Cisco Cisco Aironet 1040 Series Access Point

To provide an additional layer of security, particularly for passwords that cross the network or that are 
stored on a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server, you can use either the enable password or 
enable secret global configuration commands. Both commands accomplish the same thing; that is, you 
can establish an encrypted password that users must enter to access privileged EXEC mode (the default) 
or any privilege level you specify.

(Optional) For level, the range is from 0 to 15. Level 1 is 
normal user EXEC mode privileges. The default level is 
15 (privileged EXEC mode privileges).

For password, specify a string from 1 to 25 
alphanumeric characters. The string cannot start with a 
number, is case sensitive, and allows spaces but ignores 
leading spaces. By default, no password is defined. 

(Optional) For encryption-type, only type 5, a Cisco 
proprietary encryption algorithm, is available. If you 
specify an encryption type, you must provide an 
encrypted password—an encrypted password you copy 
from another access point configuration.

If you specify an encryption type and then enter a 
clear text password, you can not re-enter privileged 
EXEC mode. You cannot recover a lost encrypted 
password by any method.

We recommend that you use the enable secret command because it uses an improved encryption 
algorithm.

If you configure the enable secret command, it takes precedence over the enable password command; 
the two commands cannot be in effect simultaneously.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure encryption for enable and enable 
secret passwords:

Enter global configuration mode.

enable password [level level] {password | 
encryption-type encrypted-password}

or

enable secret [level level] {password | 
encryption-type encrypted-password}

Define a new password or change an existing password for 
access to privileged EXEC mode.

or

Define a secret password, which is saved using a 
nonreversible encryption method.

(Optional) Encrypt the password when the password is 
defined or when the configuration is written.

Encryption prevents the password from being readable in the 
configuration file.

Return to privileged EXEC mode.

(Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.