This chapter describes the networking features built into SoftWindows.
SoftWindows includes Insignia's SoftNode network driver to enable you to share files or run multiuser applications on a network.
By default SoftWindows is not set up to access a PC network. To use the SoftWindows networking features you first need to install the appropriate networking software for the network you are using. SoftWindows comes complete with Novell NetWare and Microsoft LAN Manager client software which you can use to connect to file servers from a Unix workstation on Ethernet or token ring networks.
SoftWindows is also compatible with most other network software which you should install just as you would on a PC.
The SoftNode network interface included with SoftWindows is an Open Data-link Interface (ODI) network driver, and most ODI and Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS)-based networking software can be installed and used with SoftWindows. In each case, install the network product just as on a real PC, following the manufacturer's instructions.
SoftWindows comes complete with Novell's ODI to NDIS interface utility, ODINSUP, which allows NDIS-based network protocols and software to be used with SoftWindows.
Regardless of the standards you are using, SoftWindows acts as an independent node on the network, and you may need to inform your Network Administrator of its presence. Please note that SoftNode uses the host's network interface address. This also means that multiple copies of SoftWindows running on some machines cannot use the same frame type because they share the same interface address.
If you have problems connecting SoftWindows to a server, it is recommended that you try a real PC from the same network position to verify that the problem is not network-based. For configuration problems, check the troubleshooting hints within this section.
SoftWindows ODI Drivers are stored in the C:\INSIGNIA directory, under the following names:
ODI stands for Open Data-link Interface, a networking standard for PC network interface cards which ensures compatibility between different networking products.
The Open Data-link Interface is implemented by an ODI driver, which receives a simple set of commands, such as register protocol or transmit packet, and converts them into commands for a particular network interface. In general, each network interface has its own ODI driver. The ODI driver therefore acts as the interface between the Novell NetWare client software or any other ODI-compliant application and a specific network interface card.
The SoftWindows ODI driver is referred to as SoftNode because it is an interface to software rather than to a specific network interface.
The ODI system is configured through a single file, NET.CFG.
system The file is divided up into sections, each of which provides parameters to configure a different part of the ODI system. Each section of the file begins with a section heading at the start of the line, followed by a series of tab-indented configuration options under the section heading.
The following example shows a simple NET.CFG file:
LINK SUPPORT BUFFERS 8 1500 MEMPOOL 8192 LINK DRIVER ETHERSPC FRAME ETHERNET_II PROTOCOL IPX 8137 ETHERNET_II |
These sections are described in detail below.
The LINK SUPPORT section of the NET.CFG file is used to configure the Open Data-link Interface's Link Support Layer (LSL.COM). This section is only needed when protocols require a non default configuration.
The LINK DRIVER section is the most important part of the NET.CFG file for configuring SoftWindows. The options set in this section govern the interface between the driver and the rest of the system, the protocols registered with the network interface, and the format of packets transmitted and received. There are also numerous other configuration options associated with the network interface card, but most of these are not relevant to SoftWindows.
The following options are the most important for SoftWindows.
Syntax:
PROTOCOL name protocolID frame-type |
This configuration option enables a particular protocol to be used with a particular frame type.
Syntax:
MAX PACKET SIZE value |
Some platforms limit the size of packets which can be transmitted. This option is only offered to resolve any platform-specific limitations which may occur in the future.
A sample LINK DRIVER section is as follows:
LINK DRIVER ETHERSPC FRAME ETHERNET_802.2 FRAME ETHERNET_II FRAME ETHERNET_802.3 FRAME ETHERNET_SNAP PROTOCOL IPX 8137 ETHERNET_II LINK DRIVER TOKENSPC FRAME TOKEN-RING FRAME TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL IPX 8137 TOKEN-RING_SNAP MAX PACKET SIZE 4210 |
The FRAME lines in this LINK DRIVER section allow all four Ethernet and two token ring frame types to be used with the driver. It is recommended that you always include all frame types in the LINK DRIVER section to allow the driver to transmit and receive frames in any of the common hardware packet formats. Note that the order of the lines is not significant. A configuration such as this prevents any FRAME and PROTOCOL mismatches occurring, and also makes configuring both ODI and NDIS identical.
The MAX PACKET SIZE option limits the size of any packets being transmitted and is only provided to solve platform-specific implementations in which the host is not able to transmit full raw packets.
Since the SoftWindows ODI drivers (ETHERSPC, TOKENSPC) and the other Novell ODI components all obtain their configuration data from the NET.CFG file, it is important that they all reference the same NET.CFG file. It is recommended that all the ODI components are loaded from the directory which contains the NET.CFG file, usually C:\NOVELL.
