About Cisco Aironet 1242:
The Cisco Aironet 1242 wireless access point is part of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network, providing an integrated, end‑to‑end wired and wireless solution. This IEEE 802.11a/b/g access point offers high capacity, strong security, and enterprise‑class reliability. Although it is an older model, the Cisco Aironet 1242 remains widely used in business environments that require stable performance and advanced features.
Firmware update process:
To load new firmware on the Cisco Aironet 1242, you must first perform a factory reset using the MODE button. This ensures the AP enters recovery mode and accepts a new firmware image.
- Step 1:
Disconnect power (the power jack for external power or the Ethernet cable for in-line power) from the access point. - Step 2: Press and hold the MODE button while you reconnect power to the access point.
Step 3: Hold the MODE button until the Status LED turns amber (approximately 1 to 2 seconds), and release it.
You will also need a TFTP server to upload the firmware image. If you do not have one, you can quickly set it up by following this guide.
A Cisco console cable is also required to access the AP through the ROMMON interface.
Before we begin, let’s assume we are working inside the 192.168.0.0 network and that no other devices are connected. The Cisco Aironet 1242 will use 192.168.0.2 by default, acting as a simple router. Our TFTP server will run on 192.168.0.130.
Once we log in to the AP, we are going to issue the following commands:
ap: set NETMASK 255.255.255.0
ap: set DEFAULT_ROUTER 192.168.0.1
ap: set
DEFAULT_ROUTER=192.168.0.1
ENABLE_BREAK=no
IP_ADDR=192.168.0.2
MANUAL_BOOT=no
NETMASK=255.255.255.0
RELOAD_REASON=9
TERMLINES=0
Next, Format the Flash:
ap: format flash:
Are you sure you want to format "flash:" (all data will be lost) (y/n)?y
flashfs[0]: 0 files, 1 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 15998976
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 1024
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 15997952
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 20 seconds.
Filesystem "flash:" formatted
Then, we initialize tftp
ap: tftp_init
tftp_init success: You can now use tftp file system!
ap: ether_init
Initializing ethernet port 0...
Reset ethernet port 0...
Reset done!
ethernet link up, 100 mbps, full-duplex
Ethernet port 0 initialized: link is up
Next, we extract the tar archive
When uploading a firmware image to the Cisco Aironet 1242, the .tar file does not need to be extracted manually. The ROMMON loader automatically detects the TAR archive and unpacks it into the correct directory on the flash filesystem as long as the file is copied directly to flash:. This means that the command:
ap: tftp://192.168.0.130/c1240-k9w7-tar.124-3g.JA.tar flash:Will do both, transfers and extracts the firmware in a single step. If the flash is full or corrupted, the extraction may fail. In normal conditions, the process runs automatically without any additional steps.
Finally, we need to set up the boot file and boot the AP
ap: set BOOT flash:/c1240-k9w7-mx.124-3g.JA/c1240-k9w7-mx.124-3g.JA ap: boot
When the firmware is finished copying, we need to tell the access point which file it should use to start. The command set BOOT points the AP to the new system file inside the flash folder. After that, the boot command tells the AP to restart and load that file. This is like choosing the right program and then pressing the power button so the device starts with the new software.
For a detailed manual for this AP, click here.
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