NOVELL TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT TITLE: MPR 2.1 and MPR 2.1 Plus Rules-of-Thumb DOCUMENT ID: TID200003 DOCUMENT REVISION: A DATE: 15SEP93 ALERT STATUS: Yellow INFORMATION TYPE: Issue NOVELL PRODUCT and VERSION: NetWare MultuProtocol Router 2.1 MultuProtocol Router Plus 2.1 ABSTRACT: NetWare MPR provides cost-effective multiprotocol internetworking in the local area. NetWare MPR Plus extends MPR's internetworking range outside the local area via industry standard WAN protocols. _________________________________________________________________ DISCLAIMER THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO NOVELL. NOVELL MAKES EVERY EFFORT WITHIN ITS MEANS TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION. HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY. NOVELL MAKES NO EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED CLAIMS TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS INFORMATION. _________________________________________________________________ ISSUE Introduction This document gives you guidelines and tips for configuring the NetWare MultiProtocol Router v2.1 software and the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus v2.1 software. Both products are part of the Novell family of local and remote internetworking products. The Novell internetworking product family provides flexible and reliable local and remote routing and source route bridging connectivity for multiprotocol networks by building on Novell NetWare and industry-standard PC technology. NetWare MultiProtocol Router The NetWare MultiProtocol Router software contains the following features: * Source route bridging of all protocols (including NetBIOS and IBM SNA) on token ring networks * Novell IPX, IP, AppleTalk, and OSI routing * Ethernet, token ring, ARCnet, LocalTalk, and FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) media support for routing * Network management by SNMP and NetWare utilities * Includes NetWare Hub Services Manager software * InterNetwork Configuration (INETCFG) utility for ease of configuration * SAP (Service Advertising Protocol) Filtering The NetWare MultiProtocol Router software runs on 80386 or 80486-based PCs using ODI-certified network interface boards. By considering the amount of traffic that travels across the bridge/router and choosing the right PC and network interface boards, you can build a bridge/router that is right for your application. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus v2.1 is a software connectivity package consisting of the wide-area links NetWare Link/PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) and NetWare Link/X.25. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus provides reliable WAN connectivity in multiprotocol networks as well as providing all the LAN connectivity features contained in the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus operates over X.25 and synchronous point-to-point communication lines. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus supports the routing of IPX, IP, AppleTalk, and OSI protocols, as well as source route bridging, over PPP and X.25, as shown in Figure 1. NetWare Link/X.25 provides a transport medium for Qualified Logical Link Control (QLLC), Message Handling Service, and File Transfer Access and Management (FTAM). Clock rates range from 1200 bps to 64 Kbps for NetWare Link/X.25, and 1200 bps to 2.048 Mbps for NetWare Link/PPP. This product takes advantage of the reliability, security, performance, and routing features of the NetWare Operating System v3.11. README.21 File Please read the README.21 file on the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Disk 1 or NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus Disk 1 for the latest changes. The information in the README file will assist you during the installation, configuration, and operation of the router. Requirements for LAN Connectivity Before installing the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software, ensure that the following hardware and software requirements are met. These requirements also apply to the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software. Additional hardware requirements for the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software are explained further on. Server-Based vs. Dedicated Routing NetWare v3.11 software comes with IPX, IP, and AppleTalk routing capabilities. However, there are many factors to consider before deciding to use server-based routing or dedicated routing. The following guidelines may be helpful: Server-Based Routing Using NetWare v3.11 software eliminates the extra cost of purchasing a dedicated PC for routing, but it has a definite impact on the server's performance. If server-based routing is used, the server is responsible for performing file reads and writes, print services, and the additional load of router packet forwarding. This causes performance degradation, resulting in slower network services, slower packet forwarding, or both. Additionally, when routing is combined in the server and the server fails or is brought down for maintenance, network connectivity that was available through the server-based router is completely lost unless there is a back-up server/router. Dedicated Routing When designing a network for performance, a dedicated router is the ideal choice. NetWare MultiProtocol Router takes full advantage of 32-bit processing and 80386/80486 technology. Network users will notice that separating server and router functions increases both server and router throughput. Quite often, separate organizations