How to Reset Cisco Router 1841 Password: A Comprehensive Guide

Resetting the password on a Cisco 1841 router is a crucial task for network administrators, especially when an administrative account is locked out or forgotten. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step process to help you regain access to your router. Properly implemented, following these instructions can help maintain optimal network security and functionality.

Step 1: Connect to the Router

The first step involves connecting your computer to the Cisco 1841 router. Use a console cable, usually a rollover cable, to establish a direct connection. This cable will allow you to communicate with the router through a terminal emulator.

Once the cable is connected, open a terminal emulator such as PuTTY, Tera Term, or HyperTerminal on your computer to access the router. Make sure to configure the connection parameters to:

Speed: 9600 bps Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow control: None

Step 2: Reboot the Router

Power cycle the router by unplugging it and then plugging it back in. During the boot process, interrupt the boot sequence by pressing Ctrl C in some terminal emulators. This action will take you into ROMMON mode.

Step 3: Initialize the Router

At the rommon prompt, type the following command to initialize the router:

confreg 2142

This command instructs the router to ignore the startup configuration on the next boot.

Step 4: Reboot the Router Again

Type the following command to reboot the router:

reset

Step 5: Enter Privileged Mode

After the router reboots, it will enter setup mode. To bypass this, type:

no

Then enter privileged mode by typing:

enable

Step 6: Copy the Startup Configuration

To recover the original configuration, type:

copy startup-config running-config

Step 7: Change the Password

Enter global configuration mode by typing:

configure terminal

Now, change the password for the console or enable mode. For example, to change the enable password:

enable secret NEW_PASSWORD

You can also change the password for the console by typing:

line con 0 password NEW_PASSWORD login

Step 8: Reset the Configuration Register

To change the configuration register back to the default value, type:

config-register 2102

Step 9: Save the Configuration

Save your changes to the startup configuration by typing:

exit write memory

Alternatively, you can use:

copy running-config startup-config

Step 10: Reboot the Router

Finally, reboot the router to apply the changes:

reload

Follow these steps to reset your Cisco 1841 router with a new password. Remember to keep a record of the new password for future reference!