The ODI system is started using the following sequence of steps:
Start the Link Support Layer with the command:
LSL
Start the Insignia ODI driver for the Ethernet or token ring network by typing one of the following commands:
ETHERSPC
or:
TOKENSPC
 | Note: The line speed for token ring should be configured on the host since it cannot be configured from within SoftNode. The value displayed is the default and has no significance. |
The ODI system is halted by unloading the ODI drivers in the reverse order. For example, on Ethernet type:
ETHERSPC U LSL U |
There should not be any problems loading the Link Support Layer. If an error does occur, the most likely cause is an incorrect entry in the Link Support section of the NET.CFG file.
ODI is not the only network driver specification commonly adopted by manufacturers and network application developers. Another standard called NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification) is supported by a number of companies including Microsoft.
ODI and NDIS are not directly compatible because they have different sets of features and different driver interfaces. Fortunately Novell has produced a converter program, ODINSUP, which provides an interface between NDIS applications and the ODI system. This utility allows you to run an NDIS networking package, such as the Microsoft LAN Manager client, using an ODI driver.
Because ODINSUP is loaded before any of the NDIS software, it does not know which frame types or packet formats will be used by NDIS applications. It is therefore necessary to enable all generally used frame types in the NET.CFG file. A suitable LINK DRIVER section configured for use with ODINSUP will therefore look similar to the following example:
LINK DRIVER ETHERSPC FRAME ETHERNET_802.2 FRAME ETHERNET_II FRAME ETHERNET_SNAP FRAME ETHERNET_802.3 |
The NET.CFG file also needs to include one or more protocol lines after each frame line to enable the appropriate protocols and frame types with the driver. For example, LAN Manager NetBEUI uses:
PROTOCOL SMB F0 ETHERNET_802.2 |
ODINSUP also requires a PROTOCOL section which registers the ODI driver with which it is to be used. For Ethernet this is:
PROTOCOL ODINSUP BUFFERED BIND ETHERSPC |
To use a network product with SoftWindows the procedure is as follows:
Install the network software.
Configure the ODI driver for the package you are using.
Run the ODI driver and ODI/NDIS converter, ODINSUP, if necessary.
Start the network package.
This section gives general information about each of these stages. Common network packages which can be used with SoftWindows are also discussed.
Install the network product, just as you would on a PC, following the manufacturer's instructions. If the installation process requires details of the network driver with which it is to be used, either select the required SoftWindows ODI driver or the one which best matches the SoftWindows ODI driver. This chapter includes several network application installation examples.
Some packages, such as the LAN Manager client, cannot be installed correctly while the SoftWindows FSA drive feature is enabled; for more details about which packages are affected, see the section for each package.
To disable the FSA drive, comment out the line:
DEVICE=C:\INSIGNIA\HOST.SYS
from the CONFIG.SYS file.
Next, reset SoftWindows by choosing Restart… from the Actions menu for the change to take effect.
After installing the network software turn on the FSA drive by typing:
DEVLOD C:\INSIGNIA\HOST.SYS
Include this command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to make SoftWindows FSA drives permanently available.
You must also move the line:
C:\INSIGNIA\FSADRIVE
to be after the command detailed in step 3.
The Novell NetWare client is an ODI-compliant application which uses, amongst others, a protocol called IPX.
The following table shows the protocol ID to be used with each particular frame type for Novell's IPX protocol:
Table 9-3. Protocol ID for Novell's IPX
Frame type | Protocol ID |
|---|---|
ETHERNET_802.2 | E0 |
ETHERNET_II | 8137 |
ETHERNET_SNAP | 8137 |
ETHERNET_802.3 | 0 |
TOKEN-RING | E0 |
TOKEN-RING_SNAP | 8137 |
The NetWare 3.x client is pre-installed on the SoftWindows hard disk in the directory C:\NOVELL. By default it is configured to run IPX over ETHERNET_II. If your NetWare servers are running over different frame types, you must edit the NET.CFG file to use the required frame types.
If you wish to use the NetWare 4.x client, refer to Chapter 9, “Novell NetWare 4.x”.
The NetWare client configuration file, NET.CFG, specifies the frame type and protocol for your Novell network.
SoftWindows' ODI driver does not support Novell's Burst Mode. For NetWare clients to work correctly, Burst Mode must therefore be disabled. The default NET.CFG file supplied with SoftWindows disables Burst Mode with the following line:
PB BUFFERS = 0 |
The supplied NET.CFG file is configured for both Ethernet and token ring, with the frame types set to ETHERNET_II and TOKEN-RING, respectively.
If your Novell network has different characteristics, you will need to edit the NET.CFG file to select the appropriate options.
To run the NetWare client from the C:\NOVELL directory, type the following sequence of commands at the MS-DOS prompt:
LSL ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC IPXODI NETX L: |
The batch files, ETHER.BAT and TOKEN.BAT, are provided to let you execute the above steps with a single command. The use of drive L: as the NetWare login drive is dependent on the value given to LASTDRIVE in CONFIG.SYS. The above example is the SoftWindows default configuration.
