Authentication Verification

Authentication Verification

The most common cause of connectivity failures is incorrect credentials. Verify credentials work through interactive login before debugging deeper issues.

Testing Credentials Interactively

SSH credential verification:

ssh [email protected]

Enter password when prompted. Successful login confirms:

• Username is correct
• Password is correct
• Account is not disabled or locked
• Authentication method is compatible

Telnet credential verification:

telnet 192.168.1.1

Enter username and password when prompted. Successful login confirms credentials are valid.

Enable password verification (for devices requiring privilege escalation):

After logging in, attempt privilege escalation:

enable

Enter enable password when prompted. Successful escalation confirms enable password is correct.

Common Authentication Issues

Case sensitivity: Device usernames and passwords are typically case-sensitive. Verify exact case matches configured credentials in rConfig.

Special characters: Passwords containing special characters ($, !, @, #, etc.) may require escaping or cause parsing issues. Test passwords without special characters first to isolate issue.

Account lockouts: Repeated failed login attempts may trigger account lockout policies. Check device logs for lockout events and wait for lockout timer to expire or manually unlock account.

Privilege levels: Some devices require specific privilege levels for configuration access. Ensure credentials provide adequate privileges to execute show commands and retrieve configurations.

Authentication methods: SSH supports multiple authentication methods (password, public key, keyboard-interactive). Ensure device and rConfig are configured for compatible authentication methods.

Password expiration: Expired passwords prevent login. Check device for password expiration policies and update expired passwords.

Credential Configuration in rConfig

After confirming credentials work interactively, verify they are correctly configured in rConfig:

1. Navigate to Device Credentials management interface
2. Locate the credential set assigned to the device
3. Verify username and password match tested credentials exactly (including case)
4. Verify enable password is configured (if device requires privilege escalation)
5. Test credentials using device connection test functionality
6. Review Application Log for authentication failure messages providing specific error details

For credential management details, see Device Credentials.

Next Step

Once authentication is verified, move on to Device Prompt Troubleshooting — the second most common cause of backup failures.