(This is tested on FortiGate 40C)

What you need:

  • Console cable
  • Terminal software (Putty, hyperterminal etc)
  • Serial number of the FortiGate Device

Steps:

  • Using the console cable, connect the device to your computer. ( Some device will have a USB console, and others will have an RJ45 console port).
  • Open the Terminal software and configure the connection parameters. (I used putty)
  • in session select serial.
  • then go to serial section in connection. then set all baud information, as follows.
    • serial line to connect to: COM1 (name of the serial com port, find the name from device manager)
    • Speed (baud): 9600
    • Data bits: 8
    • Stop bits: 1
    • Parity: None
    • Flow Control: None
  • Now open the connection.

A console window will open with firewall name. (if you only see a blinking green cursor, press enter). when you can see the name of the firewall, without closing console window restart the FortiGate device.
if there are no switch for restarting, you can unplug the power cable.

When Firewall finishes booting it will ask for login credentials. we will use the following credentials.

  • username: maintainer
  • password: bcpbFGT1234567898 (bcpb + serial number of firewall in all capital)

It is best to have them ready in a text file to copy paste. Because you will have less than 15 seconds to type these.

After logged in as maintainer, do the following to set password.

			config system admin
				edit admin
				set password <New Password>

Side note: if you want to disable/enable this built in option you can do it like this ==>

To desable:

                  config system global
                        set admin-maintainer disable
                             end

To enable:

               config system global
                        set admin-maintainer enable
                             end