The login drive for the NetWare server (using the NetWare 3.x client) is set by the LASTDRIVE setting in the CONFIG.SYS file. The NetWare client assigns itself all drives after that set by LASTDRIVE. SoftWindows is preconfigured so that LASTDRIVE is set to K, thereby setting the Novell NetWare login drive to L:.
SoftWindows comes with the NetWare 3.x client pre-installed. However, the NetWare 4.x client is provided on the SoftWindows CD-ROM and can be installed at any time onto a SoftWindows hard disk.
The following instructions explain how to install from the SoftWindows for Unix CD-ROM. If installing from elsewhere, follow the instructions provided with the package.
Mount the SoftWindows CD-ROM within SoftWindows.
The NetWare 4.x client installation application is located in the CD–ROM's \clients\nw4clnt directory. For information on mounting a CD-ROM within SoftWindows refer to Chapter 3, “Installing SoftWindows”.
Run install from the above directory, and follow the on-screen instructions, selecting the appropriate driver (Ethernet, or token ring) and frame types as required.
Note: If you are installing the NetWare 4 client on a default SoftWindows configuration, with Windows split between the C: and G: drives, you should select installation Option 3, Network Admin Setup, and specify G:\ as the shared Windows home directory. When you have chosen the configuration options to be installed, select the install option.
The NetWare 4.x client is now installed on your hard disk.
When the installation process is complete, a few changes must be made to the SoftWindows configuration files.
Novell's installation process adds a STARTNET.BAT call to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Remove any entries referring to the old NetWare 3.x client.
Copy the C:\NOVELL\NET.CFG file to C:\NWCLIENT\NET.CFG. This will ensure that the current client configuration is maintained.
Ensure that your NET.CFG file has the entry:
NETWARE DOS REQUESTER
FIRST NETWORK DRIVE=L
| Note: Novell's NetWare 4.x client has a different configuration within Microsoft Windows than the NetWare 3.x client. It is best to modify the Windows setup to reflect the new network client. |
The NetWare client configuration file, NET.CFG, specifies the frame type and protocol for your Novell network.
The SoftWindows' ODI driver does not support Novell's Burst Mode. Burst Mode must therefore be disabled for NetWare clients to work correctly. The default NET.CFG file supplied with SoftWindows disables burst mode with the following line:
PB BUFFERS = 0 |
The supplied NET.CFG file is configured for both Ethernet and token ring, with the frame types set to ETHERNET_II and TOKEN-RING respectively. The line speed for token ring should be configured on the host, there is no configuration option for the speed from within SoftWindows, that displayed is the default.
If your Novell network has different characteristics, you will need to edit the NET.CFG file to select the appropriate options.
To run the NetWare client you need to type the following sequence of commands at the MS-DOS prompt:
LSL ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC IPXODI VLM L: |
During the NetWare 4 client installation, a batch file STARTNET.BAT is created which performs the above tasks for you.
The use of drive L: as the NetWare login drive is dependent on the setting given to FIRST NETWORK DRIVE in the NET.CFG file. The default SoftWindows configuration is drive L.
The LAN Manager client is the standard used in Microsoft network operating systems. It is an NDIS-based package, so it requires ODINSUP. It can use either the NetBEUI (SMB) or TCP/IP protocols.
The following table lists the protocol ID to be used with each particular frame type and protocol for Microsoft LAN Manager.
Table 9-4. Protocol ID for Microsoft LAN Manager
Protocol | Frame type | Protocol ID |
|---|---|---|
SMB | ETHERNET_802.2 | F0 |
IP/ARP | ETHERNET_II | 800/806 |
SMB | TOKEN-RING | F0 |
IP/ARP | TOKEN-RING_SNAP | 800/806 |
Like the NetWare 4.x client, the Microsoft LAN Manager client is available on the SoftWindows CD-ROM. Follow the instructions below to install the LAN Manager client onto your SoftWindows hard disk.
The following instructions explain how to install from the SoftWindows for Unix CD-ROM. If installing from elsewhere, follow the instructions provided with the package, and then refer to this section to check the configuration.
| Note: Before you install the LAN Manager client you must ensure that Windows is installed as a standard installation, and not the SoftWindows default network installation. For further details refer to Windows configuration, page 68. |
Mount the SoftWindows CD-ROM within SoftWindows.
The LAN Manager client setup application is located in the CD-ROMs \clients\lman22c directory.
Run setup from the above directory, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Once setup has created your client installation, you will be prompted to select a network device.
Select the one which matches your requirements (Ethernet or token ring).
