Cisco Router Blues

[rpreacher]

A friend recently gave me a Cisco 2503 router. Unfortunately he forgot to give me the passwords to get in. I have solved that problem by following the password recovery procedure from Cisco. Unfortunately, after rebooting the router. I now get a bunch of garbadge text. Even the bootstrap info is in this garbadge text. All I get are stars, boxes and even some spades! Just to name a few... Is there any way I can fix this thing! I am new to Cisco equipment and realy don't know what I am doing. Ask me a question about servers and I can answer it, but this is something I am trying to learn... Apparenty the hard way!

I am connecting with HyperTerminal... I have made no changes to the parameters that were used to do the password recovery... so the text should not have changed... Can someone please help?

[mholtum]

Hmm, I wonder if erasing the CBOS and then re-flashing it would help, like it does in the Cisco 67X series routers?

I will look into this and see what info I can find out. You might be able to get some info from mntsnow.. Try IMing him..

[Mntsnow]

Sounds like the IOS image has gotten corrupted. but just to double check what settings are you using in Hyperterm to connect to the router?

[mholtum]

Cisco Router Help Site (http://www.xtremepccentral.com/articles/dsl/) I authored this site which mntsnow was gracious enough to host for me. See if the commands are similar and it may give you some insite as to what you might need to revive your sick router.. I think that this may help you.

[rpreacher]

Well, to answer Mntsnow the parameters are:
9600 baud
8 data bits
no parity
2 stop bits

I looked at the link that mholtum sent... the commands don't even look close so I am a little unsure of tring it... I know it's a different series, but If I can't read a thing it's saying.. how am I to pull this off?

By the way, thanks for the quick response everyone

[mholtum]

Too bad the commands don't seem to be similar.. Hmm. While I am doing some research, try checking out the Cisco site http://www.cisco.com There is a plethera of solid info on that site.. I use it as much as I can and it has helped me in the pursuit of information. You may be able to download a manual for that router in .pdf form.. Give it a try and I will start looking for some info as well

[mholtum]

Oops.. Wrong article, see next post.

[mholtum]

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/access/acs_fix/cis2500/2501/2500ug/conf.htm This may be better than the first link, try this first.

[Mntsnow]

Your connectivy looks ok except for your stop bits but I usually use only a single stop bit with my 2621 router.

Do you have access to an IOS image for for your router? Do you have a backup image of your configuration that you can reload?


Use these settings

Bits per second: 9600
Data Bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop Bits: 1
Flow Control: None

[mholtum]

Originally posted by Mntsnow
Dont try the link that mholtum gave ya.....Thats for a different beast all togather.... Your connectivy looks ok but I usually use only a single stop bit with my 2621 router.

Do you have access to an IOS image for for your router? Do you have a backup image of your configuration that you can reload?


Use these settings

Bits per second: 9600
Data Bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop Bits: 1
Flow Control: None

oops.. my bad.. I am not really familiar with that series of routers. Sorry.. Hey snowman, can you just delete that post.. Don't want to confuse him

[Mntsnow]

No problem mholtum :)

[rpreacher]

Well, the book states 1 stop bit as well but I found an article that talked about the 2500 series having problems with some OS's and that 2 stop bits work, I have tried both. I do not have a back up or access to an IOS image unfortunately. Like I said, this router was given to me and the original owner passed away. I hope I am not SOL on this one. Does anyone have an IOS image I can use?

[Mntsnow]

let me do some digging. I might be able to help on the IOS.

What are the spec's on your router? amounts of both types of memory please.

[rpreacher]

That is a good question, one I am sure I could give an answer to if it wasn't spitting back jibberish to commands... hehe, is there another way to get the info other than opening the router? I have heard of some software that is able to do that, do you know of any and where I might find it?

[a Bill]

This is a long shot from out in the peanut gallery but sometimes when I get garbage text on the screen it means one of two things.

Wrong cable
Terminal and router need reboot

This probably won't apply to you but you never know. It's always the silly little things that throw you for a loop.

