Cisco WLC (AIR-WLC2006-K9) Serial Cable

I've been trying to get access to the CLI on a AIR-WLC2006-K9 WLC I bought a few weeks ago as part of a lab kit, but have been very unsuccessful.

I've tried a straight-through serial cable, a null modem serial cable, and two DB-9 to RJ45 serial cables (the type used with most Cisco equipment) with an RJ45 coupler between them, but none of them seem to work (no output on my terminal emulator).

I've checked my terminal emulator (minicom) settings multiple times (9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity and no flow control), and I'm sure they are correct anyway since these settings are the same for all other Cisco routers, and it works fine on my 1841 and other routers. I'm just having issues with this WLC. :(

Is there a special type of cable I need to use for this WLC?

Any clarification truly appreciated!

Regards

Hamzah

Reply to
Hamzah Khan
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Using a multimeter I just discovered that my null modem serial cable isn't wired for handshaking (only ground and RX/TX are wired (crossed over)). Could this be the problem?

Regards

Hamzah

Reply to
Hamzah Khan

Reply to
scott owens

Docs say you need a null modem cable, so possibly. Most likely to affect PC end. Cisco say they don't use hardware handshaking.

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Console port: RS-232 (DB-9 male, DTE interface) Cisco 2006 Wireless LAN Controllers

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DB-9-to-DB-9 null modem cable

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* 9600 baud * 8 data bits * 1 stop bit * No parity * No hardware flow control

The default username is admin, and the default password is admin.

Loads more here.

You should be able to find a recipie for a null modem cable on t'interwebby without any trouble.

Reply to
bod43

You can assemble such a cable from cisco console cable components if you have-

"RJ-45 to DB-9 Female" - cable (usually blue and marked "Terminal" and ships with most cisco switches and routers today) "RJ-45-to-DB-9 Adapter" shipped with routers a while back

Has always worked for me.

Same thing can be made from

2 x "RJ-45-to-DB-9 Adapter" - usually marked "Terminal" 1 x "Rolled Cable"- cisco ones usually blue but have seen some black (old ones were black)

Same thing can be made from

2 x "RJ-45 to DB-9 Female" - cable 1 x "Rolled Cable" 2 x RJ45 coupler - as you call them.

By the way you can also assemble straight through RS-232 cables as follows

2 x "RJ-45-to-DB-9 Adapter" - usually marked "Terminal" 1 x "Straight-through Cable" - normal Ethernet patch lead is fine 2 x "RJ-45 to DB-9 Female" - cable 1 x RJ45 coupler - as you call them.

Above works with DB-25 too.

See

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If you want you can swap Rolled cable + "terminal" headshell adaptor for Straight Cable + "modem" headshell adaptor modem headshell only available in DB-25 but of course you must be able to make one.

You can test your null modem cable and PC by connecting 2 x PCs with it and by running terminal emulator on both, typing should be copied across the cable.

I used to have a kit of this plus some gender benders and

9-25 adaptors. Never beaten on any RS-232 device that I encountered that used the standard pinout on DB-9 or DB-25, male or female.
Reply to
bod43

I have already tried sniffing the packets, but it seems there is no IP address set for the device yet, so I can't actually catch any packets from it. :(

Cisco docs just say I need a null modem serial cable, which I've already tried.

Can't think what else it could be. :(

Reply to
Hamzah Khan

I have already tried a null modem serial cable, it doesn't seem to work - no output. :(

The same cable works fine with my 3com switches, and the method you recommended (2 PCs + terminal emulator).

I also put together my own null serial cable together yesterday (and also reminded myself how bad I am at soldering in the process :P), but that didn't seem to work either.

To me its starting to sound like the WLC is dead, although I can't find the beep codes that this WLC uses anywhere so I can confirm (it has two quick beeps, then a third beep after a few seconds).

I'm not sure what else to try anymore. :(

Reply to
Hamzah Khan

Its almost always cabling, try a different set of serial cables?

Reply to
Doug McIntyre

I have tried with another cable with the same wiring, hasn't helped. :(

Its really starting to sound like a dead WLC. :(

Reply to
Hamzah Khan

Before you give up, you might want to consider the possibility that the WLC's console has been set to some speed other than

9600 bps. I.e. you might try setting one of the other speeds:

(tucson-wlc2006) >config serial baudrate ?

[1200/2400/4800/9600/19200/38400/57600/115200] Enter serial speed.

Good luck,

Aaron

Reply to
Aaron Leonard

Just went through all the speeds.... none of them worked. :(

It must be dead. :'(

Reply to
Hamzah Khan

Is there a way to perform a "restore to factory defaults" through hardware rather than through the CLI? :S (ie maybe change a jumper or something).

Reply to
Hamzah Khan

Have you tried booting it with the console attached?

You might get some messsages that indicate failure to complete startup? Maybe:-)

As I think someone already mentioned maybe worth connecting a network analyser to it when it boots to see if it is sending out anything. You might be able to get an IP address for it that way.

e.g. Wireshark which is free and very fine too.

Reply to
bod43

Yep, I have tried this. Nothing at all appears.

I have also tried using Wireshark to sniff any packets, but it doesn't seem to be sending anything out. :(

The only thing I can think of is that it either has some bad setting which is stopping the console from working, and the ethernet ports are shutdown, or the WLC is dead. :(

Regards

Hamzah

Reply to
Hamzah Khan

Did you plug everything in to a hub or a switch? For best results with dumb hardware and Wireshark, tcpdump, etc. always use a hub. I keep a couple of four ports hubs lying around for just such rare occasions.

-Gary

Reply to
Gary

Well, I had it connected directly to the machine using a crossover cable, this should be pretty much the same as using a hub should it not?

Hamzah

Reply to
Hamzah Khan

yes.

Reply to
bod43

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