Quanta LB4M 48-Port Gigabit Switch Discussion

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rEd2k

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Oct 16, 2015
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That manual you've found is probably useless. 50% of the commands there wont work. A lot people have complained about the CLI, but I think its ok once you "understand" it. When it comes to firmware upgrades I have no idea. I couldn't find the web interface on either of mine. There is supposed to be a firmware version out there that support L3 routing, but I've not found anything specific about out.

For example this one: Quanta HP LB4M Switch with Dual Power 5 13 12 14 Routing Image Firmware | eBay
mention they have routing image firmware. Is it really a different firmware than on the other "cheaper" ones that are for sale?
Thanks for the reply ;)

So if a bunch of commands won't work in that manual I found, I hope I can figure this out! I'm sure I will still need someones input on this though, lol.

You said you couldn't find the web interface on your unit? What exactly did you mean buy that? Do you mean you couldn't find the commands in the cli to enable it? Or do you mean you can't actually use the web interface eg: "http://192.168.x.x" and log into the unit in a web browser? I read that the newer version of the firmware no longer has the web browser support but some have said it can be re-enabled through the cli and then browser access worked, and others said they couldn't find the command/area to re-enable it and they couldn't get it to work like others claim.

There is also some units that ship with the newer firmware on the primary flash and an older firmware on the secondary flash and you just some command to boot to the secondary flash instead and pow, you have a web interface again. Seeing as these units are so random in what you might get when buying them it's hard to say what mine or yours or others may be like in comparison, which kinda sucks in some ways, but could help in others. We just need people to dump their firmwares and start comparing/testing them for differences, and make these firmwares available to the masses, and in my case list the commands to actually flash the firmware, and the commands to dump the firmware. I would gladly share my firmware if I can dump it properly :)

I saw that "Quanta HP LB4M Switch with Dual Power 5 13 12 14 Routing Image Firmware" on ebay when I was looking at which one to buy, and that higher price being charged for it, pretty silly unless it actually does have a "proper/good" firmware installed. I have no idea if that unit is any better, and why hasn't that firmware been available to anyone if it's on that unit? Like why hasn't anyone dumped the firmware from one of those and uploaded it by now? Is it real or total BS? No way to tell, but I would like to know if I can get it just to try it out and see if it's layer 3 or at least mostly bug free.

Oh and before I forget, I also found this manual and it also may be very close to the proper command set for the Quanta from what I read: http://docs.fortinet.com/uploaded/files/1419/fortiswitch-100-admin-40-mr2.pdf What do you think?

Hopefully someone will read this and be able to give concrete input on all of this, and maybe knows some of the commands to work with the firmware(s). We await your arrival oh great Quanta LB4M gods! Please help! :p
 
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nephri

Active Member
Sep 23, 2015
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Hi,

I try to access to the management AREA (CLI, HTTP,...) without any sucess.
How can we perform a factory reset without having CLI ?

Best regards,
Séb.
 

rEd2k

New Member
Oct 16, 2015
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Yes and yes,

both cables are the same and they are for connecting a serial port to the RJ45 console/CLI port on most switches. You will need a program like "PuTTY" to login to your switch. Make sure to configure PuTTY correctly (it's easy) under "Session" set it to "Serial" connection (default is SSH) and under "Connection" there is an option called "Serial" and in there make sure to turn off "flow control" and you may need to set the baud rate but in most cases on most switches the defaults will work fine (except for the flow control of course) and if you don't know the proper baud rate for your switch it may show funny characters in the console instead of readable text (but at least you know it's connecting but with the wrong baud rate).

Then in PuTTY click on "Open" at the bottom and depending on the switch you may need to either hit the enter key a few times on your key board to get the console to auto-sense and "wake up" and in other cases (I think for the Quanta) you have to hit CTRL+C a few times to get the console working, from there your on your own as my knowledge is zero for the Quanta until mine arrives :) Also all of these instructions are assuming you have a working serial port on your pc already setup, modern pcs sometimes come with the serial port as an add on option and will be in the box your motherboard came with (if the system is a custom built one) and you may need to install the serial port manually (I had to this myself, but its very easy).

Good luck! ;)
 
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nephri

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Sep 23, 2015
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Good, i will buy one because for now i'm unable to get any management console from my LB4M.
But i thinked that the "console port" is a "rj45 serial port" and used only pure terminal like hyperterminal instead of an SSH connexion.
And i thinked that the SSH connection was available only from the "management port" that is a real RJ45 ethernet port.

I'm wrong ?
 

DavidRa

Infrastructure Architect
Aug 3, 2015
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www.pdconsec.net
Good, i will buy one because for now i'm unable to get any management console from my LB4M.
But i thinked that the "console port" is a "rj45 serial port" and used only pure terminal like hyperterminal instead of an SSH connexion.
And i thinked that the SSH connection was available only from the "management port" that is a real RJ45 ethernet port.

I'm wrong ?
No you were right - the console will be a serial connection not SSH. The advantage of PuTTY is that you can definitely configure it not to use hardware flow control - I haven't used HyperTerminal in a long enough time to recall whether it can disable HWFC or not.

In saying this I don't have my LB4Ms yet, they're still a week or two away - I'm using luigi's post from March to inform myself :)
 

rEd2k

New Member
Oct 16, 2015
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Good, i will buy one because for now i'm unable to get any management console from my LB4M.
But i thinked that the "console port" is a "rj45 serial port" and used only pure terminal like hyperterminal instead of an SSH connexion.
And i thinked that the SSH connection was available only from the "management port" that is a real RJ45 ethernet port.

