Configuring Passwords on a Cisco Router - Networking How-to

Configuring Passwords

Works on both routers and switches.

Router(config)#enable password cisco Sets enable password

Router(config)#enable secret class Sets enable secret password

Router(config)#line con 0 Enters console-line mode
Router(config-line)#password console Sets console-line mode password to console
Router(config-line)#login Enables password checking at login

Router(config)#line vty 0 4 Enters vty line mode for all five vty lines
Router(config-line)#password telnet Sets vty password to telnet
Router(config-line)#login Enables password checking at login

Router(config)#line aux 0 Enters auxiliary line mode
Router(config-line)#password backdoor Sets auxiliary line mode password to backdoor
Router(config-line)#login Enables password checking at login

Caution:

enable secret password is encrypted by default. enable password is not. For this reason, recommended practice is that you never use the enable password. Use only the enable secret password in a router configuration.

Caution:

You cannot set both enable secret and enable password to the same password. Doing so defeats the use of encryption.