Configuring Administrator Usernames and Passwords

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Information About Configuring Administrator Usernames and Passwords

You can configure administrator usernames and passwords to prevent unauthorized users from reconfiguring the device and viewing configuration information. This section provides instructions for initial configuration and for password recovery.

You can also set administrator usernames and passwords to manage and configure one or more access points that are associated with the device.

Strong Passwords

You can set strong administrator passwords such as encrypted passwords with ASCII keys for the administrator user for managing access points.

Use the following guidelines while creating strong passwords:

  • There should be at least three of the following categories—lowercase letters, uppercase letters, digits, and special characters.

  • The new password should not be the same as that of the associated username and the username should not be reversed.

  • The characters in the password should not be repeated more than three times consecutively.

  • The password should not be cisco, ocsic, admin, nimda, or any variant obtained by changing the capitalization of letters therein, or by substituting "1" "|" or "!" for i, and/or substituting "0" for "o", and/or substituting "$" for "s".

  • The maximum number of characters accepted for the username and password is 32.

Encrypted Passwords

You can set three types of keys for the password:

  • Randomly generated key—This key is generated randomly and it is the most secure option. To export the configuration file from one system to another, the key should also be exported.

  • Static key—The simplest option is to use a fixed (static) encryption key. By using a fixed key, no key management is required, but if the key is somehow discovered, the data can be decrypted by anyone with the knowledge of that key. This is not a secure option and it is called obfuscation in the CLI.

  • User defined key—You can define the key by yourself. To export the configuration file from one system to another, both systems should have the same key configured.

Configuring Administrator Usernames and Passwords

SUMMARY STEPS

    1.    configure terminal

    2.    wireless security strong-password

    3.    username admin-username password {0 unencrypted_password | 7 hidden_password | unencrypted_text}

    4.    username admin-username secret {0 unencrypted_secret_text | 4 SHA256 encrypted_secret_text | 5 MD5 encrypted_secret_text | LINE}

    5.    ap mgmtuser username username password {0 unencrypted password | 8 AES encrypted password }secret {0 unencrypted password | 8 AES encrypted password }

    6.    ap dot1x username username password {0 unencrypted password | 8 AES encrypted password }

    7.    end

    8.    ap name apname mgmtuser username usernamepassword password secret secret _text

    9.    ap name apname dot1x-user username password password


DETAILED STEPS
     Command or ActionPurpose
    Step 1 configure terminal


    Example: 
    Device# configure terminal
     

    Enters global configuration mode.

     
    Step 2wireless security strong-password


    Example: 
    Device(config)# wireless security strong-password
     

    Enables strong password policy for the administrator user.

     

    Step 3username admin-username password {0 unencrypted_password | 7 hidden_password | unencrypted_text}


    Example: 
    Device(config)# username adminuser1 password 0 QZsek239@
     

    Specifies a username and password for an administrator.

    The administrator can configure the device and view the configured information.

     

    Step 4username admin-username secret {0 unencrypted_secret_text | 4 SHA256 encrypted_secret_text | 5 MD5 encrypted_secret_text | LINE}


    Example: 
    Device(config)# username adminuser1 secret 0 QZsek239@
     

    Specifies the secret for the administrator.

     

    Step 5ap mgmtuser username username password {0 unencrypted password | 8 AES encrypted password }secret {0 unencrypted password | 8 AES encrypted password }


    Example: 
    Device(config)# ap mgmtuser username cisco password 0 Qwci12@ secret 0 Qwci14@!
     

    Specifies administrator username and password for managing all of the access points configured to the device.

    You can also include the secret text to perform privileged access point management.

    Note   
    If your password is not strong enough to fulfill the strong password policy, then the password is rejected with a valid error message. For example, the following password is rejected because it is not a strong password. 
    Device# ap mgmtuser username cisco password 0 abcd secret 0 1234

     

    Step 6ap dot1x username username password {0 unencrypted password | 8 AES encrypted password }


    Example: 
    Device(config)# ap dot1x username cisco password 0 Qwci12@
     

    Specifies the 802.1X username and password for managing all of the access points configured to the device.

     

    Step 7end


    Example:
    Device(config)# end
     

    Returns to privileged EXEC mode. Alternatively, you can also press Ctrl-Z to exit global configuration mode.

     
    Step 8ap name apname mgmtuser username usernamepassword password secret secret _text


    Example: 
    Device# ap name APf0f7.55c7.7b23 mgmtuser username cisco password Qne35! secret Nzep592$
     

    Configures the administrator username, password, and secret text for managing a specific access point that is configured to the device.

     

    Step 9ap name apname dot1x-user username password password


    Example: 
    Device# ap name APf0f7.55c7.7b23 dot1x-user username cisco password Qne35!
     

    Configures the 802.1X username and password for a specific access point.

     

    Examples: Administrator Usernames and Passwords Configuration

    This example shows how to configure administrator usernames and passwords with the strong password policy in configuration mode: 
    Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# wireless security strong-password 
Device(config)# username adminuser1 password 0 QZsek239@
Device(config)# ap mgmtuser username cisco password 0 Qwci12@ secret 0 Qwci14@!
Device(config)# ap dot1x username cisco password 0 Qwci12@
Device# end
    This example shows how to configure administrator usernames and passwords for an access point in global EXEC mode: 
    Device# wireless security strong-password 
Device# ap name APf0f7.55c7.7b23 mgmtuser username cisco password Qwci12@ secret Qwci14@
Device# ap name APf0f7.55c7.7b23 dot1x-user username cisco password Qwci12@
Device# end

    Additional References for Administrator Usernames and Passwords

    Related Documents

    Related Topic Document Title
    System management commands

    System Management Command Reference Guide (Cisco IOS XE Release 3SE (Cisco WLC 5700 Series)

    Standards and RFCs

    Standard/RFC Title
    None

    —

    MIBs

    MIB MIBs Link
    All supported MIBs for this release.

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    http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​go/​mibs

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    Feature History and Information For Performing Administrator Usernames and Passwords Configuration

    Release Feature Information
    Cisco IOS XE 3.3SE This feature was introduced.