Firmware Versions 4.11 and 5.3.4 SuperUser
New Superuser Password Feature
With the introduction of firmware versions 4.11 and 5.3.4, a new feature has been added to increase the security level of the read/write privileges in your Netopia router. This gives stricter control to the systems administrator in managing access and configuration permissions.
When upgrading the firmware on your Netopia Internet router to the current version,
it is strongly advised that you verify the password that will be set as the default Superuser password. This will not necessarily be your current router login password or the security screen password.
Establish a telnet or console session into the Netopia router.
Main Menu ---> ---> System Configuration... ---> Security... ---> (enter password) ...hit OK
PLEASE NOTE: Access to the Security screen and configuration screens will be different in 4.11 and later firmware. The Security screen password will no longer be prompted as only the Superuser has access to this configuration option.
Figure 1 Security Options Screen (firmware 4.8.4)
The example above is the Security Options found in firmware versions before 4.11. In this case, wilbur would become a default Superuser password and network would no longer have access into the Easy Setup configuration screens or the Security Options in the router. You can keep wilbur as the login name and its associated password, or you can go to Delete User... and remove one or all of the user names. In that case (removing all names) there would be no default user name (i.e. Superuser) after the upgrade until you've reconfigured one.
Figure 2 Superuser (firmware 4.11 and 5.3.4) Most Netopia routers leave the factory without a preconfigured password. The one exception to this is that routers built for the Covad network will have a default user name and password of admin and admin. A Covad router can be distinguished by a letter -T following the model number. This default password can be deleted and changed, but the topmost user in the list will be the superuser once the firmware is upgraded to 4.11 or higher. Factory resetting of a Covad router will reintroduce the admin/admin default user name and password.
Figure 2 above is a Covad R7200-T router that had user wilbur added with a unique access password and the Covad default admin / admin deleted. After upgrading the firmware to 4.11, wilbur became the superuser and subsequent user entries have tiered access. The superuser only has access to and control of the Security Options.
PLEASE NOTE:
The important thing to remember here is that the topmost name in the User List will be a default Superuser in the 4.11 and 5.3.4 firmware versions. Clearing this list removes the default. The option for an additional users Access List will not be present until there is a Superuser name configured in the router.
Figure 3 Access List for Additional Users (firmware 4.11)
Figure 4 Tiered Access Custom Menu Options (firmware 4.11 and 5.3.4) Additional users can be given tiered access into the router via the Show/Change Access Name/Passwords in the Security Options.
See Figures 3 and 4. The tiered access permissions are configured in the Security... options of the System Configuration. The Superuser is the only user permitted access to the Security Options. If the User Names have been deleted and there is no password protection on the router, then there will be no Superuser in the router until one has been configured.
Further information about passwords and factory resetting of the router can be found in Netopia Quick Guide NQG_013.