Select the protocol types (NetBEUI, TCP/IP, and so on) and the configuration options required for your installation.
| Note: If you have not disabled the SoftWindows FSA drive facility, an error message will be displayed instructing you to stop the workstation service. If this happens, exit the LAN Manager client installations, disable the FSA drive facility, and repeat the installation. Refer to Disabling the FSA drive, for details. |
The LAN Manager client's configuration also needs to be changed to use the SoftWindows networking drivers rather than those previously selected. The client's configuration is held in the PROTOCOL.INI file within the LANMAN.DOS directory (default installation). Edit the PROTOCOL.INI file and replace the BINDINGS entry within the NETBEUI_XIF or TCPIP_XIF section with one of the following, depending on your network:
BINDINGS = “ETHERSPC” |
or
BINDINGS = “TOKENSPC” |
These changes inform the LAN Manager client software that it will be using the SoftWindows ODI network driver rather than a true NDIS device.
TCP/IP-based LAN Manager clients should also ensure their IPADDRESS0 entry within the TCPIP_XIF section has a unique IP address. The host's IP address should NOT be used within SoftWindows. Only SoftWindows platforms which provide complete TCP/IP support will work as TCP/IP-based LAN Manager clients.
SoftNode's configuration should match that selected during the LAN Manager client software's installation. For example, if you have configured the LAN Manager client for NetBEUI, SoftNode should also be configured for NetBEUI.
The following listings show sample configuration files for use with LAN Manager clients:
PROTOCOL ODINSUP BIND ETHERSPC BUFFERED LINK DRIVER ETHERSPC FRAME ETHERNET_802.2 FRAME ETHERNET_II FRAME ETHERNET_SNAP FRAME ETHERNET_802.3 PROTOCOL SMB F0 ETHERNET_802.2 |
PROTOCOL ODINSUP BIND ETHERSPC BUFFERED LINK DRIVER ETHERSPC FRAME ETHERNET_802.2 FRAME ETHERNET_II FRAME ETHERNET_SNAP FRAME ETHERNET_802.3 PROTOCOL IP 800 ETHERNET_II PROTOCOL ARP 806 ETHERNET_II |
PROTOCOL ODINSUP BIND TOKENSPC BUFFERED LINK DRIVER TOKENSPC FRAME TOKEN-RING FRAME TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL SMB F0 TOKEN-RING |
PROTOCOL ODINSUP BIND TOKENSPC BUFFERED LINK DRIVER TOKENSPC FRAME TOKEN-RING FRAME TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL IP 800 TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL ARP 806 TOKEN-RING_SNAP |
FILES=30 LASTDRIVE=Z BUFFERS=15 STACKS=9,256 FCBS=20,20 COUNTRY=044,,C:\DOS\COUNTRY.SYS DEVICE=C:\DOS\DISPLAY.SYS CON=(EGA,437,4) DEVICE=C:\LANMAN.DOS\DRIVERS\PROTMAN\PROTMAN.DOS /i:C:\LANMAN.DOS |
FILES=30 LASTDRIVE=Z BUFFERS=15 STACKS=9,256 FCBS=20,20 COUNTRY=044,,C:\DOS\COUNTRY.SYS DEVICE=C:\DOS\DISPLAY.SYS CON=(EGA,437,4) DEVICE=C:\LANMAN.DOS\DRIVERS\PROTMAN\PROTMAN.DOS /i:C:\LANMAN.DOS DEVICE=C:\LANMAN.DOS\DRIVERS\PROTOCOL\tcpip\tcpdrv.dos /i:C:\LANMAN.DOS DEVICE=C:\LANMAN.DOS\DRIVERS\PROTOCOL\tcpip\nemm.dos |
@Echo Off Path C:\INSIGNIA;C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS CD\NOVELL LSL ETHRESPC ODISNUP CD\ @REM ==== LANMAN 2.2a == DO NOT MODIFY BETWEEN THESE LINES == LANMAN 2.2a ==== SET PATH=C:\LANMAN.DOS\NETPROG;%PATH% NET START WORKSTATION LOAD NETBEUI @REM ==== LANMAN 2.2a == DO NOT MODIFY BETWEEN THESE LINES == LANMAN 2.2a ==== NET LOGON user-name |
@Echo Off Path C:\INSIGNIA;C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS CD\NOVELL LSL ETHRESPC ODISNUP CD\ @REM ==== LANMAN 2.2a == DO NOT MODIFY BETWEEN THESE LINES == LANMAN 2.2a ==== SET PATH=C:\LANMAN.DOS\NETPROG;%PATH% C:\LANMAN.DOS\DRIVERS\PROTOCOL\tcpip\umb.com NET START WORKSTATION LOAD TCPIP @REM ==== LANMAN 2.2a == DO NOT MODIFY BETWEEN THESE LINES == LANMAN 2.2a ==== NET LOGON user-name |
