How to reset password on Brocade Silkworm switches

This article will show you how to reset the passwords for all accounts (root, admin, etc) on a Brocade Silkworm switch. This method has been successfully tested on a Silkworm 3800. But before you go through these steps, first try these passwords for the ‘root’ and ‘admin’ accounts:

  • fibranne
  • fibreanne
  • password
  • default

If none of the above passwords work, you will need to use these steps to reset the switch password:

Password recovery for Fabric OS v2.x and v3.x

To reset the passwords on a Fabric OS v2..x and v3.x switch using the Password Recovery firmware (you must obtain this by contacting Brocade Support and supplying them with the S/N and/or WWN of the switch:

1. Copy the Password Recovery firmware to a host that is accessible to the switch; either an FTP server or a laptop (running an FTP server) directly connected to the ethernet port. You must use either FTP or RSHD to copy the firmware. If FTP is used, the password cannot be blank.

2. Connect to the console port.

3. Power the switch off and back on.

4. Set the boot parameters on your switch to perform a netboot:

a. At the “[VxWorks Boot]” prompt for the switch, enter c.

b. Type the requested information at the prompts. To accept the default value for a parameter, press Enter.
The parameters are defined as follows.

Press any key to stop auto-boot...
[VxWorks Boot]: c
'.' = clear field; '-' = go to previous field; ^D = quit
boot device : fei
processor number : 0
host name : host
file name : /usr/switch/firmware resetPasswd303f6f
inet on ethernet (e) : 192.168.132.217:255.255.240.0
inet on backplane (b):
host inet (h) : 192.168.132.133
gateway inet (g) : 192.168.132.133
user (u) : user
ftp password (pw) (blank = use rsh):
flags (f) : 0x0
target name (tn) : sw2800
startup script (s) :
other (o) :

5. Type @ at the [VxWorks Boot] prompt to begin booting the Password Recovery version of the firmware from the network.

[VxWorks Boot]: @
boot device : fei
processor number : 0
host name : host
file name : resetPasswd303f6f
inet on ethernet (e) : 192.168.132.217:fffff000
host inet (h) : 192.168.132.133
gateway inet (g) : 192.168.132.133
user (u) : user
flags (f) : 0x0
target name (tn) : sw2800
Attaching network interface fei0... done.
Attaching network interface lo0... done.
host is alive <-------------------------CONNECTION TO HOST PROVIDING FIRMWARE IMAGE
Loading... 4407608 + 329564 + 1153796
Starting at 0x10400000...
Attaching network interface fei0... done.
Attached TCP/IP interface to fei unit 0
Attaching network interface lo0... done.
telnetInit: telnetd initialized.
NFS client support not included.
efwHookAdd: Added Ethernet Hook
Adding 9407 symbols for standalone.
Model: 4
flash time 0, creation time 1048818644
Committing configuration...done.
setting passwd to defaults <-------FIRMWARE IMAGE RESETS PASSWORD TO BROCADE
DEFAULTS
Time Bomb has been set
RESTRICTED ONE TIME USE
Passwords have been reset. Please power cycle the switch.
The user, admin, factory, and root passwords are reset to the default values.

6. Turn off the switch and turn on again.

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7. Press any key when you see the message “Press any key to stop autoboot…” This provides access to the boot prompt.

8. Set the switch to boot from the flash again:
a. At the [VxWorks Boot] prompt, type c to begin resetting the boot parameters to the default settings.
b. Remove the values that you added by typing a period (.) after each parameter, then pressing Enter. The boot parameters are returned to the default settings.

9. Turn off the switch and turn on again to reload the original firmware from flash. The switch resumes normal operation.

10. Log in to the switch by telnet or serial as root, and set new passwords for all accounts.

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5 thoughts on “How to reset password on Brocade Silkworm switches”

  1. Hey Everyone. Was this post helpful? If you still need assistance, please post your specific problem and router model and maybe someone can help.

  2. I know it’s been a while – but do you have a copy of the password recovery file somewhere that you could provide me with it?

  3. Hi, I have ip continuum stream D9650 who has VxWork system running but when i tray to log vie web page, require user and password that we don’t have! I need to have password recovery file for
    D9650 equipment but i don’t finger out from were should be take.Many thx in advance for any answer.

  4. hey there. for we do not have a valid support contract we will not get the needed pw recov firmware. is there any other way to find the needed softw. ? we do have a silkworm 4100 fibre switch. thankyou

  5. if you no longer have access to the root/admin/factory/user passwords on a silkworm 3250, you can do the following: (i bought mine 2nd hand without passwords or ip info)

    requires a compact flash cardreader.

    unscrew the cover (one screw is hidden under a sticker in the middle on the front side).
    unscrew the big round cylinder screw in the middle near the top side of the mainboard.
    push out the compact flash card in the direction of where the cylinder screw was
    put the flash card in the cardreader, connect the cardreader to a pc with a linux installation. (i used centos 6)
    on the card are 2 partitions, in /etc there are 2 files passwd and passwd.default. i renamed the passwd files in both directories to passwd old, and copied the passwd.default as ‘passwd’
    put back the flash card on the mainboard, put back the screw and put the cover back on.

    connect with a serial connection to the serial port, now at the logon prompt you can use the default password(password) for the admin account to log on, this will ask you to reset all the 4 default account passwords.

    this may be possible on similar type switches.

    regards

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