[rpreacher]

Well, I did think of that... hehe thanks. I feel like a peanut! I am connecting via HyperTermal on a Win2K Adv Server adn the connection was fine for the password recovery, so that rules out the cable. I have repooted both the server and the router just to be sure... same problem...

[Mntsnow]

You might try some of the cisco configuration software. I will try and find you a link to it

Edit. I just reapplied for access to the cisco downloads section as my account had expired. in the mean time you might look around http://best.me.berkeley.edu/~ywen/home/ccie.html

[rpreacher]

Thanks... I go to their site and I feel overwhelmed with info

[Mntsnow]

Here is a little run down on a tool I use at times called ConfigMaker:
Cisco ConfigMaker is an easy-to-use Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP application that configures Cisco routers, switches, hubs, and other devices. Using a graphical user interface (GUI), you draw your network, and then Cisco ConfigMaker creates the Cisco IOS configuration files for the devices on your network without requiring you to know the Cisco IOS command-line interface (CLI). You can also use Cisco ConfigMaker as an off-line tool. Without having the devices on-hand, you can draw and configure your entire network until you are ready to deliver the configuration to them.

Cisco ConfigMaker does not try to configure every IOS parameter or support every IOS feature. Rather, it helps you get your device up and running by supporting the most common features.

I will have the file for the next little bit on my server as I'm not going to keep this 9+ meg file on my server for long :) http://www.xtremepccentral.com/downloads/configmaker.zip

[rpreacher]

I am trying to download the file but I am not able.... it it there?

[rpreacher]

OK, all better.. it's comming down now

[rpreacher]

I will give this a try tonight and let you know how it goes... Unfortunatly for the moment.. Work calls :)

[Mntsnow]

Sorry but at this time I'm unable to gain access to the downloads section at Cisco (unless I want to spend some big dollars again which unfortunately at this time I cant afford to do).

[rpreacher]

Were you referring to the new image? If so, could you define big dollars? It might be worth it to me to get help. I haven't had time the past few days to try that config program. I did load it and it looks interesting enough. Hopefully I can give it a try tonight.

[Mntsnow]

basically I would need to order a new router. Your best bet might be to contact a cisco reseller in your town and see what they would charge to get you a new ios image

Here is a link to what a new upgrade would cost for my 2621 http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=256599

and here is a standard version http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=286051 Locally I would think around a couple hundred to have them do it

[rpreacher]

ouch! Looks like my nice free router is gonna cost me some bucks! Ugh! Well, I am not giving up hope. I have only tried to interface with it using HyperTerminal. Maybe I would get different results with a different interface? Just asking here as I realy don't know. Will that config program help me with anything here, to see if the IOS is realy hosed?

[rpreacher]

I was looking at that second link for CDW you sent me and found a 2500 series IOS version 11 that came with all the ram and stuff. I don't need all that as I remember that it did show version 11 installed. The IOS fits on a floppy! I gotta find one! hehe... goin nuts here! I do appreciate the help though, I realy do!

[Mntsnow]

The Config program wont help you with this current problem but will make configuring it much easier down the road. Yes the one I listed included the memory upgrades and such as I didnt know how much mem you had so I just tossed it in for cover sake. I bet if you hung around some of the cisco forums that are around you could find someone willing to send the basic IOS to you.

[rpreacher]

OK, one question though... would that version 12 work for me or would I need to stick with the 11?

[Mntsnow]

Depending on which version you get if you have the required memory levels then Yes version 12 would be advisable

[rpreacher]

I didn't see any requirements on CDW though for 12, however the 11 on the site said it came with 4MB Flash 4MB DRAM so mine would have to have at least that much. Do you know the requirements for 12 by chance?

[Mntsnow]

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/130/choosing_ios.shtml will help you in the future determine which Image you would want to use

[rpreacher]

Well, a friend of mine that works with Cisco stuff all the time took a look at it (I don't see him too ofter or I would have done this in the first place) and tried everything he could, to include flashing the bios. Only helf for a few seconds. The router is hosed. It met my trash can today as it would cost more to fix it than it was worth. Thanks for all the help though.. I guess I am on the lookout again for a Cisco router on the cheap!

[Mntsnow]

sorry to hear that :(