@Echo Off Path C:\INSIGNIA;C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS CD\NOVELL LSL TOKENSPC ODISNUP CD\ @REM ==== LANMAN 2.2a == DO NOT MODIFY BETWEEN THESE LINES == LANMAN 2.2a ==== SET PATH=C:\LANMAN.DOS\NETPROG;%PATH% NET START WORKSTATION LOAD NETBEUI @REM ==== LANMAN 2.2a == DO NOT MODIFY BETWEEN THESE LINES == LANMAN 2.2a ==== NET LOGON user-name |
@Echo Off Path C:\INSIGNIA;C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS CD\NOVELL LSL TOKENSPC ODISNUP CD\ @REM ==== LANMAN 2.2a == DO NOT MODIFY BETWEEN THESE LINES == LANMAN 2.2a ==== SET PATH=C:\LANMAN.DOS\NETPROG;%PATH% C:\LANMAN.DOS\DRIVERS\PROTOCOL\tcpip\umb.com NET START WORKSTATION LOAD TCPIP @REM ==== LANMAN 2.2a == DO NOT MODIFY BETWEEN THESE LINES == LANMAN 2.2a ==== NET LOGON user-name |
[PROTMAN]
DRIVERNAME = PROTMAN$
DYNAMIC = YES
PRIORITY = NETBEUI
[TCPIP_XIF]
DRIVERNAME = TCPIP$
IPADDRESS0 = {unique IP address for SoftWindows here}
SUBNETMASK0 = {your network mask here}
DEFAULTGATEWAY0 = {your gateway's address here}
NBSESSIONS = 6
; the following two parameters added after documentation was completed
TCPSEGMENTSIZE = 1450
TCPWINDOWSIZE = 1450
LOAD = tcptsr[c],tinyrfc[c],emsbfr[cr]
UNLOAD = “unloadt /notsr[dc]”
BINDINGS = “ETHERSPC”
NETFILES = C:\LANMAN.DOS\ETC
DISABLEDHCP = 1
LANABASE = 0
[NETBEUI_XIF]
Drivername = netbeui$
SESSIONS = 6
NCBS = 12
BINDINGS = “ETHERSPC”
LANABASE = 1
PROTOCOL.INI file for token ring
[PROTMAN]
DRIVERNAME = PROTMAN$
DYNAMIC = YES
PRIORITY = NETBEUI
[TCPIP_XIF]
DRIVERNAME = TCPIP$
IPADDRESS0 = {unique IP address for SoftWindows here}
SUBNETMASK0 = {your network mask here}
DEFAULTGATEWAY0 = {your gateway's address here}
NBSESSIONS = 6
; the following two parameters added after documentation was completed
TCPSEGMENTSIZE = 1450
TCPWINDOWSIZE = 1450
LOAD = tcptsr[c],tinyrfc[c],emsbfr[cr]
UNLOAD = “unloadt /notsr[dc]”
BINDINGS = “TOKENSPC”
NETFILES = C:\LANMAN.DOS\ETC
DISABLEDHCP = 1
LANABASE = 0
[NETBEUI_XIF]
Drivername = netbeui$
SESSIONS = 6
NCBS = 12
BINDINGS = “TOKENSPC”
LANABASE = 1
|
Once the client has been fully configured, SoftWindows must be rebooted for the changes to take effect. Once the LAN Manager client software and SoftNode have been configured, SoftWindows can be used to access LAN Manager-based services. You should modify the SoftWindows AUTOEXEC.BAT file to run the client software. Remember that the ODI driver and ODI/NDIS converter must be loaded before the LAN Manager client.
Load the ODI components by typing:
LSL R ETHERSPC R or TOKENSPC R ODINSUP R
Start the LAN Manager client workstation services by typing:
NET START WORKSTATION
Load the appropriate LAN Manager client protocol stack by typing one of the following commands.
For NetBEUI:
LOAD NETBEUI
For TCP/IP:
LOAD TCPIP
It should now be possible to log on to the LAN Manager network and access its services using standard LAN Manager commands.
NET LOGON user-name NET USE drive-letter: \\server-name\volume |
If the SoftWindows ODI driver (ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC) reports an error registering the frame types and/or protocols required by the ODINSUP driver, the SoftWindows platform may not be able to support LAN Manager.
LAN Workplace for DOS is an ODI-compatible network package using TCP/IP protocols. With LAN Workplace for DOS the user can run PC network applications, transfer files, use SoftWindows as a terminal, print remotely, and execute host commands.
On SoftWindows platforms which do not offer full TCP/IP connectivity, LAN Workplace for DOS is supported via a special Insignia utility, ISTCPIP.COM. Platforms which use this utility must have LAN Workplace installed in the default directory, C:\NET. Note that ISTCPIP.COM eliminates the need for the loading of LSL.COM, ETHERSPC/TOKENSPC.COM, and Novell's TCPIP.COM drivers. Refer to Other platforms, for more details.
