Cisco Console Connection for iPad

Have you ever wanted to configure a Cisco device from your iPad? I realise this is probably a niche market, but I'm pleased to report that it's now possible!

Thanks to guys over at Get Console it is now possible to connect your iPad (or iPhone) to a Cisco device (router, switch or ASA) using the Cisco standard console (serial) connection. This is possible using the Apple certified iOS console cable, which has the standard Apple 30pin connector at one end and RJ45 (serial) at the other.

Finally, all you need is the Get Console app available from the App Store.

I haven't had a chance to play with the cable or app yet (still waiting for my order), but the guys over at Get Console have provided a short demostration video.

As you can see the cable and app seem to work very well, even offering custom keyboard buttons (such as break) and a clipboard to paste commands/output.

The final cool feature is remote console access via the iOS device, for remote engineers. This means that you can connect the iPad/iPhone to the Cisco device and have remote engineer login via the Get Console website (using a unique one time code). The diagram below shows how this works:

As soon as my cable arrives I'll post an update.

Cisco Router Password Recovery

If you work with Cisco routers I guarentee you will at some stage attempt to login to a router only to discover you can't remember the password. When this happens you will be forced to execute the Cisco router password recovery process. Please note this specific process is primarily for Cisco 3600 and 3800 routers although may work on other models. Please check the Cisco website for more details.

1. Connect a standard rollover cable (console cable) to the router using the console port. Open a terminal emulation application (such as Hyper Terminal on Windows) and connect with the following settings:

• 9600 baud rate

• No parity

• 8 data bits

• 1 stop bit

• No flow control

2. Power on the router and execute the break sequence in the first 90 seconds. Each terminal emulation application has its own break sequence, for example in Hyper Terminal on Windows simply click the "Break" key.

3. The router will now enter ROMMON. Enter "config-register 0x2142" and press return. This step bypasses the startup configuration where the existing passwords are stored. Next type "reset", which reboots the router but ignores the saved configuration.

4. Once the router has rebooted answer "No" to all the initial setup procedure questions. Next enter enable mode by typing "en" and copy the start-up configuration to the running configuration by typing "copy startup-config running-config".

5. Type "conf t" and then "enable secret <password>" in order to change the enable password.

6. Finally type "config-register 0x2102" and "write mem" to save the running-configuration to the startup configuration.

When the router re-boots, you will be able to access it using the new password you previously configured.

Configure a Cisco 800 Series Router (PPPoA)

The following configuration was used on a Cisco 837 Router to terminate an ADSL (PPPoA) connection in the UK. The configuration also shows examples of DHCP, NAT, Access Lists and Port Fowarding.

version 12.4
no service pad
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
no service password-encryption
!
hostname<Router Name>
!
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
!
enable secret 5<Enable Password>
!
no aaa new-model
!
!
no ip dhcp use vrf connected
ip dhcp excluded-address 192.168.0.2 192.168.0.10
!
ip dhcp pool LAN
network 192.168.0.0 255.255.255.0
default-router 192.168.0.1
dns-server<DNS Server 1> <DNS Server 2>
!
!
ip cef
ip auth-proxy max-nodata-conns 3
ip admission max-nodata-conns 3
!
!
interface Ethernet0
ip address 192.168.0.1 255.255.255.0
ip nat inside
ip virtual-reassembly
ip tcp adjust-mss 1452
hold-queue 100 out
!
interface Ethernet2
no ip address
shutdown
hold-queue 100 out
!
interface ATM0
no ip address
no atm ilmi-keepalive
dsl operating-mode auto
pvc 0/38
encapsulation aal5mux ppp dialer
dialer pool-member 1
!
!
interface FastEthernet1
speed 100
full-duplex
!
interface FastEthernet2
shutdown
duplex auto
speed auto
!
interface FastEthernet3
shutdown
duplex auto
speed auto
!
interface FastEthernet4
shutdown
duplex auto
speed auto
!
interface Dialer0
description<ISP Name>ADSL
ip address negotiated
ip mtu 1492
ip nat outside
ip virtual-reassembly
encapsulation ppp
no ip route-cache cef
no ip route-cache
no ip mroute-cache
dialer pool 1
dialer-group 1
ppp authentication chap callin
ppp chap hostname<ISP Provided Hostname>
ppp chap password 7<ISP Provided Password>
!
ip forward-protocol nd
ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 Dialer0
!
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
!
ip nat inside source list 100 interface Dialer0 overload
ip nat inside source static tcp 192.168.0.3 50001 interface Dialer0 50001
ip nat inside source static udp 192.168.0.3 50001 interface Dialer0 50001
!
access-list 1 permit any
access-list 100 permit ip 192.168.0.0 0.0.0.255 any
dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit
!
!
!
control-plane
!
!
line con 0
password 7<Console Password>
login
no modem enable
line aux 0
line vty 0 4
password 7<Telnet Password>
login
!
scheduler max-task-time 5000