Console Connection on AIR-AP1242AG

ZeroHunter

I just got a Cisco Wireless Access Point, but I cant seem to be able to Console into the unit. I can access the web-page setup screen with no problems.

I had an older one of these before and it would console just like any other piece of Cisco equipment, what am I doing wrong?

alan2308

I just finished a wireless security class right before Christmas, so I spent a lot of time consoled in to these. Using the console port is pretty much the same as on any other Cisco device. You might just have a bad unit.

tiersten

The console port is next to the ethernet port and as alan2308 said, its just like every other piece of Cisco hardware. When you restart it, do you see anything at all? The bootloader on the APs isn't the same as the ones on the switches and routers.

I've got some of them at home for WiFi and in my lab. I've been on the lookout for a few 1252s but they've either been really expensive so not worth it or cheap but generally comes with the wrong regulatory domain.

ZeroHunter

alan2308 wrote: »

I just finished a wireless security class right before Christmas, so I spent a lot of time consoled in to these. Using the console port is pretty much the same as on any other Cisco device. You might just have a bad unit.

Yeah like I said I played with one or two before, and just like you said I would plug the console cable in, power up the unit and it would start sending information to putty just like any other piece of Cisco equipment. This one does not!

I even looked in the browser based setup to see if there was a way to turn it off or on, but I did not see anything, as to it being bad I am kinda shocked, Cisco stuff always seems so rock solid!

Might be time for a warranty call, I just wanted to make sure that it was not something I was doing.

SteveO86

As long as the console connection is programmed correctly baud rate and all that good stuff it should be like any other Cisco device.

Was it already owned by someone else before you maybe someone plugged PoE into the console ?

Any error logs in the GUI?

ZeroHunter

SteveO86 wrote: »

As long as the console connection is programmed correctly baud rate and all that good stuff it should be like any other Cisco device.

Was it already owned by someone else before you maybe someone plugged PoE into the console ?

Any error logs in the GUI?

Yes it was a pre-owed, and I plugged the unit into PoE to power it up, but I did not plug the PoE into the Console Port, not saying that it did not happen before I got it.

Do they fuse that or build in some sort of protection against that?

I did not look at the error logs, before I did a mode button reset, thinking it might of been programed wrong, setup incorrectly, or just plain confused.

tiersten

You should always see some sort of output on the console port when it is booting even if its a LWAPP or has no IOS image so by the sounds of it, the console port is dead.

Plugging the console into something that does proper PoE shouldn't be able to kill it.

There aren't any fuses for the console ports. Your best bet is to see if there is a standalone RS232 level converter near the console port and to get it replaced if so which will require SMD rework. That is usually what dies. They're protected against ESD but there is only so much protection you can build into a chip.