Cisco PIX 506e Software Upgrade

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:49:48 +0000

Following the Hardware Upgrade, the Software needs to be renewed, too!
The latest PIX OS running on the 506e would be 6.3.5.125.
You can upgrade to that and use the pdm to configure the Device.
Or… you can go to ASA!
As described here ( http://www.rownet.co.uk/installing-v7-software-on-a-cisco-pix-506e/ ) you can do that quite easily.

But in short:

Boot into Pix
Start downloading an pdm file with copy tftp://Your_TFTP_Server_IP_Address/Your_pdmfile_name flash:pdm and disconnect the ethernet cable!
After disconnecting, the PIX will erase the pdm from your pix, clearing the flash space for pdm
clear flashfs
reload your PIX into Monitor Mode / RMON
activate your interface (interface 0 is E0, interface 1 E1)
enter ip addr of tftp server ( server ), filename ( tftp ), ip addr of your pix ( address ) and start downloading to pix
It will boot from tftp into ASA
Copy ASA Image: copy tftp://Your_TFTP_Server_IP_Address/pix712.bin flash:
Reload

Done, you got ASA.
No ASDM / PDM anymore, because not enough space, but ASA ^^

Cisco PIX 506e Hardware Upgrade

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:00:27 +0000

The Cisco PIX Series has been “the” well known and powerful firewall appliance of the last decade - and for some people, this decade ain’t over yet.
Cisco has released the successor “ASA” some years ago, but many people still got a PIX running.
Reasons are simple: The PIX Series has an Appliance for every problem and is rock solid.
My personal experience with that Firewall Series started with a “burned out” PIX 520 (that one is getting its own entry soon ^^).
After that, I got more into Security by doing my CCNA Security studies.
While doing the CCNAS I also bought the smallest PIX, the PIX 501 from Ebay for 70€ or so.
Sometime later, I discovered an dead PIX 506e in my Office - and I just couldn’t help myself and started taking it apart.

506e on Nico Maas

Cisco PIX 506e Software Upgrade

Cisco PIX 506e Hardware Upgrade