Accessing the CLI

This section describes logging in to and exiting from the router.

Logging In

The system supports a local console session and up to 20 virtual terminal (vty) sessions simultaneously. A virtual terminal session can be a Telnet session or a Secure Shell Server (SSH) protocol session.

Note: The vty session factory default is 5. Use the line command to configure up to a maximum of 20 vtys.

To access the system via a local console, attach a terminal to the system console port. To access the system via Telnet, Telnet client software must be installed on your host system. To access the system via SSH, SSH version 2.0 client software must be installed on your host system.

You can configure Telnet to validate login requests. See Vty Line Authentication in Chapter 6, Passwords and Security, for more information. Once Telnet is running on your host system, type in the ERX system's name or its IP address and press <Enter>. To use a name, your network must have a name server.

For example, for Microsoft Windows 95/Windows NT enter:

telnet 192.168.1.13

or

telnet westford2

You are connected to your ERX system when the following prompt appears:

Logging in.

host1>

Note: At this point, you have access only to User Exec commands.

To connect via SSH, refer to your SSH client documentation.

Privileged-Level Access

To access Privileged Exec mode:

1. At the prompt, type enable and press <Enter>.

host1>enable

Password:

Note: You will be prompted for a password only if your system has been configured with one. Refer to the enable secret and enable password Global Configuration commands described in Chapter 6, Passwords and Security.

2. Type your password and press <Enter>.

Password:******<Enter>

host1#

You can tell that you have access to Privileged Exec mode when the command prompt changes from a > character to a # character.

Exiting Modes

You can exit from any command mode at any time by entering the exit command.

host1#exit    

host1>