- Attach a PC to the console port of the router.
Password recovery cannot be done remotely.
- Type a show version at the console prompt. You only have
to be in User mode to run the show version command. Make a note
of the configuration register number. It will almost always be 0x2102,
but might be 0x102. If you cannot do a show version use 0x2102
or check a similar router for it’s configuration register.
- Once you have this information follow these steps:
Basic Steps
Power reset the router.
Go into ROMMON mode for password recovery.
Set the configuration register to boot the router without loading
the configuration file.
Reboot the router.
Copy the startup-configuration into memory.
Go into Global Configuration mode and change the password.
Reset the configuration register to boot the router using the startup
configuration file.
Save the configuration back to NVRAM.
Reboot the router.
Step Details
|
Step 1 |
Power
reset the Router. |
|
Step 2 |
Within 60
seconds of the router reboot, press the
Ctrl+Break
keys. This puts the router in ROMMON mode. |
|
Step 3 |
The
router should boot to a router> prompt with no router name. |
|
Step 4 |
Type
o/r 0x42
at the router> prompt. This tells the router to boot from Flash
Memory without loading the configuration file. If you want to boot
from ROM instead, type o/r 0x41.
However, booting from ROM allows you to only view the encrypted
password or erase the configuration. You cannot change the password. |
|
Step 5 |
Type
i
at the router prompt. The router will now reboot, but ignore it’s
saved configuration (which contains the forgotten password). |
|
Step 6 |
When the
router boots up it will ask you if you want to configure the router.
Press Ctrl+C
to break out of the startup configuration. |
|
Step 7 |
Type
enable
at the router> prompt. This will put you in enable or Privileged
mode and the prompt will look like this: router# |
|
Step 8 |
Type
copy
startup-config running-config
(or copy start run) to copy the startup configuration into memory.
With the startup configuration in memory you can now change the
enable secret password. |
|
Step 9 |
At the
router# prompt type
config t
to go into global configuration mode. |
|
Step 10 |
At the
router(config)# prompt type
enable secret
new_password where
new_password is a new password. |
|
Step 11 |
You now
need to change your configuration register to tell the router to
boot up with the startup configuration file. Type
config-register
0x2102 and press
enter.
This tells the router to load the startup-config file in NVRAM when
it boots up. (use the number you saved from the show version
command) |
|
Step 12 |
Press
Ctrl+Z
to leave global configuration mode. |
|
Step 13 |
At the
router# prompt type
copy running-config
startup-config (or copy run
start). This will save your password change to NVRAM. |
|
Step 14 |
Type
reload
and press
enter to reboot the router. |