The following table lists the protocol ID to be used with each particular frame type for the TCP/IP protocol:
Table 9-5. Protocol ID for TCP/IP
Protocol | Frame type | Protocol ID |
|---|---|---|
IP | ETHERNET_II | 800 |
ARP | ETHERNET_II | 806 |
IP | TOKEN-RING_SNAP | 800 |
ARP | TOKEN-RING_SNAP | 806 |
During the LAN Workplace installation you will be prompted for the workstation's configuration and setup. Ensure that you have the following information ready before you begin the installation:
A unique IP address for SoftWindows (not the IP number of the host on which SoftWindows is running).
Your network's subnet mask.
The IP addresses of your network's gateways/routers/DNS servers, and so on.
| Note: None of this information is required with ISTCPIP.COM, as the host's own values are used. |
Install LAN Workplace for DOS according to the manufacturer's instructions.
After completing the installation of LAN Workplace for DOS, SoftNode needs to be configured to support TCP/IP.
Check that the correct frame type and protocols are defined in the NET.CFG file.
LAN Workplace for DOS also needs a few other parameters to be defined in the NET.CFG file. Examples of these are provided below.
LAN Workplace for DOS requires the NET.CFG file to have several LINK SUPPORT section entries. For more information refer to the Novell LAN Workplace for DOS documentation.
A sample NET.CFG file for Ethernet LAN Workplace for DOS clients is shown below:
LINK SUPPORT BUFFERS 8 1500 MEMPOOL 8192 LINK DRIVER ETHERSPC FRAME ETHERNET_II PROTOCOL IP 800 ETHERNET_II PROTOCOL ARP 806 ETHERNET_II |
A sample NET.CFG file for token ring LAN Workplace for MS-DOS clients is shown below:
LINK SUPPORT BUFFERS 8 4210 MEMPOOL 8192 LINK DRIVER TOKENSPC FRAME TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL IP 800 TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL ARP 806 TOKEN-RING_SNAP |
The following sequence of commands is required to start the LAN Workplace for DOS client software:
Start the ODI system by typing:
LSL ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC
Load the LAN Workplace for DOS TCP/IP protocol by typing:
TCPIP
During the execution of Novell's TCP/IP protocol, its configuration is displayed. Make sure that the details displayed are correct and appropriate for your environment.
As discussed before, not all SoftWindows platforms will allow full TCP/IP connectivity. Insignia has provided a utility, ISTCPIP, especially for these platforms which allows Novell's LAN Workplace for DOS to be used, offering TCP/IP support.
LAN Workplace for DOS (LWFD) must be installed on these platforms; the Insignia utility simply removes the need for the SoftNode drivers to be run.
For ISTCPIP to work, LWFD must be installed in the default drive and directory C:\NET. If this is not done, ISTCPIP will not be able to configure itself correctly.
Once LWFD is installed, the user only needs to run ISTCPIP.COM followed by the required LWFD utilities. LSL, ETHERSPC, or TOKENSPC, and so on are no longer required. Please note that ISTCPIP.COM forces LAN Workplace to use the host's own TCP/IP stack and therefore shares its IP address.
If the SoftWindows ODI driver (ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC) reports an error registering the frame types and/or protocols required by LAN Workplace for DOS, the SoftWindows platform may not be able to support full TCP/IP. Refer to Supported platforms, page 119. Your host may be one of those supported by Insignia's ISTCPIP.COM utility.
If you are unable to run TCP/IP-based applications, and are not using Insignia's ISTCPIP.COM utility, check that the SoftWindows TCP/IP protocol stack has a unique IP address. SoftWindows shares the host's IP address only when running ISTCPIP.COM. In all other circumstances, SoftWindows must have a unique IP address.
PC-NFS can be configured either as an ODI or an NDIS application. Since SoftNode is an ODI driver, it is suggested that PC-NFS be installed and configured for an ODI driver.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing PC-NFS. Select ODI from the configuration options. As with all TCP/IP-based clients, PC-NFS should be configured to use a unique IP address.
After you have installed PC-NFS, configure SoftNode to support TCP/IP. Verify that the correct frame type and protocols are defined in the NET.CFG file, for example:
LINK DRIVER ETHERSPC FRAME ETHERNET_II PROTOCOL IP 800 ETHERNET_II PROTOCOL ARP 806 ETHERNET_II LINK DRIVER TOKENSPC FRAME TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL IP 800 TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL ARP 806 TOKEN-RING_SNAP |
The following sequence of commands is required to start the PC–NFS client software:
Start the ODI system by typing:
LSL ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC
Load the PC-NFS client by typing:
SET NFSDRIVE = C SET NFSPATH = C:\NFS SET TN_DIR = C:\NFS\TELNET C:\NFS\NET INIT RTM
If the SoftWindows ODI driver (ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC) reports an error registering the frame types and/or protocols required by PC-NFS, the SoftWindows platform may not be able to support full TCP/IP.
