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Cisco WLC: Password Recovery Procedure for C9800

July 27, 2023 ,

Cisco WLC: Password Recovery Procedure for C9800

A Cisco WLC, also known as a wireless LAN controller, is a network device that manages wireless network access points, enabling wireless devices to connect to the network. 

The Cisco WLC is often software installed on one of the servers or an appliance that centralizes access point management. Within the Cisco Wireless Model, the wireless LAN controller is part of the Data Plane.

The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless LAN Controllers are IoT-ready, ultra-reliable, and super-secure wireless controllers designed for Wi-Fi 6/6E1. They are used to administer wireless network access points, which are used to connect wireless devices to the network. The Catalyst 9800 software has been completely redesigned to take use of the advantages of Cisco IOS XE, and the configuration paradigm has been made more modular and adaptable.

password Recovery C9800 Cisco WLC @ www.thenetworkdna.com
Fig 1.1- Cisco WLC

Steps for Password recovery

Step 1. Reboot the device first and Send 'break' key when you see ##### print on console for system that loads image. Then, the system breaks the bootup process and goes to the ROMMON prompt. You can either do this when you press break or ctrl+break on the keyboard. 

File size is 0x01d191f3
Located C9800-rpboot.16.10.01.SPA.pkg 
Image size 30511603 inode num 874837, bks cnt 7450 blk size 8*512
########################################################################
########################################################################
########################################################################
########################################################################

Boot image size = 30511603 (0x1d191f3) bytes
ROM:RSA Self Test Passed
ROM:Sha512 Self Test Passed
Package header rev 3 structure detected
Calculating SHA-1 hash...done
validate_package_cs: SHA-1 hash:
calculated e36f46af:2c06b38d:eeb6e65b:ffaeb429:a6982d29
expected   e36f46af:2c06b38d:eeb6e65b:ffaeb429:a6982d29
Validating main package signatures
####

Step 2.Change config register to 0x2142 with the  confreg 0x2142  command from ROMMON prompt.

rommon 1 > confreg 0x2142

Step 3. To save rommon config change, execute  sync  at the rommon prompt,  reset  rommon to applied change from rommon prompt.

rommon 2 > sync
rommon 3 > reset

Resetting .......
Initializing Hardware ...
System integrity status: 90170200 12030107
System Bootstrap, Version 16.10(2r), RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2018  by cisco Systems, Inc.
Current image running: Boot ROM0
Last reset cause: LocalSoft
C9800-40-K9 platform with 33554432 Kbytes of main memory
File size is 0x000015c9
Located packages.conf 
Image size 5577 inode num 874834, bks cnt 2 blk size 8*512
#

Step 4. Now system boots without any config. Ignore startup config wizard.

Step 5. Once system comes up, copy startup-config to running-config.

Step 6. Reconfigure enable password or log in credentials, and check if you can access to the device via telnet or ssh.

C9800-40#telnet 10.10.10.1
Trying 10.10.10.1 ... Open
User Access Verification
Username: NDNA
Password:*******
C9800-40#

Step 7. Change config-register back to 0x2002.
C9800-40(config)#config-register 0x2002

Step 8. Save config.

C9800-40#write memory 
Building configuration...
[OK]

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