LINKSTAR Modem - Serial cable connection
Warning: If you are offered a second-hand LinkStar modem and it is password protected the seller may not be the owner. Many LinkStar modems have been distributed under a lease agreement such that they will only work under control of the original satellite service provider. Clearing the user settable front end telnet password will not be sufficient to make the modem work. Don't accept stolen goods.
Telnet - forgotten password unlock procedure
If your unit is under a lease agreement you are not authorised to do this, doesn't apply to owned devices.
If you have forgotten your Telnet password for Telnet Access, you may attempt the following sequence and procedure to unlock the system. Opening the box will invalidate any warranty so the best plan is not to forget the password in the first place. You may well permanently damage the unit, so don't be optimistic about recovering its functionality. This is "last ditch" hope to recover an otherwise useless box, when you have forgotten the password.
If you have never been given a Telnet password and the box is Telnet password protected you should investigate the origin of the unit as it is highly likely to have been originally sold under a lease agreement and you do not have authorisation to access the software. You must contact the original service provider for help as to what to do. You are wasting your time and should not follow the procedure below.
Make one of these cables, and open the RCST. Use electrostatic and
power safety precautions. Inside there is a serial connector to which you
can connect using this cable described below.
Once you connect, you can get direct access, and use the
"passwd -u root -p newpassword" command to reset it.
It has also been suggested (but I cannot verify this) to try the commands "ZAP" and "Boot" to clear the password. You then use the NULL password to login as root, followed by "passwd -u root -p newpassword" to set the new
password.
Linkstar Serial Cable
Only the middle 4 pins are used (use a 4 pin connector phone plug) Looking at
the phone plug with the clip facing away from you.
pin 1 goes to pin 5 on the serial connector
pin 2 goes to pin 2 on the serial connector
pin 3 goes to pin 3 on the serial connector
pin 4 not used
some loopbacks on the serial connector
7 and 8 are looped
1 and 4 are looped
6 and 4 are looped
Operating system password - unlock not authorised
If there is a further operating system password needed then you have a terminal which has been specially locked by the original service provider and you are not authorised and not able to change it. The terminal was probably sold under a lease agreement for use on a particular satellite and with a particular service provider only, so you must contact the original service provider for help as to what to do. If you can line it up on its intended satellite and then talk to the original hub, maybe they can reactivate it once you have paid the necessary monthly charges and reactivation fee.
If you are unable to use a LinkStar box, don't throw it away. Return it to some local agent. The power supply module might be a useful spare part for someone.
Warning: If you are offered a second-hand LinkStar modem and it is password protected the seller may not be the owner. Many LinkStar modems have been distributed under a lease agreement such that they will only work under control of the original satellite service provider. Clearing the user settable front end telnet password will not be sufficient to make the modem work. Don't accept stolen goods.
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► Page created 9 Dec 2004, Amended 6 August 2015 Eric Johnston |