RVS 4000 Email responses that need addressing

[JanJanowski]

I have been bounced around between Cisco and Linksys for months….

I have two simple questions… One I know the answer on… the second, I haven’t a clue…

I have corresponded with 12-15 people at Linksys, and Cisco…

Their last answer is I should contact you….  So… Here goes…. The 16^th person I’m requesting this information from….. (I can’t believe that Linksys/Cisco can’t answer these simple questions!)

Seeing that I've been checking for new firmware and IPS downloads from the Cisco site for months now, and not seeing any new downloads......

And Seeing that I'm getting nagging emails that my IPS Signature is too old, Please Update it!!!!

And Seeing that I'm still getting emails that I don't understand from the RVS 4000: -IPSEC EVENT: KLIPS device ipsec0 shut down

and I can't seem to understand How or Why it is happening, and have read manual cover to cover, and all the FAQ's, and can't upgrade it because there is no current software......

I sent the following email to cs-support-us@cisco.com :

Hello. Have an RVS4000 Router, being used as a Gateway...

I have emails enabled, so that I'll be informed whenever there is greater than a set level of threats.... However...
If I check the logs, there are no threats... Yet....

I keep getting the following emails:
Your Signature Version is beyond 143 days. Please Update it!

I've also been getting the following emails:
-IPSEC EVENT: KLIPS device ipsec0 shut down

I'm using V1.40 IPS signature, and V1.2.11 firmware....

Yet I keep getting these emails...

I can't update the IPS Signature Version if you don't provide it!!! And you aren't!

Secondly, WHAT THE HECK DOES: "-IPSEC EVENT: KLIPS device ipsec0 shut down" MEAN????

May I suggest that the next version of firmware have options to disable the IPS "Nags" if you are not planning on writing any more code?

And, What the Heck does: "-IPSEC EVENT: KLIPS device ipsec0 shut down" mean?

Sincerely

Jan Janowski

[JanJanowski]

I see that V1.3.0.5 Firmware has been Posted!!!

I'm printing out information on it, and looking at my notes, and printouts from prior (1.2.11) settings.... so that I can do a smooth upgrade, when the time comes...

I've not found any information indicating that V1.40 IPS file should be used with the new V1.3.0.5 firmware..... 

Would someone please confirm this, or suggest to wait for updated IPS file?

Thanks!

[kpawson]

Nice Job Cisco and it works great... now just the IPS file and it's happy times again :)

My client is not interested in the Trend Additional subscription at this stage, he has not been happy with the lack of attention to the basic unit and is still considering using another product. He will need to spend more on another product, however it may equal out if he has to pay for the Trend component.

Thanks

[wichilds]

Gentlemen,

Here is a link to the IPS signature and firmware.

http://tools.cisco.com/support/downloads/go/Model.x?mdfid=282414013&mdfLevel=Model&treeName=Routers&modelName=Cisco%20RVS4000%204-port%20Gigabit%20Security%20Router%20-%20VPN&treeMdfId=268437899

They are independent of each other, meaning just because you update one does not mean you must update the other. There is not currently a way to turn off the notification emails that are sent when your IPS signature is too old. The trend subscription is designed to help you filter (by web address) the locations your users can go, and it can also filter your email. The administration guide for the product (88 pages/7MB in size) explains each of these features and how to activate them.

As you can see when you download the IPS signature, it was released back in February of this year. I understand how difficult it can sometimes be to navigate the Cisco site as there are multiple ways to find the same information. I hope this helps.

Bill

[JanJanowski]

The IPS signature is the same one, not new..... V1.40

I'm all set to upgrade to the new V1.3.0.5     Until I heard on DSLReports that V1.3.0.5 is not compatable with Firefox V3.5

I need Firefox for my beta work...

Can you please confirm or deny that this firmware works with Firefox V3.5, Please?

[wichilds]

When you hear that it is not compatible with Firefox, what that really means is when you open the web interface of the router you should use internet explorer. The web pages display differently in browsers other than IE. I have even heard bug reports about the url filtering only working when the users are using IE. Meaning when the users open Firefox they can get to web sites they were not able to get to in IE.

