Resetting Ruckus ZoneDirector 1100 Admin Password on Linux (No Config Loss)

This method resets the admin password without wiping the configuration using the serial console.

What You Need:

• USB-to-Serial adapter (if your laptop doesn’t have a serial port)

• Console cable (typically DB9 to RJ45 for the ZD1100)

• Terminal software (we’ll use screen, preinstalled on most Linux systems)

• Access to the ZD1100’s console port

Serial Console Settings:

• Baud Rate: 9600

• Data Bits: 8

• Parity: None

• Stop Bits: 1

• Flow Control: None

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Plug in the USB-to-Serial adapter

Open a terminal and run:

ls /dev/ttyUSB*

You should see something like:

/dev/ttyUSB0

If nothing shows up, check dmesg output:

dmesg | grep tty

Make note of the correct device name.

2. Connect using 

screen

Start a serial session:

screen /dev/ttyUSB0 9600

(Replace /dev/ttyUSB0 with your actual port if different)

3. Power cycle the ZD1100

• Turn the device off, then on again.

• Watch your terminal window closely.

When you see:

Press any key to interrupt boot...

Press any key immediately.

4. At the 

boot>

 prompt

Type the following command:

set -defaults

(This resets login credentials but preserves all configurations)

Then type:

boot

The system will now boot normally.

5. Log in

After boot, you can log in with:

• Username: admin

• Password: admin

Then go into the web UI or CLI and change the password.

Tips:

• To exit screen: press Ctrl + A, then \, then confirm with y.

• If screen isn’t installed, install it via:

sudo apt install screen     # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo dnf install screen     # Fedora/RHEL
sudo pacman -S screen       # Arch