The ACX1100 Universal Metro Routers are principally designed to provide superior management for rapid provisioning to the access network.

Juniper ACX1100 Router Overview

ACX1100 is a very good router from the Juniper ACX series.

Key Advantages

  • Source NAT support
  • IPsec
  • Fan-less design (quiet operation)

Acquisition

I got mine via eBay at an extremely affordable price. The only issue was an alarm LED—turns out it lights up when there’s no console management cable connected or a second power-supply plugged in, which actually worked in my favor.

“Maybe it’s not the smallest router in the world, but being fan-less is another plus.”

Firmware

  • Upgraded to Junos 21.2R3.8
  • Originally found the firmware online (Google it!)

Lab Use

Since I don’t have any production use for it, and I don’t want to sell it, I’m using it as a lab device.

Bonus: It supports Juniper Logical Systems.

More details can be found here.


ACX1100 Default (Rescue) Configuration example

Note: Root password is 1q2w3e

version 21.2R3.8;
system {
    host-name acx1100;
    root-authentication {
        encrypted-password "$6$Me.8rVDl$EF9PcbjYNNuRCuN5NejjRizhrBup688f5DY3A6yUgGujNDniHIYKjekVwxkmZ4LY34fT0FqqlhhKwh7R6XPeK0"; ## SECRET-DATA
    }
    login {
        user admin {
            uid 2014;
            class super-user;
            authentication {
                encrypted-password "$6$e/Qp44Hi$ffQJABqMxxS.ezwRvD9qXXAbx7qNZAt7xcIJPHF7znbpDrdZZs24AuCQh703Ac/CZPgjWtOYyREqPV3eP9Qlx/"; ## SECRET-DATA
            }
        }
    }
    services {
        ssh {
            root-login allow;
        }
        netconf {
            ssh;
        }
    }
    domain-name lab.ls;
    name-server {
        8.8.8.8;
        8.8.4.4;
    }
    syslog {
        user * {
            any emergency;
        }
        file interactive-commands {
            interactive-commands any;
        }
        file messages {
            any error;
            authorization info;
        }
    }
}
chassis {
    fpc 0 {
        service-package bundle-nat-ipsec;
    }
}
interfaces {
    ge-0/0/0 {
        flexible-vlan-tagging;
        unit 13 {
            description WAN;
            vlan-id 13;
            family inet {
                address 172.20.13.1/24;
            }
        }
    }
    fxp0 {
        unit 0 {
            family inet {
                dhcp {
                    client-identifier { 
                        use-interface-description device;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
routing-options {
    static {
        route 0.0.0.0/0 next-hop 172.20.13.254;
    }
}

Display Set Configuration

set version 21.2R3.8
set system host-name acx1100
set system root-authentication encrypted-password "$6$Me.8rVDl$EF9PcbjYNNuRCuN5NejjRizhrBup688f5DY3A6yUgGujNDniHIYKjekVwxkmZ4LY34fT0FqqlhhKwh7R6XPeK0"
set system login user admin uid 2014
set system login user admin class super-user
set system login user admin authentication encrypted-password "$6$e/Qp44Hi$ffQJABqMxxS.ezwRvD9qXXAbx7qNZAt7xcIJPHF7znbpDrdZZs24AuCQh703Ac/CZPgjWtOYyREqPV3eP9Qlx/"
set system services ssh root-login allow
set system services netconf ssh
set system domain-name lab.ls
set system name-server 8.8.8.8
set system name-server 8.8.4.4
set system syslog user * any emergency
set system syslog file interactive-commands interactive-commands any
set system syslog file messages any error
set system syslog file messages authorization info
set chassis fpc 0 service-package bundle-nat-ipsec
set interfaces ge-0/0/0 flexible-vlan-tagging
set interfaces ge-0/0/0 unit 13 description WAN
set interfaces ge-0/0/0 unit 13 vlan-id 13
set interfaces ge-0/0/0 unit 13 family inet address 172.20.13.1/24
set interfaces fxp0 unit 0 family inet dhcp client-identifier use-interface-description device
set routing-options static route 0.0.0.0/0 next-hop 172.20.13.254