Carl Tyler's Blog

1 - First, have you checked the COM port to see what port number its on? I have seen it where sometimes even if the proper port is selected, you need to switch to another port and then switch back and that works. You should be using the default settings, but verify that 9600 is the baud rate. I would also try it on another machine if this doesn't work (maybe a conflict with the COM port).

2nd, do you know the IP address of the FW? If you remember that, then you should be able to possibly telnet to it (but this would require knowing the password).

Hope this helps.

2 - Yeah tried 3 different macines, didn't try different com ports though.

Tried speeds from 1200-9600
Don't remember the IP address, but I'll see if anyone else does.
I think the PW is known.

I wonder if the battery died, would that kill the box?

Thanks for your feedback!

3 - Carl - I asked our PIX guru (he's just down the hall from me) and he says the same thing as Michael G. 1. Check the Hyperterm settings, 9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit. 2. If this doesn't work try "fiddling" with the settings which it looks like you have already done. 3. If none of this works you may be looking at a bad console port.

4 - Carl, If the battery was dead it would not work, but the batteries usually last over 10 years. I never had that issue but found this if you need to change it.

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/iaabu/pix/pix_sw/v_50/instlgd/openbox.htm

5 - Replaced the battery just in case. Still nothing. Tried different port settings, different machines...I appreciate all the suggestions though.

6 - 1. Did the firewall act as a DHCP server? I doubt it would but if it was then you can try to plug a laptop directly into the LAN and see if you get an IP address, and the FW would be the gateway IP.

2. Can you at least guess the subnet the IP address would be in? If you have an idea of what the IP may be, plug a laptop directly into it. Then you can assign a laptop a random IP and do a network scan and hopefully some serveice would show up (telnet, HTTPS).

3. Have you tried another console cable? maybe the one you have is bad.

Other than that, I am out of ideas. Hope this helps!

7 - Seeing all the responses its amazes me that people always miss the most easy and obvious solution.

HIT IT AS HARD AS YOU CAN!

8 - .....time to put it on ebay eh!!