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Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter 7 Adminis tering the Switch Prote cting Acces s to Privile ged EX EC Command s

Setting or Changing a Static Enable Password

The en able password control s access to the privileged EXEC mode. Beginning in privileged EXEC
mode, follow these steps to set or change a static enable password:
To remove the password, use the no enable password global configurat ion comm and.
This example shows how to change the enable password to l1u2c3k4y5. The password is n ot en cr ypte d
and provides access to level 15 (traditional privileged EXEC mode access):
Switch(config)# enable password l1u2c3k4y5
Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter glob al co nfiguration mo de.
Step 2 enable pa ssword password Define a new password or change an existing password for access to
privileged EXEC mo de .
By default, no password is defined.
For password, specify a string from 1 to 25 alphanumeric characters. The
string cannot start with a number , is case sensitiv e , and allows spaces but
ignore s l e ad in g s pac es . It ca n co nt ain t he q ue sti o n m ar k (? ) ch ar ac ter if
you precede the question mark with the key combination Crtl-v when you
create the password; for example, to create the password abc?123, do this:
Ente r abc.
Ente r Crtl-v.
Ente r ?123.
When the system prompts you to enter the enable password, you need not
precede the question mark with the Ctr l-v; you can simply enter abc?123
at the passwor d prompt.
Step 3 end Return to privileged EXEC mo de.
Step 4 show running-config Verify your entries.
Step 5 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save yo ur entries in the configuration file.
The en able pa ssword is not encr ypted and can be read in the swi tch
configurat ion file.