3Com OfficeConnect 3C16771 - Direct Connection Instructions; Introduction; Optional Direct Connection

C
O
PTIONAL
D
IRECT
C
ONNECTION
This appendix contains the following:
■
Introduction
■
Direct Connection Instructions
Introduction
The security of the OfficeConnect
®
Internet Firewall is
ensured by the use of a secret Administrator Password.
Once the password is set, it is used to authenticate the
administrator’s identity as well as to conceal any important
information exchanged with the Web management
interface. For example, when the administrator’s password
is changed, the old password is used to conceal the new
one.
The Internet Firewall comes pre-configured from the
factory with a default password. It is critical to change this
password during the initial configuration of the firewall.
Unfortunately, the default password can only provide
limited protection the first time the administrator’s
password is set. In principle, an individual inside the
network could capture all network transmissions and then
perform mathematical analyses to discover the new
Administrator Password. Though this is more an academic
than a practical issue, using the
Direct Connection
option
to set the password for the first time may be advisable if
this is a concern.
Direct Connection Instructions
1
Disconnect the management station from the local
Ethernet network.
2
Attach the Internet Firewall directly to the management
station.