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There is no single reset procedure for every Allied Telesis AT switch. Identify the exact model first: on documented AT-GS950/PS models, holding the front-panel eco-friendly button for more than 10 seconds starts a factory reset; if you can still sign in, use Tools → Reboot → Factory Default. Other families use console menus, boot-time diagnostics, or AlliedWare Plus configuration-file procedures.
A factory reset removes configuration and interrupts network traffic. Back up the settings and plan an outage before proceeding.
Identify your switch before resetting it
“AT” is a product-family prefix, not a model number. Find the full model designation on the chassis label, web-management page, console boot screen, or purchase record. Examples include AT-GS950/8, AT-GS950/16, AT-GS950/24, AT-GS950/48, AT-S67, AT-S68, older AT-8024 models, and AlliedWare Plus x-series or GS-series switches. The button, menu labels, default address, and reset method can differ.
| Switch family | Documented reset route | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| AT-GS950/PS | Front-panel eco-friendly button or web interface | Documented models commonly return to 192.168.1.1 after a full reset. |
| AT-S67 / AT-S68 | Console menu | Use the model-specific System Config Menu; management details depend on the device. |
| Older Allied Telesyn/Allied Telesis models | Serial console and boot or diagnostic menu | Some procedures erase management IP, port settings, and VLANs. |
| AlliedWare Plus models | Model- and release-specific CLI/configuration-file procedure | Startup configuration handling differs by software and model. |
Use the exact model’s manual if it is not one of the families below. Do not assume that a GS950 button sequence or the address 192.168.1.1 applies to another AT switch.
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What a factory reset changes
A factory reset is a destructive configuration change, not simply a reboot. On the documented GS950 web interface, Factory Default removes tagged and port-based VLAN configuration and resets the management IP address, subnet mask, and gateway. A reset can also remove or restore settings such as passwords, VLAN assignments, link aggregation, spanning tree, port settings, PoE, security, SNMP, NTP, logging, and monitoring; exact effects vary by model and reset mode.
Do not treat configuration reset as secure erasure. The available documentation distinguishes configuration clearing from erasing permanent storage or software; a normal reset does not establish that every log, file, or data artifact has been securely removed.
Prepare for the outage
- Confirm that you are authorized to reset the switch and that the outage is acceptable.
- Save the running and startup configurations if you can still manage the device. Record its firmware version and management IP settings.
- Document uplink ports, VLAN membership, tagged links, LAGs, PoE devices, and port-to-device connections. Photos of the cabling and labels can help with restoration.
- Notify users. During the GS950 reboot, the switch does not forward traffic; the documented approximate reboot interval is one to two minutes, not a guarantee for every model or revision.
- Have a laptop, Ethernet cable, and the model-compatible console cable ready. Keep power stable throughout the reset and reboot.
- If reconnecting production links could create loops or expose the wrong network, isolate the switch until its management and VLAN settings are rebuilt.
AT-GS950/PS: reset with the front-panel button
For the documented GS950/PS models, the button is labeled eco-friendly. The timing matters: holding it for 5–9 seconds performs a normal reboot, while holding it for more than 10 seconds initiates a factory reset. These are different actions.
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- Leave the switch powered on and locate the eco-friendly button on the front panel.
- Press and hold the button for more than 10 seconds, then release it.
- Wait for the switch to reboot. Allow approximately one to two minutes for the documented GS950/PS reboot interval before trying management access.
- Connect a workstation to the switch. On the cited GS950/PS models, the factory management address is 192.168.1.1. Put the workstation on a compatible subnet if needed, then use the model’s documented default login or initial-login process.
- Set a new administrator password and management address, then restore the required VLANs and other settings before reconnecting production devices.
The 10-second timing and default address are documented for the cited GS950/PS models, not for the AT range as a whole. See the GS950/PS installation guide for the applicable model details.
AT-GS950: reset from the web interface
Use the web route if you can still sign in. In supported GS950 management software, open Tools → Reboot, choose a reboot type, then click Apply.
| Reboot type | Effect | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Reloads the saved configuration; it does not erase it. | Routine restart. |
| Factory Default | Resets switch parameters, including management IP information. | Full configuration reset. |
| Factory Default Except IP Address | Resets settings while retaining the saved IP address, subnet mask, and gateway on documented models. | When retaining the management address is useful and appropriate. |
“Factory Default Except IP Address” is not a complete reset of management-network settings. Retained addressing may be unsuitable when moving the switch to a different network or transferring it to another owner. The interface options and behavior are model/software dependent; see the documented AT-GS950-16PS reset options and the GS950 web-interface guide.
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Check whether GS950 reset protection is enabled
Some GS950 management software versions let an administrator disable factory reset or protect it with a user-defined password. The documented setting is under Tools → Reboot → Factory Default Reset. If the physical button seems ineffective, check this feature if you can access the web interface. Allied Telesis says it does not know the password chosen by the administrator, so losing it can complicate future resets. Details are in the GS950 web-session guide.
