This started following the breakage of a Cisco SG-200-08 smart switch (3 ports died) the other day. I temporarily fixed the network using a 16 port TP link switch and got a replacement (Netgear GS110TP) switch today.

First off, I thought I might upgrade the firmware on the other 2 (same model) Cisco switches. I find I can’t do it on Firefox, Chromium or Opera via http. I also try to reboot them via the management console and that doesn’t work either. All I get in all cases is a blank pop up window with an OK button.

Anyway, I leave that alone and go to the new Netgear switch. I can do most configuration via Firefox but find it has a “device view” that needs the java plugin but this is not allowed on my Firefox browser or apparently on Chromium.

Anyway, I decide to download an old (picked on 48.2) version of Firefox (just to run “stand alone”, not to replace the OpenSuse v60 installation). I guess I’d also have to get an older version of java with the plugin to install if I want the “device view” bit on the Netgear switch but I left that alone and sure enough the Cisco switches will reboot/upgrade firmware (or at least they pop up the correct dialogs) with the older Firefox browser.

I might have missed something but I’m wondering, are we at a point where we need to keep an old browser just to maintain a system? I think the 2 switch models in question are fairly old in terms of the last firmware update - certainly the Cisco one is - but nonetheless still available new.

Also while pondering things. I find these “insecure” warnings for http annoying. There are sites including a forum, I’m happy with on http plus I’ve devices here, I’d be sure of a print share device, hdhomerun dvb-t tuner, serial ethernet device for starters that simply do not support https, and there may be others, plus I don’t want to eg. set up https for a personal play with apache… Is a time going to come when http is banished and https becomes compulsory?