Linksys SRW Firmware Update

If you read my previous article on how to Reset Linksys SRW Series Switches, then you know to reset our SRW2048 to factory default we used PuTTy to make a console connection. This method works great for switch management, however firmware updates on the SRW2048 will require the use of the XMODEM file transfer protocol. Unfortunately, PuTTy on Windows does not support XMODEM so in the past I have used HyperTerminal. HyperTerminal is a terminal emulator that came bundled with Windows up to XP. So, if you are running any Windows OS newer than XP what are your options, in comes Tera Term. With that said, lets move on to the firmware update.  First, you will want to head over to the Cisco site here and download the new 1.2.2d firmware.

Default serial console settings for Linksys Switch SRW2048 (can be changed):

• Bits per second: 38400
• Data bits: 8
• Parity: None
• Stop bits: 1
• Flow Control: None

To update SRW2048 firmware:

1. Connect to the console port using terminal emulation parameters (see above). In Tera Tern to edit the settings, navigate to setup > serial port…
2. Once you have successfully established serial communication with the switch, reboot the switch by disconnecting and then reconnecting it’s power cable.
3. The switch will begin it’s POST procedure as displayed in the serial terminal emulator. Be ready at the keyboard to press the Esc key.
4. Watch for the following line to appear during the boot sequence. When you see it, immediately press the esc key;
5. If you successfully interrupted the boot sequence, you will be prompted with a Startup Menu. Select option number 2.
6. The terminal will display, “Write flash file name”. Enter “config” and then enter twice. Next, press esc to continue with the boot sequence.
7. The switch will now do a warm reboot.  Once it comes back up it will fail to load the firmware and ask you to “Download code using XMODEM”. Simply choose File > Transfer > XMODEM > Send and choose the firmware file you downloaded. Please be patient as this process can take some time.
8. Reboot the switch and you are done. Disconnect and store the serial cable in a safe place for future use.