If you’ve got a polycom handset and you’ve forgotten the admin password, it can make life difficult. Especially when to reset the unit to defaults, you need the admin password! It appears that there is a way to still reset the password, but Polycom guards the secret well. If you post about this on the polycom forums, you will have the post removed.

Here’s the steps to reset the handset:

  1. Find and write down the MAC address (serial number) of the phone you want to reset. It should be twelve characters, and look something like ‘0004F2ABCDEF’. It’s located on a sticker on the back on the handset. If you can’t read the back label, you can find the MAC address by pressing Menu, Status, Network, Ethernet.
  2. Power down the phone.
  3. Power up the phone.
  4. Whilst the phone powers up, hold the following key combination, depending on the model of phone. Note: Since firmware 3.3.0 you have to press ‘cancel’ on the “Starting application” screen before doing the following key combinations:- SoundPoint IP 550, 560, and 650, and VVX 1500: 4, 6, 8, and * dial pad keys
    – SoundPoint IP 321, 331, 335, 450, SoundStation 5000 , 7000 and SoundStation Duo: 1, 3, 5, and 7 dial pad keys
    – SoundStation IP 6000: 6, 8, and * dial pad key
    – VVX 300 , 310, 400, 410 , VVX 500, VVX600 and SpectraLink 8400 Series: 1, 3, and 5 dial pad keys
  5. After holding down the numbers for few second, you will be prompted to enter the admin password. Enter the MAC address of the phone. No colons and the alpha characters must be entered as lowercase letters