How to Setup a TFTP Server & Backup/Restore 2500 IOS

Since there were many posts and questions regarding on TFTP servers. I thought I would create a quick guide for setting up a TFTP server.

What you need
1. TFTP software on a computer (Were going to use PUMPKIN v2.7.2 Freeware)
2. A computer
3. Straight through cable
4. Cisco 2500 router
5. Having your Ethernet interface correctly setup with “up and up” status and belonging to a properly configured subnet. This is assuming you have an Ethernet transceiver plugged in with an Ethernet cable connected from the laptop to the routers Ethernet Transceiver port.

Steps
1. Install Pumpkin on 1 computer near your router. I used a laptop.
2. After installation open Pumpkin and select the “Option” button
3. Under the SERVER tab select a new path for the “TFTP filesystem Root” This is the directory where you can upload or download and IOS from. I just created a new folder on the desktop and named it TFTP and made that the root for simplicity reasons.
4. Next stay under the SERVER tab and make sure both radio buttons “Give all files” and “Take all files” are selected.
5. Click ok
6. That’s all we need to change under options
7. Go back to the main Pumpkin screen and make sure the little check box “Server is running” in the bottom right hand corner of the pumpkin main interface.
8. Next Turn off any firewalls you have on this machine.
9. Next go under network connections and navigate to your local area connections TCP\I settings and statically assign the computer an IP address. Say if your Ethernet interface subnet on the router is 150.150.48.0. Assign the computer you’re setting the tftp server up with an address 150.150.48.1 for example. Also enter the correct subnet mask as well. They will now be on the same subnet. You do not have to setup a default gateway or DNS entries under TCP\IP network connections settings.
10. Your next step is to ping the computer you setup the TFTP server on from the router. For example from the router ping 150.150.48.1 using my example.
11. A ping should be successful at this point – if not go back and troubleshoot (don’t get frustrated) either you forgot to turn the firewall off or your subnet for the Ethernet is not correctly setup.
12. IF you made it this far congrats – turn to page 440 in the Sybex book to backup an IOS or Restore an IOS to the router. This will give you step by step instructions.
13. The commands you’re going to be using are copy flash tftp or copy tftp flash.
14. If you have any questions just pm me.

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Comments

Webmaster

Added to CCNA FAQ Sticky.

mobri09

and if you don't want to mess around with a computer...Just go router to router
http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150503#150503

mobri09

Cool - thanks!

I will even polish up the steps if anyone runs into problems

Paul Boz

For the same of completeness, here's the TFTP server of choice for me.

http://www.solarwinds.com/products/freetools/index.aspx

It's free as well.

calaverasgrandes

Paul Boz wrote:

For the same of completeness, here's the TFTP server of choice for me.

http://www.solarwinds.com/products/freetools/index.aspx

It's free as well.

I have been using that one also.

kafifi13

I thought when you connected a router to a PC you needed a crossover cable not straight through because it is DTE to DTE?

wait2dominate

kafifi13 wrote:

I thought when you connected a router to a PC you needed a crossover cable not straight through because it is DTE to DTE?

It is a crossover ethernet cable needed.

mobri09

I used a straight through cable from the laptop to the transceiver port on the back of the router.

Fugazi1000

mobri09 wrote:

I used a straight through cable from the laptop to the transceiver port on the back of the router.

For this to be successful the transceiver must support smart MDI/MDI-X i.e. when it senses the whether the other end of the cable is DCE or DTE it changes itself to suit.

This won't work on many devices so I always carry a 3 inch cross-over cable and a UTP coupler to give me flexibility.

My choice of TFTP server is the Solarwinds one. It has good default settings and leaves no trace. Run it from a USB memory stick with all the IOS images/config files in the same folder and all you need to configure is an IP address on the PC/host.

mobri09

USB is an excellent idea!

michael_knight

Somebody must have been reading my mind! I was just today getting ready to install an ios on a 6506 with pumkin. This will definitely come in hand

mobri09

The directions are pretty similiar from the routers setup except for a few commands that need to be setup on the switches side. Here you go.

What you need
1. TFTP software on a computer (Were going to use PUMPKIN v2.7.2 Freeware)
2. A computer
3. Straight through cable
4. Cisco 2950 switch
5. Setup A ports interface as no shut, switchport mode access
6. Setup vlan 1 with ip address (correct subnet), no shut
***(You might have to setup the speed on the laptop or computers NIC as 100mb because the switch did not like AUTO, you can do this in device manager. Also make sure to change the switch side under the interface...for example speed 100 duplex full.)
7. Having your port correctly setup with “up and up” status on the switch and belonging to a properly configured subnet. Next plug in the straight through cable from the switch to laptop.

Steps
1. Install Pumpkin on 1 computer near your router. I used a laptop.
2. After installation open Pumpkin and select the “Option” button
3. Under the SERVER tab select a new path for the “TFTP filesystem Root” This is the directory where you can upload or download and IOS from. I just created a new folder on the desktop and named it TFTP and made that the root for simplicity reasons.
4. Next stay under the SERVER tab and make sure both radio buttons “Give all files” and “Take all files” are selected.
5. Click ok
6. That’s all we need to change under options
7. Go back to the main Pumpkin screen and make sure the little check box “Server is running” in the bottom right hand corner of the pumpkin main interface.
8. Next Turn off any firewalls you have on this machine.
9. Next go under network connections and navigate to your local area connections TCP\I settings and statically assign the computer an IP address. Say if your Ethernet interface subnet on the router is 150.150.48.0. Assign the computer you’re setting the tftp server up with an address 150.150.48.1 for example. Also enter the correct subnet mask as well. They will now be on the same subnet. You do not have to setup a default gateway or DNS entries under TCP\IP network connections settings.
10. Your next step is to ping the computer you setup the TFTP server on from the router. For example from the router ping 150.150.48.1 using my example.
11. A ping should be successful at this point – if not go back and troubleshoot (don’t get frustrated) either you forgot to turn the firewall off or your subnet for the Ethernet is not correctly setup.
13. The commands you’re going to be using are copy flash tftp or copy tftp flash.