Capabilities of Cisco Bootstrap Software

jreynold19

Hi,

I have a Cisco 2509 router that is currently running off the Bootstrap software (version 10.2-8a). Because it is missing a Flash, I have no option but to run using this IOS.

I have figured out most limitations but I cannot determine this:

Is it possible to configure any type of routes using Bootstrap software?

My e.g.
Router 1 runs IOS 12.1
Serial 0 - 192.168.3.1 255.255.255.0
Ethernet 0 - 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0

Router 2 runs Bootstrap IOS
Serial 0 - 192.168.3.2 255.255.255.0
Ethernet 0 - 192.168.4.1 255.255.255.0

Router1 serial0 connects to Router2 serial0 using HDLC. Both interface are up and up, and I can ping from between interfaces.

What I specifically want to be able to do is some how make a connection to Router 2's ethernet network from Router 1.

Are there any default route options, packet forwarding etc that I can try?

mikej412

The bootstrap image doesn't support routing or bridging -- it's just there for emergeny recovery of the router itself.

Are you saying the Flash is physically missing from the router? Or is it just missing an IOS image?

If you have IOS images on that ethernet network attached to the other router that you are trying to get to, you can try the default-gateway command. At that point the 2509 is just another dumb host on the network and needs to be given a default-gateway to send all its off subnet traffic.

If that 2nd router running a real IOS image, you could setup the 2nd router as a TFTP server and have the 2509 get its IOS image from there, as long as the image will fit in the DRAM (as long as the 2509 has the same or larger DRAM than router 2).

jreynold19

Thanks,

I will try the default -gateway option and also tftp, but remembering from last time I ran into memory problems.


The Router physically doesn't have a Flash. All the routers I am using are old 2500's chuck-outs from work. Work basically said, "Here, you can use these anyway you want so long as you get them working".

I did have 3 routers with IOS and 1 with Bootstrap. Recently, one of the IOS routers crashed, so I turned to the Bootstrap to complete my little network.

mikej412

jreynold19 wrote:

Recently, one of the IOS routers crashed, so I turned to the Bootstrap to complete my little network.

If they are both 2500s -- you could try a Flash transplant! Take the flash from the crashed router and put them in the same slots, but in the bootstraping router.

jreynold19

Good idea!

l-plate

you could use a static route from router 1 to router 2

ie. router1(config)#ip route 192.168.4.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.3.2

or use a routing protocol...