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tI have a Cisco SLM2048 Smart Switch which I can't access anymore. The switch is working just fine but:

  • I can't reach it by web interface
  • Doesn't seem to be able to reset it, even if I hold reset button for 10, 20, 30, 60 seconds.
  • Doesn't get an ipv4 address, although I can ping it by an ipv6 address I discovered
  • In wireshark, I can intercept Malformed\Erroneous packets sent by the switch

Problem is the thing doesn't have any console, so I'm really lost on how to try to fix it. Any ideas?

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  • Disconnect all ports except the port you have your management machine connected to. It's possible that it's something silly, like portfast enabled or spanning tree disabled on a port that leads back to another port on the same switch indirectly. Jan 27, 2014 at 9:05
  • These "Cisco" (Linksys) switches has caused us nothing but trouble. I recommend you look at more enterprise-grade hardware. We're happy after switching over to HP-2520 switches.
    – pauska
    Jan 27, 2014 at 9:30
  • 1
    +1 for the antropomorphism :p Jan 27, 2014 at 13:59

2 Answers 2

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My fix for a switch like that would be to replace it. If still under warranty send it back to Cisco, otherwise eat the loss and buy a new one.

Why?

  • Clearly something is broken when you get malformed packets. That shouldn't happen. And you should be able to factory-reset the equipment.
  • A switch which starts to act up can cause nightmarish network problems. Especially if you are running STP.
  • The cost in time and effort of debugging a broken switch compared to the cost of replacement is bad on the cost-benefit scale in all but the most cash-limited organizations
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I heard that exactly same story from a friend of mine.

Send the switch back to Cisco (Linksys in this case).

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  • This is exactly the same as the existing, accepted answer. Do you have something else to add? Jan 27, 2014 at 15:22

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