Catalyst WS-CE500 - Pain in the @$$

[Dominic W]

Hi there,

A few months ago I bought a WS-CE500 switch (24TT).

Since there is no option to telnet or console into the switch, I need to manage this switch via HTTP.

However...

I just can't seem to get an IP address from this device via DHCP.

I tried with different computers, both running Windows 7.

I replaced my cables.

Rebooted the switch a couple of hundred times.

Waited 30 minutes (just to be sure) for an IP address to be given to my laptop/pc NIC, however, no response, only IP address that is shown is an APIPA address.

I plug the powercord into the switch, hold the setup button to the point when the 3 LEDs turn amber.

Afterwards the LED of the Ethernet port in the switch itselfs starts to blink, this is the point where my UTP cable is plugged into from my pc/laptop to the switch.

Played a litle with the setup button just to try/test other solutions (longshot), no success here also.

It seems that there are more complaints regarding this issue.

See: https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/165377

Manual: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6545/products_tech_note09186a0080707fb0.shtml

I tried to analyze the CDP packets with Wireshark but I cannot see any IP addresses in the packets itself.

Anyone knows how to resolve this problem?

Someone got it fixed with installing Windows XP (he says), but if thats the only way to make it work i'd rather throw the switch out of my window...

[Giuseppe Larosa · Accepted solution]

Hello Dominic,

as I wrote in that thread I would stay away from this specific switch platform

To check  if something changes with a different OS on your laptop  you can try to use a linux live cd with no need to make an installation on the hard disk of your PC.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[Dominic W]

Well guess what..

Just ran the Fedora distro from Linux (Fedora 18).

DHCP worked like a charm.

I was able to login via HTTP to the switch and set the switch back to factory defaults.

Thanks for your advise Giuseppe!

What could be the cause of this? I seriously don't have got one clue/theory about it.

[Giuseppe Larosa]

Hello Dominic,

the root cause should be an incorrect handling of flag bits in the DHCP offer coming from the PC.

Windows 7 may set some flag bits that makes the packet not processed by the switch.

The format of the DHCP offer changes with a different OS and so the problem disappears

Hope to help

Giuseppe