Banyan VINES is an NDIS-based networking package, so it requires ODINSUP.
The following table lists the protocol ID to be used with the frame type and protocol for Banyan VINES:
Table 9-6. Protocol ID for Banyan VINES
Protocol | Frame type | Protocol ID |
|---|---|---|
VINES | ETHERNET_II | BAD |
VINES | TOKEN-RING | BC |
Install the Banyan VINES client according to the manufacturer's instructions.
| Note: Before you install the Banyan VINES client you must ensure that Windows is installed as a standard installation, and not the SoftWindows default network installations. For further details refer to Chapter 5, “Windows configuration”. |
After completing the Banyan VINES client installation, a few changes must be made to the configuration files before the client software will recognize the SoftWindows network device. The client needs to be configured to use the SoftWindows ODI driver. This procedure is performed in two stages. The following changes are required first:
The client's configuration is held in the PROTOCOL.INI file in the C:\BANYAN directory (default installation). Edit the PROTOCOL.INI file and replace the BINDINGS entry in the VINES_XIF section with:
BINDINGS = “ETHERSPC” |
or
BINDINGS = “TOKENSPC” |
SoftWindows must be rebooted for the changes to take effect. Once SoftWindows has restarted, the Banyan VINES client can be configured to use the SoftNode network device.
Run the Banyan VINES PCONFIG utility to configure the VINES client.
Select the Network Card Settings section, and configure the default communications driver to be NDIS Ethernet, IRQ number 10 (decimal). Within the Login Environment section, configure the communications driver to be NDIS Ethernet. At each stage within the PCONFIG utility, save the changes by using “)” to exit from each configuration screen.
The following are example NET.CFG files for use with VINES clients.
For Ethernet:
PROTOCOL ODINSUP BIND ETHERSPC BUFFERED LINK DRIVER ETHERSPC FRAME ETHERNET_802.2 FRAME ETHERNET_II FRAME ETHERNET_SNAP FRAME ETHERNET_802.3 PROTOCOL VINES BAD ETHERNET_II |
For token ring:
PROTOCOL ODINSUP BIND TOKENSPC BUFFERED LINK DRIVER TOKENSPC FRAME TOKEN-RING FRAME TOKEN-RING_SNAP PROTOCOL VINES BC TOKEN-RING |
Once the Banyan VINES client software and SoftNode have been configured, SoftWindows can be used to access VINES-based services. Modify the SoftWindows AUTOEXEC.BAT file to run the client software. Remember that the ODI driver and ODI/NDIS converter must be loaded before the VINES client.
Load the ODI components by typing:
LSL ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC ODINSUP
Load the VINES client's protocol stack by typing:
BAN /NC NDISBAN NETBIND ARSWAIT REDIRALL
The BAN command sometimes prints a message saying that no network interface was enabled. This message is incorrect and should be ignored.
It should now be possible to log on to the Banyan VINES network and access its services using the standard VINES command:
Z:LOGIN |
If the SoftWindows ODI driver (ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC) reports an error registering the frame types and/or protocols required by the ODINSUP driver, the SoftWindows platform may not be able to support Banyan VINES.
SoftWindows is supplied with a Winsock 1.1-compliant driver. Unlike third-party Winsock drivers, which require a TCP/IP stack to be present, the SoftWindows driver uses the host's TCP/IP stack for all network activity. This not only removes the need for a third-party PC-based TCP/IP stack, but also reduces the overall amount of memory used within SoftWindows to provide Winsock TCP/IP support.
The SoftWindows Winsock driver (WINSOCK.DLL) can be found in the C:\INSIGNIA and C:\WINDOWS directories. Since the SoftWindows Winsock driver uses the host's TCP/IP protocol stack it should be noted that they both share the same IP address.
If you are installing a third-party TCP/IP application which comes with its own Winsock driver, either that driver or SoftWindows Winsock may be used. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to install their Winsock-compliant driver.
Insignia's WINSOCK.DLL can be used by Windows applications which communicate with other TCP/IP-based services via the Winsock interface.
A list of known Insignia Winsock-compatible applications is given below:
Lotus Notes for Windows v3.0c
WS_FTP v 94.03.25
NCSA Mosaic for Microsoft Windows v2.0 Alpha 2
Microsoft Access via Sybase SQL
Tidewater Systems Winsock Finger v1.4
Qualcomm PC Eudora v1.4
SoftNode is an ODI driver. If the client software you wish to use supports ODI as an interface, SoftWindows should be able to support the network client software. Even if the client is not ODI-based, it will almost certainly be NDIS-based and will work with the ODI/NDIS convertor ODINSUP.