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AT-S67 and AT-S68: reset from the console menu
The AT-S67 and AT-S68 use a model-specific console menu rather than the GS950 button procedure.
- Connect to the switch console and open the main menu.
- Select 5 — System Config Menu.
- Select 2 — Reset to Factory Defaults.
- Confirm with Y when prompted, then allow the reset to complete.
- Reconfigure management access and the switch settings required for your network.
These menu selections are specific to the AT-S67/S68 procedure in the AT-S67/S68 user guide.
Older models: serial boot or diagnostic reset
Some older Allied Telesyn models, including the documented AT-8024GB procedure, require an RS-232 console and a boot-time diagnostic option. They cannot necessarily be reset through the browser or Telnet.
- Connect a terminal or terminal emulator to the switch’s RS-232 port using the model-compatible settings and cable.
- Reset or reboot the switch and press a key when its documented boot prompt appears.
- Select the diagnostic/reset option specified in that model’s guide and confirm that its current configuration should be erased.
- Boot the switch and assign a management IP address again as required.
For the documented AT-8024GB, this process erases settings including the management IP, port settings, and VLANs. Follow the AT-8024GB user guide; do not transpose its boot sequence to another model.
AlliedWare Plus: handle startup configuration by model and release
AlliedWare Plus devices use a different reset approach from GS950 web-managed switches. The software reference describes factory defaults loading when the active boot configuration file is absent. Allied Telesis support also identifies erase factory-default for supported AlliedWare Plus products, but command availability and file behavior must be checked against the exact model and software release.
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- Enter privileged EXEC mode and run
show bootto identify the active boot configuration file. - Back up the configuration before changing or removing any file.
- Use the model- and release-specific procedure to remove or rename the active boot configuration file; ensure no alternate configuration is selected for startup.
- Reboot the switch, then run
show running-configandshow bootto verify the result.
Do not run a file-removal command based only on a generic instruction: deleting or renaming the wrong boot file can cause unexpected startup behavior. Consult the AlliedWare Plus software reference and the Allied Telesis support note on erase factory-default for the relevant release and product.
Reconnect and rebuild the configuration
- Wait for the reset and reboot to finish; check the system and port LEDs.
- Connect a management workstation directly to an ordinary switch port. If the model’s documented default IP is known, configure the workstation with a compatible static address. For the cited GS950/PS models, 192.168.1.10/24 is an example workstation address for reaching 192.168.1.1.
- If the switch uses DHCP by default or its address is unknown, check the DHCP server’s lease table. Use the console if the address cannot otherwise be established.
- Sign in through the web interface or console and immediately set a unique administrator password.
- Configure the management IP, subnet mask, gateway, and required DNS/NTP settings.
- Recreate VLANs and trunk links before reconnecting devices that depend on them. Restore port security, spanning-tree protections, LAGs, ACLs, SNMP, syslog, and PoE policies as applicable.
- Save the completed configuration to persistent storage and test connectivity. Confirm that the intended startup configuration remains in place after a planned reboot.
Troubleshoot a reset that does not appear to work
192.168.1.1 does not respond
- Confirm that the switch is a documented GS950/PS model; other AT switches may use another address or reset method.
- Disconnect it from production and connect a laptop directly. Temporarily disable Wi-Fi so traffic does not take an unexpected route.
- For a GS950/PS reset, check that the laptop is on a compatible subnet, such as 192.168.1.10/24, and wait at least two minutes after the reset attempt.
- Check the DHCP lease table if the switch may have obtained an address from DHCP. Check ARP or use the console to investigate address and link status.
- Verify that you used the exact model-specific button timing and that factory-reset protection is not enabled.
The old configuration remains
A short press or a 5–9 second hold on the documented GS950/PS eco-friendly button causes a normal reboot, not a factory reset. Confirm the model and repeat only with its documented reset method. A protected or disabled reset feature is another possible explanation.
There is no console output
Check that the cable, connector, terminal settings, and selected console port match the model’s manual. Older models may require a particular serial connection and boot-time keypress; a GS950 button sequence will not substitute for that process.
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The switch has reset but production traffic is not working
Custom VLANs, trunk assignments, LAGs, spanning-tree settings, and port policies may have been cleared. Keep production uplinks isolated while restoring the intended configuration, then test the network before reconnecting dependent equipment.
Before redeployment or transfer
Use a full factory-default option rather than an IP-preserving reset when old management-network settings should not carry over. Change default credentials before connecting the switch to an untrusted or production network. If the requirement is secure removal of stored information rather than configuration reset, consult the exact model’s security and storage documentation; a factory reset alone does not establish secure erasure.
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