I'm wrong ?
I'm not too sure about the "Management port" on the quanta, but I thought it used a serial connection as well but I really don't know. In any case if you have a serial port cable with the proper end on it you could cut the wire and use an RJ45 crimper on an RJ45 modular plug and make your own connector for free :) It's really easy and you can google how to make one ;) You will find that using the console is very simple and reliable in most cases, though the Quanta still has the odd bug even in the console, but mostly for more complex things from what I read.

I think the management port is really not what you need in order to use the switch for the most part, I'm not even really sure what it's for, but the console port gives you everything you should need to operate the switch ;)
 

NetWise

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Jun 29, 2012
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The management port will be for out of band management. Such as if the 48 ports were all on a segregated network say for ISCSI and not connected back to your LAN. You could then assign an IP back to the MGMT port and still manage the switch even though you couldn't pass traffic to it from that network.

Use it a lot for that type of scenario on other switches.
 
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rEd2k

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Oct 16, 2015
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The management port will be for out of band management. Such as if the 48 ports were all on a segregated network say for ISCSI and not connected back to your LAN. You could then assign an IP back to the MGMT port and still manage the switch even though you couldn't pass traffic to it from that network.

Use it a lot for that type of scenario on other switches.
Cool! That's what its for then hey? That port makes a lot of sense now :) So in my case though I wont even populate all the ports so I'm probably never gunna use it, but I personally really like knowing what it's for -thanks! ;)
 
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nephri

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Sep 23, 2015
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Ok, i bought a cable and now i have a login prompt from hyperterminal.
Someone know how to reset it to manufactory without knowing the login/password ?
 

nephri

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Sep 23, 2015
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admin / blank didn't work.
I dont know how to reset it to factory or reset the password. i asked it to the seller (i wait his answer).
If someone have other idea ?
 

hekho

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Oct 1, 2014
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try admin with no password I think that is what mine was.
Connect to the Switch via Console Port and reboot it electrically.
At boot, you'll see :

1 - Start operational code.
2 - Start Boot Menu.
Select (1, 2):

Select "2" as fast as you can.
The Boot menu will give you several choices.
Select "10 - Restore configuration to factory defaults (delete config files)"
 
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nephri

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Sep 23, 2015
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Thanks hekho & rEd2K, it's worked perfectly !!
I reseted it and i'm able to connect with "admin/blank"

So, now i have to configure it. (1 standard lan for all ports + aggregated trunk from the 2 SFP+ to a Gnodal GS4008 switch).
But it's another story.
 
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nephri

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Sep 23, 2015
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What i want to achieve :

On the LB4M
- Set i'ts IP adress and enable web-management
- Enable port 49 and 50 (both SFP+)
- configure a LACP trunk with theses both ports to my GS4008 switch

On the GS4008
- Set 2 SFP+ in a LACP group connected to the LB4M

Someone can help me with theses both swicths ? (they are new for me)
 

rEd2k

New Member
Oct 16, 2015
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What i want to achieve :

On the LB4M
- Set i'ts IP adress and enable web-management
- Enable port 49 and 50 (both SFP+)
- configure a LACP trunk with theses both ports to my GS4008 switch

On the GS4008
- Set 2 SFP+ in a LACP group connected to the LB4M

Someone can help me with theses both swicths ? (they are new for me)
Sorry, Im new to the Quanta myself so I can only give you a little help atm. This is to set your IP:

user: admin
pass: blank

switch >enable
pass: blank

network protocol none
network parms 192.168.1.XXX 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1

For web managment it should also be enabled by default but ONLY with firmware version 1.0.2.17 and under. Other newer firmwares appear to have web managment broken like version 1.1.0.8 & 1.1.1.8 do. Check your firmware version with the show command:

show version

I would HIGHLY recommend that you use the 1.0.2.17 firmware simply because it still has web management "working". Also you should really only use the web based access as sort of a read only method, trying to setup other options and features in the gui results in bugs and even crashes because of software being so underdeveloped and unsupported.

The two sfp ports are enabled by default and if your having trouble with them its possible your having compatibility issues esp if your using fibre as everything must be perfect for an fibre setup to work, like the type of fibre must be the correct kind for the particular transceivers being used in order to work for example. And all transceivers must be of the same type (brand doesnt seem to matter much) in order to support the fibre hooked up to them. Plus the switch or network card on the other end should be sfp+ for 10gb and highest compatibility.

The LACP Im not sure of just yet, but the commands are quite simple from what I read but Im not exactly sure what to enter yet, but I would also like to know this.

I do also know how to switch between the two different firmware slots, and how to upload different firmwares (only through the web gui atm) and also how to switch back to a particular firmware in the CLI if your stuck there ;)

Im sorry I don't know anything about the other switch :( But Im sure it's not as buggy and as difficult as the Quanta lol.
 
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canta

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Nov 26, 2014
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I wishedd LB4M were in HCL of open newrok linxu :(

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nephri

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Sep 23, 2015
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Perfect, i successfully reach the web interface.
I created a port-channel for 0/49 and 0/50.

I configure on the Gnodal GS4008 a port-channel in LACP in "mode active" and the channel-group goes up on the LB4M immediately.

I have now to test a connection in the GS4008 and seeing it through to the LB4M network part without issue !!

Thanks to all !!
 
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Fritz

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Has anyone managed to quieten these down a bit? Maybe disconnect the mini fans and install bigger ones?