Dell PowerConnect 2816 - 2808 Auto-configuration

Owned by David Jacques
Last updated: Dec 15, 2017

General Info.

This is in no case an exhaustive configuration procedure, It's a simple guide on how to configure these switches to use them with Ravenna/AES67 networks.

Before Starting

Important! If you have problems accessing the switch for configuration when connected to the Merging MassCore PCIe Ethernet card (NET-MSC-GBEX1) please connect it to the PC’s on-board Ethernet port. When configuration is completed reconnect the switch to the MassCore Ethernet card.

 

 

Dell Power Connect 2816/2808 Switch  Auto-configuration Procedure

Note: For Dell Switches other than the 2816 and 2808 please use the manual configuration procedure

 

  1. Right click on the Network icon in the Windows Taskbar.

  2. Select: Open Network and Sharing Center

  3. Click on: Change Adapter Settings on the left of the pane.
     

  4. Right-click the Merging Technologies PCIe 8257 RAVENNA Network Card and select Properties:
    (same procedure applies with any other network adapter)
     

  5. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP) and Click on Properties:
     

  6. Click on the Use the following IP address: radio button and enter 192.168.2.2 (the DELL PowerConnect 28xx switch has a factory default IP address of 192.168.2.1).
    Click on the OK button to accept the settings and close the dialog. 

  7. Before connecting to the switch it must be put into Managed Mode since the factory default is non-managed mode. To change the switch to Managed Mode, use a paper clip to press the Managed Mode button through the small hole as indicated by the arrow in the image below:
     

  8. Open a browser and type 192.168.2.1 in the address bar, username: "admin" password: "admin", Click on the OK button to log in:

     

    The Restore Saved Configuration page will open:

  9. Click on the Apply Changes button The device will reset" message will appear. Click on the OK button and wait for around 2 minutes:
     

  10. Log in again (username: admin, password: admin) as in step 9. above.

  11. Download the latest configuration file for your Dell switch model :
    DELL PowerConnect 2816
    DELL PowerConnect 2816 - Dual VLAN (Port 1 to 8 : Regular network. Port 9 to 16 : RAVENNA/AES67)
    DELL PowerConnect 2808 
    DELL PowerConnect 2808 - Dual VLAN (Port 1 to 4 : Regular network. Port 5 to 8 : RAVENNA/AES67)
    The Merging RAVENNA configuration file will auto-configure various settings /protocols to optimize the RAVENNA/AES67 network, and also sets the definitive fixed IP address of the switch: 169.254.252.1). 

  12. After login choose System > File Management > File Download
     

  13. Select the Configuration Download and Download via HTTP radio buttons. (Arrowed in the screenshot above).
    Click Choose File and browse to the downloaded configuration file (.ber). Then click Apply Changes.

  14. When the download completes, Copy Finished, click Close.
    The message box below will open:
     

  15. The downloaded configuration will be activated after reseting the device Click OK

  16. Log out, power OFF and restart the switch.
    Next operation is to restore the Merging RAVENNA Network Card's IP configuration back to automatic.
    (Auto configured IP addresses are in the range 169.254.x.x, range on which the switch is now configured.)

  17. In the Network Connections window (see steps 4. 5. and 6. above), right-click the Merging Technologies PCIe 8257 RAVENNA Network Card and select Properties.
    Select the Obtain an IP address automatically radio button and also select Obtain DNS server address automatically, click on OK.
     

  18. The switch is now configured and ready to use, and the Merging RAVENNA Network Card should have auto-configured itself with an IP in the 169.254.x.x range.
    You can verify this by opening a browser and typing 169.254.252.1 in the address bar, Log in (username: admin password: admin).
     

  19. The switch is ready and accessible at 169.254.252.1