Can't access a Express 500 to reset it to factory default

[atascoman]

I have two of these I need to reset for testing. They were sitting on a shelf and the owner doesn't know the config info or the software version. I have tried following the steps in the documents, but I am unable to access them to perform the reset. Here is what I am doing:

1. Power on the switch and hold down the setup button until all LEDs turn amber then release.
2. Wait for the system LED to turn amber and then for port 1 to start blinking.
3. Connect my laptop and wait 30 sec or so for the switch to hand out an IP.

This is as far as I get. I never get an IP from the switch. I have also tried hard coding my IP to the examples they show in the doc. I have tried both 10.0.0.2 and 169.254.0.2. Neither work.

 

[telcoguy]

Use wireshark to sniff, and see what IP adress the switch is using.
Then give your own laptop a static address in the IPrange of the switch and try to access it again through the address you just found.

The DHCP procedure with the 169.x.x is reported not to be working with vista or later.so you may want to try XP for that.
Alternatively you may try to use "Network Assistant" software, available from the cisco site(you may need a valid smartnet)

Detailed debug information can be found at:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6545/products_tech_note09186a008073caa6.shtml#req

Then there is a minor chance your switches were shipped with the following bug:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/ts/fn/620/fn62577.html

aperently at one time a batch was shipped with defective firmware.

 

[atascoman]

Unfortunately I am still stuck on this. I did the capture and I saw it send out a DHCP packet from 10.0.0.1. I set my PC to use 10.0.0.2, still no go. I assumed a /24 mask and even tried other masks, but nothing worked. I am using Win7 so I fired up the XP mode and tried it with that too, still nothing. It never gets an IP from the switch.

 

[Silverblade]

I had also problem with WIN7.
But when I used XP it worked flawless.

Advice: Test if they can survive a fall of 100m, ride over with a truck and finish by setting it on fire. Then hope they don't survive, cause these 500 switches are really a piece of shit)

 

[atascoman]

I agree wholeheartedly on the test procedure.

 

[atascoman]

I was finally able to crack one using an older XP laptop.

 

[Silverblade]

Nice to hear. Good luck with it