This document addresses basic configuration of Livingston's IRX router. It is not intended as a complete guide but merely as a step in the right direction.
The console port on any Livingston product is always the port designated S0. This is an asynchronous port and can be programmed for modem operation if desired. To return this port to "diagnostic mode", move DIP switch number 1 to the "UP" or "ON" position and power cycle the unit. This returns S0 to the default settings of 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, and no parity. In order to connect a console (such as a dumb terminal), a null modem is required.
Once the console is connected, hitting return should bring up a "Console login:" prompt. Enter "!root" as the username. If the router is new or has been returned to factory default settings (See Appendix 1: "Restoring Default Configuration"), there will be no password and you may press return at the password prompt. Otherwise, enter the password you have previously set. If you have lost this password and are at console, it is possible to recover it. For information on this procedure, reffer to Appendix 2: Recovering a lost password. On a new router, you will be at a "Command>" prompt. At this point, you have unrestricted access to the router.
Programming begins with setting global configuration parameters
beginning with the name of the router. This is entirely for human
consumption and is controlled through "set sysname WORD",
where WORD is the name you wish to assign to this router. This name
will replace the "Command" in the router's prompt and can be usefull
when the router is deployed to help you distinguish one router from
another when initiating administrative logins via telnet.
The next step in configuration is to set a password for the router via
"set password WORD". This will be the password used when
a login is attempted to the router itself (via the !root login name
wether at console or via telnet to the router.)
The router's ethernet address is set with "
If necessary, configure the router to use DNS and set a nameserver and
loghost. By default, Livingston products are configured to use NIS to
obtain nameservice information. To change this to traditional Domain
Name Service, use "set namesvc dns" and then assign a nameserver with
"
Here is a summary of the commands entered so far:
At this point, each interface can be configured. The different models
of IRX routers contain a different set of interfaces. a 114 contains
one ethernet interface, one asynchronous interface, and four
synchronous interfaces (1, 1, 4). The synchronous interfaces on an IRX
114 are arranged so that two (S1 and S3) will operate at high speeds
(up to T1, 1,544K) and two (S2 and S4) will operate at low speeds (up
to 64K). Please remember this when connecting devices to the router.
All livingston router products come with support for PPP and Frame
Relay. Basic configuration involves setting a network type on the
port, selecting a protocol, and configuring the protocol specific
information. For PPP and Frame connections, the network type should be
"hardwired". It should be noted that order of commands can be
important as some commands will undo others.
For an unnumbered PPP connection, the following set of commands can be
used.
Note that no protocol line is present as PPP is the default protocol.
For a numbered PPP connection, simply add "
For frame relay, the configuration is not much more complicated:
With frame relay, LMI (Link Management Interface) data can be used to
determine which DLCIs are active and the address of the router
attached to each DLCI. However, when equipment from different vendors
is on the other end of that PVC (most notably cisco), LMI may not
function correctly and will not deliver the IP address. In such cases,
a static DLCI list can be used to either set or supplement the dynamic
list generated. The form of this list is DLCI#:IP address. In the
above configuration, assume that a router with IP address 1.2.3.1 is
attached to DLCI 16. To create a static entry for this router, enter
"
Which DLCIs are active and their associated addresses can be
determined once the connection is established by entering "
To save all configuration information entered, at any time, enter
"
To restore a router to default configuration, login to the router and
enter the following command:
After a few seconds, it should respond: Successfully formatted FLASH in
slot 2.
Reboot the portmaster without saving any configuration information and
you're done.
This procedure is documented on page 3-14 of the Command Line Administrator's
manual.
Flash 2 contains the portmaster configuration files.. without the
files, it assigns default values.
To recover a lost password, login as "!root" on console and enter
enter "override" as the password. Call livingston at 800-458-9966 and
ask for tech support. Tell them you're trying to recover a lost
password. The terminal server or router will issue a 16 character
challenge string at you.. read this off character for character to the
tech support rep. You should be back at a login prompt in the
portmaster, enter !root and the 16 character response you were given
by tech support. If the response is accepted, you will be logged into
the router or terminal server and can proceed to set a new
administrative password.
Please note that the challenge is time sensitive. It is a good idea to
call tech support before you get the challenge.
Password recovery is documented on page 19-11 of PortMaster Configuration
Guide.
Mail all suggestions, corrections, and comments to
set address <ip
address> <netmask>". The netmask can be changed if necessary by
"set netmask <netmask>". Livingston products default to a "Zero
byte" broadcast address instead of an all 1s broadcast address. To
change this to the latter, use "set broadcast high". When changing the
ethernet address, the router should be rebooted (via
"reboot") after saving the configuration. This assures
that there are no stale ARP entries in the router and adjoining
equipment.
set nameserver <ip address>". A log host can be
specified by entering "set log <ip address>".
set sysname Router
set pass foobar
set address 1.2.3.4
set netmask 255.255.255.0
set broadcast high
set namesvc dns
set nameserver 5.6.7.8
set s1 network hardwire
set s1 dest 2.3.4.5
set s1 netmask 255.255.255.0
set gateway 2.3.4.1
set s1 address <ip
address>" and insert an appropriate address.
set s1 network hardwire
set s1 proto frame
set s1 address 1.2.3.4
set s1 netmask 255.255.255.0
set s1 lmi 10
set gateway 1.2.3.1
set s1 DLCI 16:1.2.3.1".
show
arp frm1".
save all".
set register 0xffff 0x0102
Newer versions of ComOS accept the command "erase config" to accomplish
this task.