I upgraded the firmware of my GS324T to 1.0.0.41 (from the previous 1.0.0.38), but now I can't login anymore.I always get the message Login failure. The strange thing is that the switch seems to be running ok, since I can reach all my VLANs. Thus I thought maybe the firmware upgrade reset the password (since the upgrade fixes a few security vulnerabilities), but I tried all of Netgear's standard passwords, but to no avail. Any idea what might be going on?

tessus, I got a feedback on why the GS324T FW v1.0.041 has been pulled out. The GS324T FW v1.0.0.41 contained security enhancements. A part of these security enhancements made the admin password hashing mechanism more secure. Shortly after release of the firmware, some issues were identified with log-in. As a result of this issue, the firmware has been removed while working on a fix. I understand you have already factory reset the switch. An alternative to re-gain access to your switch would be as below: 1. Edit your config backup in a text editor.2. Delete the line which reads similar to “username "admin" password xxxxxxxxxxhashxxxxxxxxxxx level 15 encrypted” and save the updated config.3. Factory reset the switch.4. Log-in with default password and follow password change prompt.5. Restore your edited config from point 2 above.6. Re-login to the switch with default password. Your config will be preserved. Regards, DaneA NETGEAR Community Team

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I tried the login button, but I did not try the enter key.I am currently locked out and I have to wait 5 minutes.... I'll let you know then.

Already informed Netgear. Was not difficult as you have done everything I could consider, too - great job! To avoid a worst case scenario, if you are not in a hurry for the switch login, I would wait with the factory reset. Otherwise it would be difficult to restore the backup or reconfigure the switch.

schumaku wrote: The dual image is primary for the case the current one has some functionality issues or as an alternate if a switch is not booting.Still not sure how I would switch the image, if there are functionality issues (say one can't login) or when the switch is not booting. schumaku wrote:Gold digger market over there in Canada?Well, Canada has become extremely expensive over the past 10 years. I can't buy from Netgear, but only online stores and resellers. And the price is set at CAD$ 319.99 (that's without tax, btw - all prices in US and Canada are without tax, so in Ontario I have to pay 13% on top). So this switch is CHF 272 at the current conversion rate. You don't want to know what a pint of beer costs. 😉

tessus I have a similar problem: After I noticed Netgear pulled the 1.0.041 update, I rolled the switch back to 1.0.0.38 and was initially locked out. In my case, the password had been reset to the default "password". I was able to get in, change the password and carry on.

after upgrading GS324T to 1.0.0.41 I can't login anymore

30 Replies

schumaku
Guru - Experienced User
Jul 09, 2022
tessus wrote:

Thus I thought maybe the firmware upgrade reset the password (since the upgrade fixes a few security vulnerabilities), but I tried all of Netgear's standard passwords, but to no avail.

Nothing the like. Since some much earlier firmware releases from about 2019 there was just changing the default password was enforced. However, you had ben able to login before for the update.

Tried to use the [log in] button instead pf pressing the <enter> key?
- tessus
  Guide
  Jul 09, 2022
  Thanks for your reply. Yes, I tried the login button, but I did not try the enter key.
  I am currently locked out and I have to wait 5 minutes.... I'll let you know then.
- tessus
  Guide
  Jul 09, 2022
  Nope, the <enter> key does not work either. I am really puzzled by this. Never had any issues like this one.
  - schumaku
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jul 09, 2022
    tessus wrote:
    
    Nope, the <enter> key does not work either. I am really puzzled by this. Never had any issues like this one.
    
    Thank you for trying. The issue I had in mind was more the other way round.
    
    Dropping the browser cache might help, too.
    
    What browser make and version, what base OS?
tessus
Guide
Jul 09, 2022
I have now tried another browser (Chrome) and 2 other operating systems. I have also tried from the management network (VLAN1) but I still get the same error message.

I have to say that my trust in Netgear just went down quite a bit. If I can't be sure that a firmware upgrade won't destroy my switch, I'd have to buy the same equipment twice and run tests which should have been run by Netgear in the first place.

I hope that someone from Netgear reads this and provides a solution. How do I get access to my switch again?
tessus
Guide
Jul 10, 2022
The only theory I have right now is that the password was hashed as md5 in 1.0.0.38. In 1.0.0.41 the password is hashed with SHA1/SHA2 or whatever (without fallback), and thus can't read the md5 hash and verification fails.

This is the only logical explanation for what is happening. But without access to the source code or a signal from the firmware devs, I am out of luck. I suspect I will have to do a factory reset. However, if I am correct about the password hash problem, I will never be able to upgrade to 1.0.0.41.
Somebody really has to look into this.

schumaku you seem to have contacts at Netgear. Please ping them about this issue.
- schumaku
  Guru - Experienced User
  Jul 10, 2022
  Already informed Netgear. Was not difficult as you have done everything I could consider, too - great job!
  
  To avoid a worst case scenario, if you are not in a hurry for the switch login, I would wait with the factory reset. Otherwise it would be difficult to restore the backup or reconfigure the switch.
  - tessus
    Guide
    Jul 10, 2022
    Thanks for pinging Netgear.
    
    I can wait. Currently I don't have to make changes to my VLANs or other parts of the network. It just makes me nervous that I cannot login. It feels weird being locked out from my own hardware.
    
    Just to clarify your last sentence. I do have a backup from right before I upgraded. So after a factory reset, I'd only have to boot into image 1.0.0.38 and restore the backup. That would give me access to my switch and it would be correctly configured. Or am I missing something?
    
    Still I think there should be an endpoint I could hit (without having to login) to activate the other image upon next reboot.
    
    If I had a second device, I could run additional tests, but I am afraid I need my network up and running.... Maybe I should buy a second one anyway. If the HW fails, my network would be down until I get a new switch. Such a scenario is unacceptable in my book. It's just that the price of this switch went up by CAD$ 120, which is a lot considering I paid CAD$ 200. But what are $120 compared to a broken network.....

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after upgrading GS324T to 1.0.0.41 I can't login anymore

30 Replies

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