Generally, we recommend using IE for configuring your router. Firefox will work with our devices but they were built to be compatible with the masses and it has only been the past year or two that Firefox and other browsers have made a run on windows machines. Actually it was only recently that Microsoft even acknowledged that Linux was actually a competitor of theirs.

When performing your upgrade, I recommend exporting the current configuration. Then perform the upgrade to the firmware. Once the firmware has upgraded successfully, reset the unit back to factory defaults (via the button on the unit/ hold for 30 seconds) and then MANUALLY reconfigure the unit. I have experienced issues importing old configs when moving to a new firmware. Sometimes with firmware upgrades they change the location (file tree) of some items which causes problems importing an old config.

Bill

[kpawson]

Thanks for the post and info Bill, however I think Jan and I already know the IPS signature file is downloaded from another link and not with the firmware.

What we are saying is that it's not very acceptable to have an IPS signature with a date of Feb 2009 and it's now Sep 2009 and in addition to this the unit itself is complaining about the lack of updates.

It would be good if Cisco could release these on a regular basis and even better if the unit itself could download and apply the signature like most other firewall/IPS devices on the market.

Jan I actually used FF 3.5 just before to manage the device with no problems.

Thanks

[wichilds]

I can definitley appreciate the idea of automatic updates! I also don't see why this has not been something we have tried to take adavantage of (maybe a hardware limitation?). I do know that any time a company designs software it has to go through a legal process and be approved to be released. Often times that is the hold up on our firmware and such (quick vpn client, IPS signatures, etc..). It is good to hear that you were able to successfully use FF 3.5, I will pass this on to the rest of my team.

Bill

[JanJanowski]

If it's just Config that FF isn't working with, I can certainly live with that... Usually I configure the router off-line,replacing it with a BEFSX41 set for same settings... and once configured offline, swap it back into the location where it will be used.... 

I understand configuring manually, as I ran into issues with the SX41 not remembering exported settings after upgrade... So that has always been my operation here.

In the convoluted bunch of emails that went on for 3-4 months prior to me finding this location....  One of the emails indicated a month or more ago that a New IPS for the RVS4000 was in final test, and would be released "Real Soon Now"....  That same person was un-aware of new firmware being evident....

Is a New IPS signature file forthcoming, and Should we wait for it prior to the V1.3.0.5 upgrade?

[David Carr]

I would go ahead and back up your configs and do the upgrade, then factory reset the router and reload the firmware and signature files.

[daviddun]

Good Afternoon,

The IPS update was released last week to the following link.  They also posted the newest firmware at the same time.  I have had this firmware and signature installed since the day of release with no problems.

I hope this fixes any issues or questions for you

http://tools.cisco.com/support/downloads/go/Model.x?mdfid=282414013&mdfLevel=Model&treeName=Routers&modelName=Cisco%20RVS4000%204-port%20Gigabit%20Security%20Router%20-%20VPN&treeMdfId=268437899

Have a great day

[JanJanowski]

The link you posted still shows V1.40 as the IPS file.... Does someone see something else?

[daviddun]

1.4 is the newest IPS for the RVS4000, it went from 1.3 to 1.4

Are you having problems with ver 1.4.  If so what is your case # at the SBSC so I can escalate the issue if needed

[kpawson]

David

In your post before you are saying that the IPS update was released last week with the firmware, however the version on the website that I see is Version 1.4 dated 3rd February 2009 as listed below.

I don't understand, is it that the file was updated but not posted to the site or has the release date text not been updated?

Thanks

Keith

[JanJanowski]

I was going to post the same thing... A month ago, during one if the emails that led me here, I was informed that a new IPS was in "Final Test"..

Is there an impending new IPS?

[daviddun]

I will have to contact the PE for the RVS4000, we currently do not have any pending IPS update that I have been told about.

I will post when I get the feedback from the engineering group

Have a great day :)