User's Manual

32 MDS Master Station MDS 05-6399A01, Rev. D
5 DEVICE MANAGEMENT
This section describes the steps for connecting a PC, logging in, and setting unit parameters. The focus
here is on the local serial/USB console interface, but other methods of connection are available and offer
similar capabilities. The key differences are with initial access and appearance of data.
The MDS Master Station offers several interfaces to allow device configuration and monitoring of status
and performance. These include local serial console, USB, NETCONF, HTTP/HTTPS, and Secure Shell
(SSH) for local and remote access via the WAN and LAN networks. The serial console, USB, and SSH
services offer a command line interface (CLI). There are three user accounts/roles for management
access: admin, tech, and oper. User accounts can be centrally managed with a RADIUS server, with
RADIUS accounts being mapped to one of the three user accounts/roles. Refer to 05-6632A01 MDS
Orbit MCR Technical Manual (Rev. C) for details on configuring RADIUS authentication.
MDS Orbit MCR Technical Manual (Rev. C). Note that not all features are supported by the Master
Station or the SD Radio Module. Wireless networking capabilities are limited by the narrowband channel
and the capabilities of the remote radio.
NOTE: The MDS Master Station is designed for high security environments. As such, management of
the device does not support Telnet, but instead implements the more secure SSH protocol.
5.1 Pre-Configured Settings
The unit is highly configurable to meet field requirements, but comes pre-configured as follows:
• COM1 is configured for transparent serial payload at a baud rate of 115200,8N1
• COM2 is configured to operate at a baud rate of 115200,8N1 and is enabled for local console operation.
• USB is enabled for local console operation (proper system drivers must be installed on the PC connect-
ed to the MDS Master Station to use the USB port as a virtual serial device; these drivers are available
from the GE MDS website).
• The Ethernet ports are bridged together, with spanning-tree protocol enabled, with a default IP address
of 192.168.1.1/24.
5.2 One-Time “Recovery” Passwords
The MDS Orbit platform employs extensive security measures to prevent unauthorized access. As such,
there are no hidden manufacturer passwords or other “backdoors” found in less secure products.
If a password is lost, there is no way to access the unit, except by using a one-time password (OTP) for
recovery. The user must create this OTP manually. Without a one-time password, the unit will not be ac-
cessible, and the hardware will need to be replaced. The factory will not be able to assist you if a pass-
word is lost, so creating a one-time password is strongly encouraged.
One-Time Passwords: How They Work
One-time recovery passwords put control directly and exclusively in the user’s hands. They are similar to
spare keys for a lock. If you make a spare key, and put it away safely, you can take it out to quickly gain
entry when your primary key is lost. If you don’t make a spare, you are always at risk of locking yourself
out.
A one-time recovery password is different from the one used to log into the unit on a routine basis. It is
only for use when the primary password is lost or forgotten. When a one-time password is used to log in,