Password-Protecting Adapter Configuration (PWSET.EXE and PWRESCUE.EXE)

This page provides information about:

Overview of Password Protection

You can password protect the configuration of the following adapters:

Or any Madge adapter with a remote-boot ROM attached.

You cannot use PWSET with Olicom adapters.

Using a password protects your adapter or remote-boot ROM from accidental or unauthorised modification.

If you password protect your adapter and/or remote-boot ROM, Madge Assist will prompt for the password before it makes any changes to the configuration.

Password Protecting Your Adapter or Remote-Boot ROM

Generating a Master Key

Before you can run PWSET.EXE or PWRESCUE.EXE you must generate a master key. This master key is stored on the adapter along with the password. An adapter's password cannot be changed by a copy of PWSET or PWRESCUE that has a different master key from the adapter.

To generate a Master Key:

  1. Copy PWSET and PWRESCUE from the Madge release onto a disk.

  2. Run PWSET from the new disk: type PWSET /MASTER.

    This generates a unique master key which is embedded into the copies of PWSET and PWRESCUE that are on the floppy disk you are using.

  3. Create one or more Working Copies of PWSET.

    To do this, copy PWSET (but not PWRESCUE) from the Master Disk onto another floppy. All copies share the same Master Key.

    Store the Master Disk securely, as it will be required if a password is forgotten.

  4. Run PWSET from the new floppy disk on a computer containing an adapter that you want to protect with a password.

    The first time you protect any adapter by using PWSET, the program writes the Master Key to the adapter.

    Subsequently, only copies of PWSET (or PWRESCUE) that have this Master Key, can be used to re-set the adapter's password.

Setting a Password

  1. Using a working copy of PWSET, type: PWSET [options] and press Enter.

  2. If the adapter does not already have a password, the program prompts you for one and then asks you to confirm it. If the adapter already has a password, the program prompts you for the existing password, then prompts you to type a new one and asks you to confirm the new one.

Once you have password protected an adapter and/or remote-boot ROM, Madge Assist will prompt for the password before it makes any changes to the configuration.

If you have forgotten the password, see Clearing a forgotten password using PWRESCUE.EXE.

Command Line Options for PWSET.EXE

/?

Print help

/ver

Print version

/io=<hhhh>

I/O location of Ringnode (h = hex digit) e.g. io=0a20. If this option is not used then a list of adapters is displayed and you are prompted to choose one

/clear

Remove password protection. This will mean that the configuration utilities will no longer prompt for a password before making any changes. Note that the master key is not removed

/not_rom

Update the password on a software programmable ringnode's configuration, but not on the remote-boot ROM. This should be used if there is no remote-boot ROM fitted or if you do not want to password protect the remote-boot ROM

/master

Create a master key

When writing batch files, you can substitute a colon (:) for the 'equals' sign (=).

Clearing a Forgotten Password using PWRESCUE.EXE

PWRESCUE clears the password on an adapter without prompting you for the existing password.

Restrict access to PWRESCUE; a person running PWRESCUE does not need to know the current password to clear that password.

To clear a forgotten password:

  1. Run PWRESCUE from the master disk that you used to create the working copy of PWSET that set the password on the adapter (the copy of PWRESCUE that has the same master key).

  2. Type PWRESCUE and press Enter.

  3. Choose the adapter on which to clear the password, if prompted. This clears the password and the master key on the adapter. If PWRESCUE's master key does not match that on the adapter it will not allow the password to be cleared.

The command line options /?, /ver, /io= and /not_rom are the same as for PWSET.EXE (see Command line options for PWSET.EXE).

Extra Information

PWSET.EXE and PWRESCUE.EXE assume, by default, that there is a remote-boot ROM fitted. If they cannot find one, they assume that a memory manager is using the upper memory block required by the remote-boot ROM. If so, run the utilities without a memory manager present. If you do not have a remote-boot ROM fitted or you do not wish to password protect the remote-boot ROM, then run the utility again specifying not_rom on the command line.

Because the remote-boot ROM on some adapters is removable, it is possible that the password on the configuration software may become different from that on the remote-boot ROM. If this happens, use PWRESCUE.EXE to clear both, then set them again using PWSET.EXE.

Information Specific to Non-Software Programmable Ringnodes

When password protecting these adapters ensure that the remote-boot ROM is enabled.

See Also: