Brocade ICX Series (cheap & powerful 10gbE/40gbE switching)

[klui]

Follow @fohdeesha's recommendation if you don't want to beta test for Ruckus or run into corner cases inherent in new firmware.

 

[Epoxymonk]

Makes sense, thanks!

 

[fohdeesha]

And no issues pinging from either device when switch is booted in the OS.

ICX6450-48P Router>ping 192.168.1.123
Sending 1, 16-byte ICMP Echo to 192.168.1.123, timeout 5000 msec, TTL 64
Type Control-c to abort
Reply from 192.168.1.123   : bytes=16 time=1ms TTL=128
Success rate is 100 percent (1/1), round-trip min/avg/max=1/1/1 ms.

Pinging 192.168.1.150 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.150: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.150: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.150:
    Packets: Sent = 2, Received = 2, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

if it's pinging from the OS but not the bootloader, I highly suspect you're either mistyping something IP related in the bootloader, the cable is plugged into a regular port, or a lot less likely but possible, your router has a restriction on clients where only clients that have fetched a DHCP address are allowed on the network and static assignments are blocked. once it's booted into the OS can you post the output of "show ip int"

 

[fohdeesha]

Follow @fohdeesha's recommendation if you don't want to beta test for Ruckus or run into corner cases inherent in new firmware.

honestly at this point I'd say 8090+ isn't even to beta yet, boot is still full of python packaging errors and some of the recent bugs they've patched are along the lines of "device eats its own flash alive with spurious writes"

 

[sdyoung]

if it's pinging from the OS but not the bootloader, I highly suspect you're either mistyping something IP related in the bootloader, the cable is plugged into a regular port, or a lot less likely but possible, your router has a restriction on clients where only clients that have fetched a DHCP address are allowed on the network and static assignments are blocked. once it's booted into the OS can you post the output of "show ip int"

Current project for work has me out of town and only home every other weekend but I'll post results next time I'm back. Thanks @fohdeesha

 

[Paul Mew]

Hi, I'm very late to the 6450 party and I'm struggling! First off, huge thanks to fohdeesha and everyone else who allows people like me to stand on their shoulders.... it's very much appreciated.

Currently, I'm running an HP 2910al with 10g modules, so I'm not totally unversed with console etc, but I'm still doing things "by numbers"

Following the guide, I've hit problems with TFTP I believe....... I've trawled the forum and I think I've done all I can so I'm looking for inspiration please.

Hopefully the attached screen grabs will show where I am............

My router is pfsense at...................... 10.10.10.1
My W11 machine with TFTP is at..... 10.10.10.15
My 6450 is at.......................................10.10.10.98

Windows firewall is off. My AVG av is off.

From PUTTY, I can ping the router and the W11 machine. Should I be able to ping the 6450 from W11 via a cmd prompt? Because I can't.

When I issue the update_primary command, it goes into a ICMP Host redirect loop which I can only stop with a "control c"

TIA

Paul

 

[adman_c]

When I spliced my USB it had red green white and black.

Using t568b coloring on the jack


USB. Keystone

White is Green
Green is green/white
Black is blue
Red is ignored

Hop in putty, securecrt or whatever you prefer. Just remember 9600, N ,8, 1

Well damn. That was easy as heck. Thanks for posting (and also to the others who worked this out). Anybody want an unused Brocade mini-usb to serial cable?

 

[fohdeesha]

Hi, I'm very late to the 6450 party and I'm struggling! First off, huge thanks to fohdeesha and everyone else who allows people like me to stand on their shoulders.... it's very much appreciated.

Currently, I'm running an HP 2910al with 10g modules, so I'm not totally unversed with console etc, but I'm still doing things "by numbers"

Following the guide, I've hit problems with TFTP I believe....... I've trawled the forum and I think I've done all I can so I'm looking for inspiration please.

Hopefully the attached screen grabs will show where I am............

My router is pfsense at...................... 10.10.10.1
My W11 machine with TFTP is at..... 10.10.10.15
My 6450 is at.......................................10.10.10.98

Windows firewall is off. My AVG av is off.

From PUTTY, I can ping the router and the W11 machine. Should I be able to ping the 6450 from W11 via a cmd prompt? Because I can't.

When I issue the update_primary command, it goes into a ICMP Host redirect loop which I can only stop with a "control c"

TIA

Paul

you have something strange going on on your network if something is replying for 10.10.10.15 with ICMP redirects, something on your network is answering for .15 and trying to advertise a better path. maybe reboot your router and windows 11 machine. you should absolutely be able to ping the icx from w11 and vice versa

 

[adman_c]

@fohdeesha I discovered a teensy-tiny error in the "Brocade Overview" guide. You want me to post here or PM you? Thanks so much!!

 

[fohdeesha]

Just post

 

[Paul Mew]

you have something strange going on on your network if something is replying for 10.10.10.15 with ICMP redirects, something on your network is answering for .15 and trying to advertise a better path. maybe reboot your router and windows 11 machine. you should absolutely be able to ping the icx from w11 and vice versa

I've found a setting within pfsense that disables ICMP redirects and that works now............ it doesn't answer the question of why I was getting them in the first place though.............

I still can't ping the 6450 from W11.......... pinging everything else attached to my existing network switch works fine. My existing switch shows me the 6450 MAC address as "up"........... I just don't seem to be able to address it...

I was under the impression that if you can ping one way, then the only thing stopping it can be a firewall of some kind? I do have a pfsense "allow all" to port 69 and windows firewall is off...... Am I missing anything there?

I wonder if its possible just to disconnect my W11 and 6450 from the network and just have them as two standalones connected with a network cable? It feels as though that should be possible, and I've kinda had a go, but didn't get far...... Windows allocated itself an address of 169.254.240.x .... I tried setting the 6450 in the same subnet but got a little stuck after that....

 

[i386]

169.254.240.x

the dhcp request failed to get a valid ip adress...

 

[adman_c]

Just post

Version 5.2 of tftpd-hpa (appears to be the current version for Ubuntu LTS 20.04, and potentially others) does not like having directory names with spaces in them, even when they are properly enclosed in quotes. It treats a directory with spaces in it as being 2 (or more) directories, and then throws an error. This is because it's just piping the Directory variable through a "wc -w" command, which is dumb, but whatever. Easily fixed. I removed the space in the "TFTP Content" directory and presto-magico everything works.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to this massive thread! Getting my 7250-24p up and running now.

 

[Paul Mew]

the dhcp request failed to get a valid ip adress...

That's where my knowledge falls short when it's just a pc connected to a switch... where will it get one? and does it matter if I give the switch an address on the same subnet?

 

[Lone Wolf]

That's where my knowledge falls short when it's just a pc connected to a switch... where will it get one? and does it matter if I give the switch an address on the same subnet?

Assign one. That's the way I set up my switch, with a desktop plugged directly into the management port of the switch.

In Windows 11, type the start button and search for "view network connections". Right click Ethernet and double-click "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). You can then "Use the following IP address" and set whatever address you want there. Say 10.1.1.50 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. Then follow fodheesas guide EXACTLY, setting a compatible IP:

factory set-default
setenv ipaddr 10.1.1.99
setenv netmask 255.255.255.0

#tell the switch the IP of your tftp server:
setenv serverip 10.1.1.50
setenv image_name ICX64xx/ICX64R08
...

Once you are done following the guide, set Win 11 back to "Obtain an IP Address automatically" and plug it back into your network.

 

[Paul Mew]

Assign one. That's the way I set up my switch, with a desktop plugged directly into the management port of the switch.

Hey Wolf,

Thanks for your input. I tried that with different, but no better, results........ this time I couldn't ping either way and it just times out!

I was semi-convinced it was my pfsense that was the problem, but with a simple pc to switch connection, it can't be...

So, back to the TFTP.... I've run out of variations to try.... I'm sure it's something simple, it invariably always is, but I just can't see it.

One thing though is that my boot version doesn't recognise the " factory set-default" command. I wonder how important that is?

The attached screen grab shows the latest effort and the list of commands available.

Thanks for your time!

 

[Lone Wolf]

Hey Wolf,

Thanks for your input. I tried that with different, but no better, results........ this time I couldn't ping either way and it just times out!

I was semi-convinced it was my pfsense that was the problem, but with a simple pc to switch connection, it can't be...

So, back to the TFTP.... I've run out of variations to try.... I'm sure it's something simple, it invariably always is, but I just can't see it.

One thing though is that my boot version doesn't recognise the " factory set-default" command. I wonder how important that is?

The attached screen grab shows the latest effort and the list of commands available.

Thanks for your time!View attachment 22572

Aha! I see you have the same problem me and sdyoung had! You have an older firmware. Two pages back we discussed getting him going.

It sounds like your switch already has an IP (I assume from your DHCP server) so go into the cli and type these commands:

configure terminal
username root password yourpasshere
aaa authentication login default local
aaa authentication web default local

Then open your web browser and browse to the IP of your Brocade. Log in to the webui with your username and password and scroll to the bottom and look for TFTP and click on Image.

Enter the IP of your TFTP server.
Under Image File Name put: ICX64xx/ICX64R08030u.bin
Make sure "Primary" is selected.
Then click "Copy from Server".

If your TFTP server is set up right it should update to the latest firmware. Once its done (I believe you will see the status in the console), type 'reset' in the console and the switch should reboot. Once its booted you should be able to follow the document exactly as all the commands will work. You can skip updating the primary since it's already been done, but do the uboot. And the poe and basically, everything else! It's a good guide and will get you set up.

Let me know how you make out!

 

[itronin]

Hey Wolf,

The attached screen grab shows the latest effort and the list of commands available.

Thanks for your time!

this.

this is bothering me in your screenshot:

TFTP from server 10.10.10.15; our IP address is 10.10.10.98; sending through gateway 10.10.10.1


I don't have a 6450 and have not upgraded one. Maybe my memory is failing but I can't recall seeing "sending through gateway" on any PC<->Switch direct connects that I have done on 7250's, 7150's and my 6610's. Im in the world right now so I can't test my 6610's.

if I am remembering "incorrectly" or it really does go through the gateway on a 6450 then feel free to ignore the rest of this post.

I was semi-convinced it was my pfsense that was the problem, but with a simple pc to switch connection, it can't be...

I mean you should not be able to ping your PC and the gateway from the boot rom on the switch if you are using a direct connect between your PC (which is the TFTP server) and your switch?

printenv looks fine for a /24

and honestly with a direct connect you should not even need to specify a (default) gateway...

which "sending through gateway" has me wondering:

just to confirm.

Your PC's ethernet is directly connected to the Switch's management port?
No other ports on the switch are connected to anything?
Your TFTP pc does not have 10.10.10.0/24 configured on any other interfaces (wifi, second ethernet interface etc)? <--- this may also be key
A different way to ask this may be: "10.10.10.0/24 is not currently in use on your home network?"

assuming the above answers are yes.

clear your gateway ip address on the switch.

for @#$@#$ and giggles try configuring your tftp server to an adjacent IP address of .98 assuming smallest possible usable network is a /30 - so configure your TFTP to have .97 and see if it works... who knows maybe the mgmt port has some hardcoded bizzaro subnet in there that is overriding the env vars.

 

[Paul Mew]

this.

this is bothering me in your screenshot:

TFTP from server 10.10.10.15; our IP address is 10.10.10.98; sending through gateway 10.10.10.1


I don't have a 6450 and have not upgraded one. Maybe my memory is failing but I can't recall seeing "sending through gateway" on any PC<->Switch direct connects that I have done on 7250's, 7150's and my 6610's. Im in the world right now so I can't test my 6610's.

if I am remembering "incorrectly" or it really does go through the gateway on a 6450 then feel free to ignore the rest of this post.



I mean you should not be able to ping your PC and the gateway from the boot rom on the switch if you are using a direct connect between your PC (which is the TFTP server) and your switch?

printenv looks fine for a /24

and honestly with a direct connect you should not even need to specify a (default) gateway...

which "sending through gateway" has me wondering:

just to confirm.

Your PC's ethernet is directly connected to the Switch's management port?
No other ports on the switch are connected to anything?
Your TFTP pc does not have 10.10.10.0/24 configured on any other interfaces (wifi, second ethernet interface etc)? <--- this may also be key
A different way to ask this may be: "10.10.10.0/24 is not currently in use on your home network?"

assuming the above answers are yes.

clear your gateway ip address on the switch.

for @#$@#$ and giggles try configuring your tftp server to an adjacent IP address of .98 assuming smallest possible usable network is a /30 - so configure your TFTP to have .97 and see if it works... who knows maybe the mgmt port has some hardcoded bizzaro subnet in there that is overriding the env vars.

Hi, thanks for your input.................

Yep the gateway thing was early on in my ownership when it came back with a response of not being able to find a gateway..... my response was "uh ok... I'll see if I can set one...." I was surprised when it let me use the setenv command to set one. I'm embarassed to say I don't know how to delete the env's, just set them! I'll keep digging..........

Yep, the switch is directly connected from it's ethernet directly to the management port, not a "normal" port. Nothing else connected.

The pc is connected by a seperate wifi interface, but that's on a seperate 10.10.20.x subnet..... and I tried with that disabled as well anyway.

I'll have a look at working through your last S&G suggestion!

 

[itronin]

Hi, thanks for your input.................

Yep the gateway thing was early on in my ownership when it came back with a response of not being able to find a gateway..... my response was "uh ok... I'll see if I can set one...." I was surprised when it let me use the setenv command to set one. I'm embarassed to say I don't know how to delete the env's, just set them! I'll keep digging..........

Yep, the switch is directly connected from it's ethernet directly to the management port, not a "normal" port. Nothing else connected.

The pc is connected by a seperate wifi interface, but that's on a seperate 10.10.20.x subnet..... and I tried with that disabled as well anyway.

I'll have a look at working through your last S&G suggestion!

without going into details you may also want to consider shutting off the Wifi on that TFTP server PC while you try this in case your wifi network netmask is not what you think it is (a /24)...