know the IP address of your switch, username, and password of the switch for this to work. Take a regular Ethernet patch cable and connect one end to an empty Ethernet port on your switch, the other end into the system you are using to run Putty. Startup Putty and configure it for a Telnet connection. Run a Telnet connection in Putty and bingo you are in your switches command line. Feel free to contact me if you have any more problems or questions. I can’t share the video because it is part of a course I purchased to help me pass my Network + certification exam.

1 Like
7

Agree with the 9600 baud rate. You could try telnet, but I’m not sure if it’s enabled by default.

8

Yeah I have been using those specifically, which is also what it says in the documentation.
: \

9

Hmm okay I’ll give it a shot, I think that might be for newer models but Ill try it! Thanks for the help!

10

Sure, I do not believe its enabled but I will try the new rate as well

11

Hmm sounds very promising, I believe the default should be 192.168.1.254 so ill give it a shot!!

12

When you connect and get the blank screen, have you hit any key? or rebooted after you activated Putty?

13

I’m sure you saw this, but here is the doc on that switch. The settings @DeusQain posted are correct and it also looks like telnet is enabled by default.

14

According to the manual @DigitalBytes posted it looks like @DeusQain settings are corrected, which is weird because on Cisco switches the default Baud rate usually is 9600. I also see Telnet is enabled by default and since Telnet is a faster connection than serial, I would just Telnet into the switch. You shouldn’t have any problems, but if you do just let us know and I am sure there is someone on this forum that will be able to help. I don’t have any experience with Cisco switches, but I can usually figure out any general problems once I understand what the real problem is.

1 Like
15

Yeah I have tried both, and most people said to smash tab or enter alot which I have done

16

Yeah thats the documentation I have been using, so I just got home and ill give some of these a shot

17

Hmm so I gave the telnet a shot, and plugged in a regular Ethernet cable into port 1, and the other into my laptop. The port 1 LED lit up green but when I did a telnet session through PuTTY of the default 192.168.1.254, it would timeout and not be able to reach it. Could it be the IP address is something different, or some other issue?

18

Are you currently on the same network? 192.168.1.x?

19

Yeah I statically assigned 192.168.1.49 or something other

20

@Burrito I was afraid you would have a problem, I’ll reread the manual and see if I can come up with some other ideas. Did you try access the switch from a web browser?