1. If it isn’t done yet (as in the case of one piece kits), connect your RJ 45 adapter with the 9 pin which then goes to the COM 1 port. Insert the RJ 45 cable’s connector to the console port with the supplied rollover cable.

2. Execute HyperTerminal to start the session. After naming the session, select COM 1 as your port under the “connect using” section.

3. Make the proper configurations (HyperTerminal, 9600-8-n-1):

   1. Baud: 9600

   2. Data bits: 8

   3. Stop bits: 1

   4. Parity: No

   5. Flow control: No

4. Turn Cisco on to see HyperTerminal’s boot process. Press ENTER.

5. Now you’re in User Mode. Type “?” (without quotes) in the router> prompt to see a list of available commands.

6. To start making changes, type “en” or “enable” and then press ENTER to go to Privileged Mode.

7. The same goes for the router# prompt: “?” for the list but this time type “config” to make changes. To go back, to Privileged Mode press ctrl+z.

8. Type “disable” and you’ll go back to User Mode. Then type “exit” to log out.

For a more detailed explanation on the configurations and tweaking, go this Cisco website.

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Cisco: PC Connection Guide

Cisco switches use uplink fast to improve the convergence time of the STP due to an uplink failure. The UplinkFast feature is supported on Cisco Catalyst 4500/4000, 5500/5000, and 6500/6000 series switches running CatOS. This feature is also supported on Catalyst 4500/4000 and 6500/6000 switches that run Cisco IOS® System Software and 2900 XL/3500 XL, 2950, 3550, 3560 and 3750 series switches. Uplink fast is only recommended to be used for switches with blocked ports, typically at the access-layer because it is designed to be run for a switch that has at least one backup root port. This feature is not for use in switches that do not have a backup root port. To enable Uplink fast on a CatOS switch use the A>(enable) set spantree uplinkfast enable command. To enable Uplink fast on an IOS use the A> (config)#spanning-tree uplinkfast command.

According to the Cisco website (http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/473/51.html) UplinkFast has the
following limitations:
Uplink fast does not do the fast transition during a High Availability supervisor switchover on 6500/6000 switches that run CatOS. When the root port is lost on failed-resetting supervisor, the situation after a switchover is similar to when the switch boots up the first time because you do not sync the root port information between Supervisors. High Availability (HA) maintains only spanning tree port state, not the root port information, so when the HA switchover occurs, the new sup has no idea that it has lost a port on one of the uplink ports of the failed supervisor. A common workaround is the use of a port channel (EtherChannel). Root port status is maintained when a Port Channel is built across both supervisors, 1/1-2/1 or 1/2-2/2, for example, or root port is on the port of any Line Card. As no spanning tree topology change occurs when failing-resetting the active supervisor, no UplinkFast transition is necessary

Uplink fast does not do the fast transition during an RPR or RPR+ switchover on a 6500/6000 switch that runs Cisco IOS System Software. There is no workaround because Layer 2 port must go through spanning tree convergence states of listening, learning, and forwarding.  Cisco IOS Software on 6500/6000 does not implement generation of dummy multicast packets after uplinkfast transition for the update of CAM tables, refer to Cisco bug ID CSCdm65881 ( registered customers only) .

Uplink fast implementation on gigastack of 2900/3500XL/2950/3550/3560/3750 is called Cross Stack Uplink Fast Feature (CSUF), general UplinkFast feature on gigastack setup is not supported.  CSUF does not implement generation of dummy multicast packets after UplinkFast transition for the update of CAM tables.

Do not change spanning tree priority on the switch when UplinkFast is enabled because, it depends on the platform, and it can cause UplinkFast feature to be disabled, or it can cause a loop as the UplinkFast feature automatically changes the priority to a higher value in order to prevent the switch from becoming Root Bridge.

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Setting uplinkfast on a Cisco switch

Cisco’s answer to connectivity delays is port fast. When port fast is enabled it can help reduce the time it takes a PC to get a response. For example, if a Pc usually receives a response from the network in 30 to 35 seconds, enabling port fast may cut it down to five or six seconds. A few reasons that port delays occur are if STP is enabled, if there is EtherChannel negotiation going on, or in the link speed/duplex negotiations are taking time. Many users will give up on attempts to connect even before the port has received the data packet. This is why enabling port fast is beneficial.

However, you must be careful when enabling port fast that the switch is only connected to one device as to avoid creating a network loop where information will get lost and keep circling. To enable port fast in the interface configuration mode first use the following command ciscoswitch(config-if)# switchport mode access  to force switchport mode to access. Then use this command ciscoswitch(config-if)# spanning-tree portfast  to enable port fast.

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Setting portfast on a cisco switch

Lost passwords on from a Cisco ASA firewall can be recovered without having to re-image the device. This procedure will only work when running version 6.0 or older, you can not recover a password from a 5.0 version. The third method can be used if you lock out due to AAA settings.

Method A – Password Reset Using a Command
1. Use the command hw-module module <module_num> password-reset in the Cisco ASA CLI.
A. Example – ciscoasa(config) #hw-module module 1 password-reset
B. Reset the password on module in slot 1?
C. Confirm

Method B – Password Reset Using ASDM
1. Open the Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM).
2. In the Tools dropdown list select IPS Password Reset (for aip-ssm)
3. In the Tools dropdown list select CSC Password Reset (for csc-ssm)

Method C – Password Recovery Using ROMMON from a lock out
1. During startup of the security appliance, Press ESC when prompted to enter ROMMON
2. The following command will have the appliance ignore the startup configuration.
A. Rommon #1> confreg
B.The current configuration register will be shown followed by a prompt to change
the configuration, write down your current value to use later and type {y} and press {enter}
C. Keep all settings except “Disable System Configuration?” for that enter {y} and press {enter}
D. Reboot the appliance by typing rommon #2> boot
3. Type in hostname> enable to enter privileged EXEC mode.
4. You will now be prompted for a password press {enter}
5. Type in hostname# copy startup-config running-config
6. Type in hostname# configure terminal to enter global configuration mode
7. To change the password type in the following
A. Hostname(config) # password <enter password>
B. Hostname(config) # enable password <enter password>
c. Hostname(config) # username <enter name password password>
8. Type in hostname(config) # config-register <value written down from step 2b>
9. Type in hostname(config) # copy running-config startup-config

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Recover password from Cisco ASA firewall

Backbonefast is a Cisco feature that can save up to 20 seconds when a switch recovers from an indirect link failure. For backbone fast to work it must be enable on all switches of the bridge network. Backbone fast can be enabled in both the CatOS and IOS switches.  Indirect link failures casue delays when STP invalidates information deemed wrong due to a failure. How STP does this is it waits for max-age, backbone fast gets rid of the max-age delay.

In order to get rid of the delay backbone fast does two things, it introduces the ability the detect an indirect link failure as soon as possible, and it creates a mechanism to check if BPDU information stored on a port is still valid. To enable backbone fast on a CatOS switch use the Console> (enable) set spantree backbonefast enable command. To enable backbone fast on an IOS switch use the CAT-IOS# configure terminal, then CAT-IOS(config)# spanning-tree backbonefast, then CAT-IOS(config)# end, then the CAT-IOS# commands.

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Setting backbonefast on a Cisco switch