Password Recovery Procedure for the Cisco
Aironet Equipment
Introduction
When using Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN (WLAN) equipment, it may become necessary to
perform a password recovery or to restore the default settings on the equipment.
Note: Unlike other Cisco platforms, the Cisco Aironet hardware and software do not allow
password recovery. You must instead return the equipment to its default state, from which it can
be reconfigured.
This document presents the proper methods for performing these procedures as appropriate for
various WLAN components.
Before You Begin
Conventions
For more information on document conventions, see the Cisco Technical Tips Conventions.
Prerequisites
There are no specific prerequisites for this document.
Access Point
There are two operating systems currently in use on Cisco Aironet access points (APs). The
operating system a unit is running determines which procedure to use for password recovery.
Determine Which Operating System
VxWorks operating system runs on:
340 Series Access Points
some 350 Series Access Points
some 1200 Series Access Points, also known as AP1220
Note: The graphical user interface (GUI) for VxWorks has yellow bands with black and red text,
and the Cisco logo in the upper right corner of the page.
Cisco IOS operating system runs on:
1100 Series Access Points
some 1200 Series Access Points, also known as AP1230
some 350 Series Access Points
Note: The GUI for IOS is predominantly green and gray with black and blue text, and the Cisco
logo in the upper left corner of the page.
The procedure to reset the AP configuration under VxWorks changed beginning in version 11.07.
In all versions of the AP software, you must first connect to the AP to perform the recovery and
then perform the steps to reset the unit.
Connecting to the AP
To connect to the AP, follow the steps below:
Note: The AP1100 does not have a console port, so these instructions do not apply. If you cannot
obtain telnet or browser access, you must reset the unit to factory defaults and completely
reconfigure it again.
Use a straight-through cable with 9-pin-male to 9-pin-female connectors to connect the COM 1 or
COM 2 port on your computer to the RS-232 port on the AP.
On AP1200 series models, the console port is an RJ45 connector, and the same console cabling
used for Cisco routers and switches can be used. For more information, see the Cabling Guide for
Console and AUX Ports.
1. Use a straight-through cable with 9-pin-male to 9-pin-female connectors to connect the COM 1
or COM 2 port on your computer to the RS-232 port on the AP.
On AP1200 series models, the console port is an RJ45 connector, and the same console cabling
used for Cisco routers and switches can be used. For more information, see the Cabling Guide for
Console and AUX Ports.
2. Open a terminal-emulation program on your computer.
Note: These instructions describe Microsoft HyperTeminal; other programs are similar.
3. In the Connection Description window, enter a name, select an icon for the connection, and
click OK.
4. In the Connect To window, use the Connect using pull-down menu to select the port to which
the cable is connected, then click OK.
5. In the Port Settings window, make the following settings:
Bits per second (baud): 9600
Data bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop bits: 1
Flow Control: None
6. Click OK.
7. Press Enter.
...
Resetting the Access Point - IOS
To reset IOS-based APs, follow these instructions:
Note: IOS-based APs have a default configuration that includes a username and password
combination, both of which are Cisco (case-sensitive.) After resetting to factory defaults, be
prepared to give Cisco as both the username and password when prompted by either the GUI or
the command-line interface (CLI.)
If the privileged command prompt is available (ap#) in the CLI, the commands write erase and
reload erase the startup-configuration and reset the unit.
If the GUI is available, choose the System Software tab, then the System Configuration tab, and
press the button labelled Reset to Defaults.
If neither the GUI or CLI are available with sufficient privileges, the following instructions
describe how to use the Mode button:
1. Disconnect power (the power jack for external power or the Ethernet cable for in-line power)
from the AP.
2. Press and hold the MODE button while you reconnect power to the AP. 2.
3. Hold the MODE button until the Status LED turns amber (approximately one to two seconds),
and release the button.
4. After the AP reboots, reconfigure the AP by using the Web browser interface, the Telnet
interface, or IOS commands.
Note: The AP is configured with the factory default values including the IP address (set to
receive an IP address using DHCP) and the default username and password Cisco.
