# How to access a switch



## balanga (Oct 24, 2022)

I've recently configure a old LINKSYS WRT150N router into a switch to provide a few extra network ports. Is there any way I can access it without resetting it? I configured it as 192.168.3.1 and my Internet gateway is 192.168.1.1.


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## mer (Oct 24, 2022)

My experience is "not unless  you wrote down the password you changed it to".  If you have a laptop, I would simply plug the laptop into the WRT150N, make sure the WRT150N is unplugged from the network and do a factory reset.  The laptop should be set to DHCP, then the WRT150N will have factory settings, configure it the way you want then plug it back into the network


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## SirDice (Oct 24, 2022)

Here's a novel idea, download the manual for that device and read it.


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## zirias@ (Oct 24, 2022)

My switch offers a serial console on USB, and I once needed it cause I forgot to "save" the config and some power outage "factory-reset" the device, which is a catastrophic thing in a network using both VLANs and lagg(4) (with LACP). I downloaded the manual on my mobile phone to be able to do something meaningful on the somewhat weird commandline presented on the serial console. 

Yep, SirDice nailed it, although "RTFM" would have been more efficient


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## im (Oct 24, 2022)

Try to configure an static IP address on your PC, like 192.168.3.100
Make a direct connection between PC and router, disconnect all another equipment from router,
and try to access your route/switch via its IP 192.168.3.1


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## SirDice (Oct 24, 2022)

https://downloads.linksys.com/downloads/userguide/1224638361159/WRT150N-v1.1_ug.pdf
		


The built-in "switch" is just the plain 'unmanaged' variety, and is 100Mbit. Throughput is abysmal. A $10 8 port gigabit switch from Ali Express would probably be a better solution.


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## balanga (Oct 25, 2022)

SirDice said:


> Here's a novel idea, download the manual for that device and read it.


Actually, it has DD-WRT installed on it, but I'm useless when it comes to routing between different subnets on the same physical network. I'm presuming the router/switch has to be on a separate subnet...


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## SirDice (Oct 25, 2022)

balanga said:


> but I'm useless when it comes to routing between different subnets on the same physical network.






_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ6xBkjjJrU_

Really simplistic explanation but it should get you started with understanding how it works.


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## balanga (Oct 31, 2022)

After  messing about with various of many options, not fully undestanding many, I am able to telnet into my router/switch if I set a static IP address of 192.168.2.2. My router is 192.168.2.1. I can also ping 192.168.1.1 (my Internet gateway) as well as  8.8.8.8 from my router and from my FreeBSD laptop. 

Unfortunately I'm unable to get web access to the router. I get 'This site can't be reached' - refused to connect.
The same happens when trying to access any other web server.

What could be the problem?


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## balanga (Nov 6, 2022)

After spending quite a bit of time and doing numerous reboots I can't tell if I've bricked my router.
How do I tell if it has an IP address assigned. `dhclient em0` shows no result.


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## Alain De Vos (Nov 6, 2022)

dhclient will not show the IP-address of your router. It will return an IP-address for your "client".
For you client you can assign a fixed IP-address in the same subnet of your router ...

You should "know" the configuration of your router.
If you forgot the configuration of your router you can do a factory reset according to the manual. Sometimes its plugging in a needle and push a switch.


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## balanga (Nov 7, 2022)

Alain De Vos said:


> dhclient will not show the IP-address of your router. It will return an IP-address for your "client".
> For you client you can assign a fixed IP-address in the same subnet of your router ...
> 
> You should "know" the configuration of your router.
> If you forgot the configuration of your router you can do a factory reset according to the manual. Sometimes its plugging in a needle and push a switch.


I think I tried resetting it a few dozen times but don't get any response.

I thought I would try and found out if it managed to assign an IP address to itself which I could try and ping, but the only way I could think of fingding out was by using nmap but that didn't show anything.

Maybe wireshark could find something...


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## Alain De Vos (Nov 7, 2022)

What's the exact model/type of the switch ?


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## SirDice (Nov 7, 2022)

It's not a switch. It's a wireless access point that happens to have an unmanaged 4 port ethernet switch built-in.


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## Alain De Vos (Nov 7, 2022)

Sorry , i had not read everything.

Manual,


			https://downloads.linksys.com/downloads/userguide/1224638361159/WRT150N-v1.1_ug.pdf
		

To read:
1-How to perform factory reset
2-Default IP-address & subnet.

To perform:
3-Perform factory reset
4-Put client in same subnet & connect.


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