Old Cisco Switches - Firmware upgrade question.

[bartosz.ciazynski]

Hi everyone. Lately I bought on a garage sale two cisco switches. Cisco Catalyst 2950T and 2924XL both are 24 ethernet port (with 2x 1gb port on 2950T). I would like to update software on these devices if it's possible. I tried Cisco Network Assistant to search for the device and found 2924xl accessible from this program and web page. 2950t seems like, beeing detected but cannot access the webpage or any configuration. What is a best way to load a firmware for these switches. How to know which firmware will be a best choice. ?

[Leo Laohoo]

How to know which firmware will be a best choice. ?

The last IOS for the 2950 family of switches ends with EA14.  The last IOS for the 2900XL family of switches is WC13.

The main question I want to ask is this:  Do you have a valid Service Contract to download the IOS from the Cisco website?

[bartosz.ciazynski]

Hi Leo. Thank you for your reply.

For the Cisco Catalyst 2950T 24 I see one firmwares in cisco directory. (BTW what is a difference between crypto and non crypto image ?) Should I load bin or tar ?

C2950 EI AND SI IOS CRYPTO IMAGE - c2950-i6k2l2q4-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

C2950 EI AND SI IOS CRYPTO AND WEB BASED DEVICE MANAGER - c2950-i6k2l2q4-tar.121-22.EA14.tar

C2950 EI AND SI IOS IMAGE - c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

C2950 EI AND SI IOS IMAGE AND WEB BASED DEVICE MANAGER - c2950-i6q4l2-tar.121-22.EA14.tar

What is a difference between IOS CRYPTO and non CRYPTO images ?

which one should I choose and what is a best way to load this firmwares. Cause 2924XL is accessible from Cisco network asistand I can try to upgrade 2924xl from it. Since 2950T is not accessible from http, telnet (showing that password is required but none is set & disconnects by itself) can i update it from console ?

kind regards,

[Leo Laohoo]

Should I load bin or tar ?

Cisco switches will read BIN file but can't read TAR file.  TAR file is a "ZIP" file.  So if you want to get a TAR file you'll need to extract all the files manually.

For beginners, BIN file will do fine.

Crypto when you want to use SSH and/or HTTPS.

[bartosz.ciazynski]

Thank you for your reply,

I've seen that Cisco Network Assistant is able to load tar as a firmware when upgrading. Bin file is a exacly the same as tar but other extension or there are some other differences also ?

maybe let's try with your help update the 2924xl. There are two versions of that device. Seems like one has less flash space than the other. How can I check it which version do I have to not brick the switch ?

[Leo Laohoo]

Bin file is a exacly the same as tar but other extension or there are some other differences also ?

BIN file is the file switch appliances reads.  TAR file is like a ZIP or RAR file.  Inside a TAR file is the BIN file and a lot more files.

Seems like one has less flash space than the other. How can I check it which version do I have to not brick the switch ?

Post the output to the command "sh version".  This will determine the exact model number.  Next, post the output to the command "dir".  This will determine the amount of flash.

If you say you have the "XL", then chances are you can load the WC13 file. 

[bartosz.ciazynski]

Ok somehow I managed to update my C2950T to newest possible software but. Device is not accessible from ethernet side (www, telnet, cisco assistant). But it seems to be working - kind a. I've connected to its console port and copied the bootlog from the device.

Why www site is not available as it used to be earlier. Also cisco network assistant detects the device but it also cannot connect. ?

http://pastebin.com/rSyXnCuG

kind regards,

P.S - also what is a difference between cisco crypto image and non crypto ? for 2950T ?

[Leo Laohoo]

CiscoC2950>

You won't be able to do any configuration mode because you are not in "enable".

Enter "enable" and watch the prompt go from">" to a "#".  To enter into configuration, use the command "config t".