New Job

It's just today that I have posted something here and the reason behind this is that I am moving to Singapore for a new job on first week of September. I have been very busy with employment passes and other things required for the transfer. My new job involves lesser technical job than what I did in Hewlett Packard but its around 50/50 similar to my current job in a bank. 50 percent for technical and 50 percent for network project management. Even though I lost the other half to project management :), its still related as I will be handling network projects specifically MPLS migrations. Will my pursuit for CCIE still continue? The answer is yes. I love the technical stuff and its still useful with my current job position. My studies for now is in a standstill though I have finished all the topics I need a round or two to go through again all of them.

I will be posting here topics from time to time since there are people who requested from me. I never thought there are people interested with my blog. :) I have created a Facebook page for those who view my blog entries and those who like to be my friends. Please join/like I WANT TO BE A CCIE in Facebook. See you there and keep in touch.

Answer: Reload Router By Telnet

Configure a default route from R1 pointing to R2's ip address. The challenge is to reboot R1
from a telnet command from R3 without typing the command "reload".  R3 should not telnet
directly to 12.12.12.1 but instead it should telnet 23.23.23.2 port 3000 to get to 12.12.12.1
port 3005. R1 should automatically ask to proceed to reboot and not ask for username/password
once the telnet from R3 is executed.

Solution is pretty simple. First we need to configure NATing on R2 to translate 23.23.23.2 port 3000 to 12.12.12.1 port 3005.

R2#
!
ip nat inside source static tcp 12.12.12.1 3005 23.23.23.2 3000 extendable
!
interface Serial1/3
 ip nat outside
interface Serial1/1
 ip nat inside

Lets also configure telnet password in R2 for testing.

line vty 0 4
password cisco
login

Now we have solved the first problem. There are 3 issues left on R1, how to make telnet not ask for a password, how to use port 3005 for telnet and how to make the reload automatic. Here's how the configuration should look like.

R1#
!
line vty 0 4
privilege level 15
no login
rotary 5
autocommand  reload

Setting the vty to "privilege level 15" and configuring "no login" by passes user authentication. By default if there is no password set the device will refuse connections. "Rotary 5" command lets you use port 2005, 3005, 4005 and so on for telnet. The "autocommand" feature executes whatever command after the telnet.

Let's test first telneting to 23.23.23.2 using default telnet port.

R3#telnet 23.23.23.2
Trying 23.23.23.2 ... Open


User Access Verification

Password:
R2>

We see it doesn't go to R1 but to R2 instead. Now to test using port 3000.

R3#telnet 23.23.23.2 3000
Trying 23.23.23.2, 3000 ... Open


System configuration has been modified. Save? [yes/no]:

Debug on R1
R1#debug ip packet
*Aug 26 15:47:43.299: IP: tableid=0, s=23.23.23.3 (Serial1/2), d=12.12.12.1 (Serial1/2), routed via RIB
*Aug 26 15:47:43.299: IP: s=23.23.23.3 (Serial1/2), d=12.12.12.1 (Serial1/2), len 44, rcvd 3
*Aug 26 15:47:43.307: IP: tableid=0, s=12.12.12.1 (local), d=23.23.23.3 (Serial1/2), routed via FIB
*Aug 26 15:47:43.307: IP: s=12.12.12.1 (local), d=23.23.23.3 (Serial1/2), len 44, sending

The debug clearly shows that the telnet came from R3. The telnet due to NAT redirected the traffic towards 12.12.12.1. Some people call this NAT redirection. Obviously this is not a practical way to reload routers but this is just for fun and to demonstrate how can be used to redirect traffic. I haven't seen any enterprise using this way to reload and will not see in the future. LOLS!