PowerConnect 2808

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The PowerConnect 2808 is an interesting beast because it does NOT have a dedicated Serial / Console Port.

What to do if you buy one on eBay and need to put it in functional, accessible, working order...

Quick D

  • Power
  • Reset (7 plus second press, blink / flash on link lights)
  • Wait for it to reboot
  • Press button (less than 7 seconds) for managed mode (in reset mode)
  • 192.168.2.1 (admin / - )
  • Check, Use Current IP, Use Current Name (no changes in actual IP allowed)
  • Wait for it to reboot, wait some additional time, keep waiting, too much time has passed, oh, there, it's responding
  • And now the real interface is available
  • Update firmware (under General, File Management, File Download), both Boot (.rfb file) and Software (.ros file) can be done at the same time with no reboot in-between.
  • Reset / reboot
  • Wait, wait some more, but not as long as before.
  • Reset to factory defaults (General, File Management, Restore Default, good spot for it huh?), REMEMBER TO RESTART IT.
  • System green, the trap is clean...

Factory Defaults / Reset

  • Plug it in, wait for it to boot up (it could be in managed mode, it could be in secure mode, it could be in un-managed mode, it could be configured with the default IP Address, it could be configured with a custom IP Address, IE, WHO CARES?)
  • Press the reset switch for 7 seconds (or slightly more). The switch will then reboot, give it a couple of seconds and it will boot up into "Secured Mode" (AKA, it's a dumb switch that doesn't allow any configuration)
  • Press the reset switch briefly (less than 7 seconds). Give it a couple of seconds and the Managed Mode light will up and the device will respond to pings, telnet, and web GUI at its default IP Address of 192.168.2.1
  • The switch will then enter the "Restore Saved Configuration" mode where it will respond to telnet (limited and virtually useless) and web GUI. The choices are Radio Buttons and a Checkbox.
  • Check the "Restore Saved Configuration" Checkbox and select;
    • "Local Configuration" Button: The "Local Configuration" are factory defaults at this point (remember, the "reset" button was pressed in an above step)
    • "Use Current IP": This will use the "reset" / "default" IP Address of 192.168.2.1
    • "Use Current User Name/Password" Radio Buttons: This will use the "reset" / "default" User Name of "admin" and the default password of "- / blank / nothing"
  • Click the Apply Changes Button, then the "confirm" dialogue.

...and now wait for a bit longer than one would expect (more than a minute or two) for it to respond to telnet and GUI requests.

Firmware and Boot PROM Upgrade

There are two upgrades. Firmware and Boot PROM. Since this is being written in the year 2021 and the last firmware update was in 2013, the odds are there won't be anymore updates.

The GUI is the easiest to use (System, File Manager, File Download, Download via HTTP);

  • Firmware (powerconnect_28xx-10045.ros): Software Image
  • Boot PROM (powerconnect_28xx_boot-10013.rfb): Boot Code (AKA PROM)

Both can be done at the same time with no reboot inbetween.