Resetting the Access Point - AP350 running IOS
To reset an AP350 running IOS, follow these instructions:
Note: IOS-based APs have a default configuration that includes a username and password
combination, both of which are Cisco (case-sensitive). After resetting to factory defaults, give
Cisco as the username and password when prompted by the GUI or the command-line interface
(CLI).
If the privileged command prompt is available (ap#) in the CLI, the commands write erase and
reload erase the startup-configuration and reset the unit.
If the GUI is available, select in this order:
1. System Software tab
2. System Configuration tab.
3. Reset to Defaults button.
If neither the GUI or CLI are available with sufficient privileges, follow these instructions to use
the Mode button:
1. Disconnect power (the Ethernet cable for in-line power) from the AP, then reconnect to reboot
the AP350.
2. When the AP350 begins to boot, press ESC.
Xmodem file system is available.
flashfs[0]: filesystem check interrupted!
The system has been interrupted, or encountered an error
during initializion of the flash filesystem. The following
commands will initialize the flash filesystem, and finish
loading the operating system software:
flash_init
ether_init
tftp_init
boot
ap:
3. At the ap: prompt, issue the command flash_init.
ap: flash_init
Initializing Flash...
flashfs[0]: 142 files, 6 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 7612416
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 3407360
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 4205056
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 0 seconds.
...done initializing Flash.
4. View the contents of flash by using the command dir flash: and find the configuration file
config.txt.
ap: dir flash:
Directory of flash:/
3 -rwx 223 <date> env_vars
4 -rwx 2190 <date> config.txt
5 -rwx 27 <date> private-config
150 drwx 320 <date> c350-k9w7-mx.122-13.JA
4207616 bytes available (3404800 bytes used)
5. Rename the config.txt file to config.old.
ap: rename flash:config.txt flash:config.old
6. Reboot the AP350 using the command reset.
ap: reset
Are you sure you want to reset the system (y/n)?y
System resetting..Xmodem file system is available.
flashfs[0]: 142 files, 6 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 7612416
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 3407360
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 4205056
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 0 seconds.
Reading cookie from flash parameter block...done.
Base ethernet MAC Address: 00:40:96:41:e4:df
Loading "flash:/c350-k9w7-mx.122-13.JA/c350-k9w7-mx.122-13.JA"...########
Note: The AP is configured with the factory default values including the IP address (set to
receive an IP address using DHCP) and the default username and password Cisco.
7. Once the full IOS is loaded and connectivity is re-established, you can delete the config.old
file from flash by issuing the IOS command, del flash:config.old, at an enabled prompt from the
CLI. .
ap#del flash:config.old
Delete filename [config.old]
Delete flash:config.old [confirm]
...
Cisco Aironet 350 Series Bridge
For Software Versions 11.xx and Later
If you forget the password that allows you to configure the 350 Bridge through the console port,
you must completely reset the configuration. Follow these steps to delete the current
configuration and return all settings to the factory defaults:
1. Use a straight-through cable with 9-pin-male to 9-pin-female connectors to connect the COM 1
or COM 2 port on your computer to the RS-232 port on the bridge. For more information, see the
Cabling Guide for Console and AUX Ports.
2. Open a terminal-emulation program on your computer.
Note: These instructions describe Microsoft HyperTeminal; other programs are similar.
3. In the Connection Description window, enter a name, select an icon for the connection, and
click OK.
4. In the Connect To window, use the Connect using pull-down menu to select the port to which
the cable is connected, and click OK.
5. In the Port Settings window, make the following settings:
Bits per second (baud): 9600
Data bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop bits: 1
Flow Control: None
6.
Click OK.
7. Press Enter.
8. When the Main Menu screen appears, reboot the bridge by turning the unit off and then
turning it
back on.
9. When the bridge reboots and the Summary Status screen reappears, type :resetall, and press
Enter.
10. Type YES, and press Enter to confirm the command. 10.
11. After the bridge reboots and the Express Setup screen appears, reconfigure the bridge by
using the terminal emulator or an Internet browser
Note: The :resetall command is valid for only two minutes immediately after the bridge reboots.
If you do not enter and confirm the :resetall command during that two minutes, reboot the bridge
again.
Related Information
Technical Support - Cisco Systems
The full document is available from the Cisco Web site:
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/102/wlan/pwrec-2.pdf