Cisco 2514 Question

None of these answers addresses my current issue.  Of course  a console cable is better.  I was not asking for everyone to count the ways I needed one.  I was asking for alternatives.  I cross-posted this question.  It was answered correctly there - Use a network sniffer to find the devices ip address.  Therefore I cannot award any points on this question post.  Thanks!  Admin, please close this question.

If you don't know the current configuration/password, how does knowing the address help you?  

I didn't ask how to get past a configuration password.  I asked how to get in.  I asked about the hardware reset thinking maybe there would be a factory default "known" ip address.

Even if you find the ip address for the router, you cant realy do anything without the terminal password.  If you manage to hack the password, then you would still have to hack the enable password in order to make any changes to the configuration.  
You may try the default or common passwords: cisco, system, password, pass, access, admin, administrator.
The other alternative is to build your own cable.  (RJ-45 connector) to your PC's COM port (DB-9 connector).

Pin Layout:
Console Port (RJ-45)         PC COM Port  (DB-9)
pins       Signals           pins       Signals
-            -                9           RI
1            NC               8           CTS
2            NC               7           DSR
3            TXD              6           RXD
4            GND              5           GND
5            GND              4           GND
6            RXD              3           TXD
7            NC               2           DTR
8            NC               1           RTS

1. NC indicates not connected.

That answer does not address my question.  I was asking for ALTERNATIVES to connecting with a console cable.  I know what a console cable is, I know how to make one.  That was not my question.

Well if you are willing to waste your time trying to hack the passwords manualy, then try automated programs such as lophtcrack.
The chances of hacking in are slim.
this is why I was recomending the creation of the cable.

I also did not ask how to hack passwords.  I only asked how to access the router (needing it's ip address) without using a console cable.

"I didn't ask how to get past a configuration password.  I asked how to get in.  I asked about the hardware reset thinking maybe there would be a factory default "known" ip address. "

I see your point.  However, I think the overall point was that if you don't have any knowledge of your router and you don't have a cable you are SOL.  Even if you were to sniff out it's IP address, like Geoffryn said it does you no good without having a password for the purpose of gaining access.  If you are able to perform a hardware reset, Geoffryn also pointed out that you would need a console cable.  Maybe this wasn't EXACTLY spelled out for you, but that was the main point.  If you know how to get your hands on a console cable, other measures are a moot point anyway.

I think a lot of us have to dig beyond the exact literal interpretation of questions posted here, as most questions are short on info. Further more, most of us do this out of our own generosity, so my suggestion would be to go a bit easier on everyone and try to be as clear as possible since we mean well when offering up suggestions.  

I understand your point, and I appreciate everyone's input.  This question has been answered elsewhere.  Please appreciate the fact that my question was not short on info, I wasn't trying to work voodoo password wonders on this thing, and I don't need to know how to build a console cable - all I needed was how to access the router.  That's it.  Using a sniffer to get the ip address is exactly how to access my unknown router without a console cable.  Of course there's the challenge of a password, but that's a different issue.  Turns out that this router had no password, and for that matter, no ip address.

Well, I would argue that an IP address with no password as well as a config with no IP address at all both get you absolutely nowhere.  Therefore, you are still stuck with getting a cable, so everyone was just short-cutting to the end result.  So, you say someone elsewhere "answered" your question, but did they really give you a practical way of getting in?  I don't think so.  Granted if you know the IP address you could run a hack utility to try and crack the password, but depending on the strength of the password, that could take weeks or even months.  I can guarantee you that if tried a brute-force attack on one of my routers it would be months.  In my opinion there is no other PRACTICAL way of getting into the router without the console cable.

All I'm saying is that the problem was perceived as an issue of getting into the router - not necessarily a theory question on the different ways this is possible.  So if you just wanted theoretical answers you could have added something along the lines of "I know I can get my hands on a console cable if needed, but I am curious to find out other possible ways to gain access to the router in the event that I ever need to access a router in a pinch when I can't get a cable at all."  

astronot79:
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