If the network client software is ODI-based, follow the configuration instructions for one of the ODI-based clients within this section. If the client is NDIS-based, use one of the discussed NDIS clients as a basis for your installation. In all cases, follow the software manufacturer's installation instructions.
Some network client software needs to know the interrupt number of the ODI driver during installation and configuration. The SoftNode ODI driver uses IRQ 10 (decimal).
There are a few limitations which must be considered when using networking clients within SoftWindows. These are listed below:
When using TCP/IP-based clients within SoftWindows it is only possible to run SoftWindows on Unix machines with just one network card installed. If more than one card is installed within the machine, the host's operating system may handle the TCP/IP packets destined for SoftWindows as packets to be “routed”. This will result in a vast degradation in performance and is not an encouraged configuration.
SoftNode will only use the first (built-in) network interface.
When running multiple SoftWindows sessions on the same machine, only one SoftWindows session will support networking via SoftNode.
Do not select Auto Freeze within SoftWindows if you are using SoftNode. Using Auto Freeze in such an environment is like disconnecting the network cable from the machine. If you do use the Auto Freeze option, you will find that your connections to servers and other network facilities have been disconnected when you reenter SoftWindows.
If SoftWindows is configured to be a TCP/IP client, avoid using a remote display. Using a remote display leads to increased TCP/IP traffic generated by X Windows which SoftNode will receive and must then filter.
By default, no user errors are displayed by SoftNode. However, if you are encountering problems when using SoftNode, you can enable error reporting in one of the following two ways:
To enable SoftNode error reporting from the command line include the command-line option -snerror when running SoftWindows.
An 802.2 packet is easily identified by its header. All 802.2 packets have a 2-byte field following the hardware addresses which is the size of the complete packet. 802.2 packets have a maximum size of 1514 bytes (decimal).
The ETHERNET_II packet has a 2-byte field following the hardware addresses which is the packet type field. Each protocol has a unique packet type with a value above 0x5EA (1514).
The SNAP packet has a 5-byte field following the 802.2 header.
ETHERNET_802.3 was developed by Novell and is not recognized as an official IEEE packet format. 802.3 packets are 802.2 packets without the DSAP, SSAP, and control fields. However, the first 2 bytes of a Novell IPX packet using 802.3 are 0xFF and 0xFF. This packet format has been phased out by Novell.
The table below provides information on the frame types and protocol IDs required in the NET.CFG file for common Network Operating Systems (NOS) and SoftWindows.
Table 9-8. Frame Types and Protocol IDs
Network operating system | Name | ID | Frame type |
|---|---|---|---|
Novell NetWare (IPX) | IPX | 8137 | ETHERNET_II |
| IPX | E0 | ETHERNET_802.2 |
| IPX | 8137 | ETHERNET_SNAP |
| IPX | 0 | ETHERNET_802.3 |
| IPX | E0 | TOKEN-RING |
| IPX | 8137 | TOKEN-RING_SNAP |
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups | SMB | F0 | ETHERNET_802.2 |
| SMB | F0 | TOKEN-RING |
Microsoft LAN Manager (NETBEUI) | SMB | F0 | ETHERNET_802.2 |
| SMB | F0 | TOKEN_RING |
Microsoft LAN Manager (TCP/IP) | IP | 800 | ETHERNET_II |
| ARP | 806 | ETHERNET_II |
| IP | 800 | TOKEN-RING_SNAP |
| ARP | 806 | TOKEN-RING_SNAP |
Banyan VINES (Vines IP) | VINES | BAD | ETHERNET_II |
| VINES | BC | TOKEN-RING |
General TCP/IP connectivity | IP | 800 | ETHERNET_II |
| ARP | 806 | ETHERNET_II |
| IP | 800 | TOKEN-RING_SNAP |
| ARP | 806 | TOKEN-RING_SNAP |
NET.CFG entries have the following structure:
FRAME frame_type PROTOCOL name ID frame_type |
Where two or more protocols of the same frame type are provided for the NOS, all must be present in the NET.CFG file for the client to work correctly. For example, for the Microsoft LAN Manager client to work over TCP/IP, the following must be defined in the Ethernet section of the NET.CFG file:
FRAME ETHERNET_II PROTOCOL IP 800 ETHERNET_II PROTOCOL ARP 806 ETHERNET_II |
SoftWindows uses the Snoop low-level host network drivers to provide access to the network.
| Note: Manufacturers of the host platforms supported by SoftWindows regularly update their networking devices. It is therefore suggested that when installing SoftWindows, you check with the relevant manufacturer for any appropriate low-level networking device patches which may be required. |
| Note: Users should ensure that the devices required by networking exist on the system before running SoftWindows. If the devices are not present, when you run ETHERSPC or TOKENSPC from DOS an error will be displayed indicating that the corresponding card could not be found. |