SNMP Error when VLAN Tagging HP POE Switch

[loxford01]

I am trying to VLAN tag ports on a HP 2530 24 port POE switch, however I keep getting an error saying 'THE SNMP read write community name is incorrect'. I have tried to SSH into the switch but giving me 'access denied' so I assume whoever setup the switch around 10 years ago didn't use the correct password written on the network document.

 

I admit that I am no expert in switch configuration so just finding articles to understand how to best fix this error and have a few options, as in try to clear the username/password physically on the switch, then try and SSH into it and change Community String, access the switch through its console port or just reset the whole switch. However I'm not sure how I would restore its configuration if I reset it as I believe I need to obtain its backup configuration file. I have access to the HP Intelligent Management Center (IMC) so can see all our switches but lots of areas to study to understand it all.

 

I did try and set the SNMP strings for this switch from the IMC under modify SNMP settings and it does show a success prompt but still seeing the error when trying to do port VLAN tagging so I guess its not writing back through IMC.

 

Subsequently I believe by setting the strings on this switch which may be incorrect, it has affected another HP switch interconnected which is now showing errors of 'The SNMPv2 entity, acting in an agent role, is reinitializing itself. This happens every hour or so and takes down network connectivity to end PCs connected for about 10 minutes until they work again. Funnily I also cannot access that switch

 

Any advice on this would be appreciated.

[mavhc]

How complex is your network setup? If not that complex just hard reset it. Can you create a config based on other switches that will be similar?

 

Is it using SNMP to configure the switch, is that why it cares?

[Davit2005]

SNMP v1 or v2 have no security apart from the community name. The community name should be able to be seen in the cli if using SNMP v1 or v2

 

SNMPv3 does have password

 

I think you can reset the manager password without hard reset of the switch though. Do you have backup of the switch accesible if you were to reset or confident of the config i.e. vlans, port config etc.

Edited July 5, 2024 by Davit2005

[loxford01]

Thanks. I have downloaded the backup configs, running & startup.cfg of this switch and a similar working switch. I have also located the clear option next to reset on the switch so could try to reset the password that way. I don't know exactly at the moment how I will use the configs to restore, through IMC there are options if I take the reset route. It is a live switch, end clients connected and we don't have redundancy in place. I guess I will be using the other working swtiches .cfg and restore to this one with the errors.

 

Its an ex RM school so has a Edge VLAN setup, management VLAN and Edge Failover VLAN.

 

All switches are using SNMP for their configuration.

[loxford120]

I forgot to mention it's SNMP v2

[howartp]

Just use the clear button on the switch - it'll clear password and leave everything else intact.