Technical Tip: How to change the admin password on the FortiGate for the managed FortiSwitch

This article describes how to change the admin password on the FortiGate for the managed FortiSwitch units.

FortiGate, FortiSwitch.

By default, each FortiSwitch has an admin account without a password. To replace the admin passwords for all FortiSwitch units managed by a FortiGate, use the following commands from the FortiGate CLI:

config switch-controller switch-profile

    edit default

        set login-passwd-override enable

        set login-passwd <password>

    next

end

If there was already a profile applied with the override enabled and the password set and if it is necessary to remove the admin password, apply a profile with the override enabled and no password set; otherwise, the previously set password will remain in the FortiSwitch.

For example:

config switch-controller switch-profile

    edit default

        set login-passwd-override enable

        unset login-passwd

    next

end

If it is necessary to change the password for only one switch, avoid using the default profile: by default, it applies to all of the switches in the configuration. Verify which profile is applied to which switch by using the following commands:

config switch-controller managed-switch

    edit "S248EFTFxxxxxxxx"

        get | grep profile

Configure a switch profile and apply it for that one switch as follows:

config switch-controller switch-profile

    edit "New-profile"

        set login-passwd-override enable

        set login-passwd <password>

    next

end

config switch-controller managed-switch

    edit "S248EFTFxxxxxxxx"

        set switch-profile "New-profile"

    next

end