or individuals maintain servers and routers. A dedicated router allows independent management and location of servers and routers. Using servers and dedicated routers in parallel provides redundant connectivity. If that a server is brought down for maintenance or becomes inoperable, a separate dedicated router can still provide users with a network connection. Computers/Memory The NetWare MultiProtocol Router software requires a 80386-based PC or 80486-based PC with at least 8 MB of RAM, 40 MB of hard disk space, 13 MB free disk space (in addition to the 7 MB required for NetWare or NetWare Runtime software), and one high-density floppy disk drive. An EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) or MCA (Micro Channel Architecture bus system is recommended for high-performance applications. A keyboard and monitor are required for initial installation, but they are not needed for maintenance and management. Table 1 is partial list of the computers systems that have been tested to work with the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software. If you PC does not appear on the list, ask the manufacturer whether if has been certified by Novell Labs to run NetWare. Table 1 - Tested Systems AST Premium II 386SX20 (ISA) AST Power Premium 486/33, 50, 66 (EISA) Compaq DESKPRO 486/33, 50, 66m (EISA) Compaq SYSTEMPRO 486/33 (EISA) DEC 400XP (EISA) Gateway 2000 486/33 (EISA) IBM PS/2 Model 57SX (386, 16-bit only, MCA) IBM PS/2 Model 80 (386, MCA), 90 (486/50, MCA), 95 (486/50, MCA) Industrial Computer Source 386/33 (ISA) Industrial Computer Source 486/33 (ISA) Boards Tested for LAN Routing Busy networks place an extraordinary demand on network interface boards, so you should choose high-performance, well-supported boards that are certified by Novell Labs for NetWare v3.11. Novell has tested the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software extensively with the ODI-compatible boards shown in the Table 2. If your board does not appear in Table 2, ask the manufacturer whether your board's driver has been certified by Novell Labs. If you are routing TCP/IP, AppleTalk, or OSI, you should be especially conservative in choosing your boards, because some vendors have not yet tested their drivers with these protocols. Table 2 - LAN Boards Tested for Routing Board Name Type Characteristics Novell NE2000 Ether 8-bit, ISA Novell NE3200 Ether 32-bit, EISA, DMA Novell NE/2 Ether 16-bit, Micro Channel, I/O Novell NE/2-32 Ether 32-bit, Micro Channel Novell NE32 Hub Ether 32-bit, EISA Compaq NETFLEX Ether 32-bit, EISA, DMA Mylex LNE390 Ether 32-bit, EISA, slave Intel EthExpress 16 Ether 16-bit, ISA Intel EthExpress 16TP Ether 16-bit, ISA Intel EthExpress 16C Ether 16-bit, ISA Intel EthExpress TPE Hub Ether 32-bit, EISA, DMA Intel EthExpress TPE Hub Ether 16-bit, ISA IBM Token-Ring 16/4 Token 8-bit or 16-bit, ISA IBM Token-Ring 16/4/A Token 16-bit, Micro Channel Madge SMART 16/4 Token 16-bit, ISA, DMA Madge Ringnode Token 32-bit, EISA Madge Ringnode Token 32-bit, Micro Channel Intel TokenExpress 16s Token 16-bit, ISA Compaq NETFLEX Token 32-bit, EISA, DMA 3Com 3C619 TokenLink Plus Token 16-bit, ISA Chipcom 208ML-IN Hub Token 16-bit, ISA, DMA Olicom 16/4 Adapter Token 32-bit, EISA, DMA SMC PC130 ARCnet 8-bit, ISA, DMA Thomas Conrad TC6245 ARCnet 16-bit, ISA, DMA Novell Turbo RX-Net II ARCnet ISA Codenol A/B CodeNet 9543 FDDI 16-bit, ISA, DMA Dayna DL2000 LocTalk ISA Dayna DL/2 LocTalk Micro Channel Boards Tested for LAN Bridging Source route bridging requires drivers certified by Novell Labs to support the source route bridge enhancements to the NetWare ODI Server Driver Specifications. For optimum performance, the filtering provided by these enhancements should be implemented on the adapter board. Table 3 lists boards that met this criteria. If your board does not appear in Table 3, ask the manufacturer whether your board's driver has been certified by Novell Labs. Table 3 - LAN Boards Tested for Source Route Bridging Board Name Type Characteristics IBM Token-Ring 16/4 Token 8-bit or 16-bit, ISA IBM Token-Ring 16/4/A Token 16-bit, Micro Channel Madge Bridgenode Token 32-bit, EISA Madge Bridgenode Token 32-bit, Micro Channel Novell/Eagle NTR2000 Token 16-bit, ISA Novell/Microdyne NTR2000 Token 16-bit, ISA 3Com TokenLink III Token 16-bit, ISA NetWare and DOS The NetWare MultiProtocol Router software is based on NetWare Runtime v3.11 software. It requires DR-DOS version 6.0 software or MS-DOS version 3.1 or later. Requirements for WAN Connectivity A number of separate components are needed to establish and operate a WAN link: * NetWare v3.11 or NetWare v3.11 Runtime (If you are installing on an existing router or server, this software will be present; otherwise, it must be installed before you install the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software. NetWare Runtime is included on the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus product diskettes.) Caution: NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus does not operate within a NetWare v2.x server, or with ROUTEGEN. * NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software (NetWare Link/X.25 and NetWare Link/PPP) * Communication boards (LAN boards, hub boards, and Novell Synchronous/+ Adapter) * Customer-premise equipment (such as synchronous modems, DSU/CSUs (Digital Service Unit/Channel Service Unit), multiplexers, or data switches) * Telecommunications service (such as X.25 ports or leased lines) A careful evaluation of needs and selection of components ensures cost-effective and efficient transmission of data communications. Many organizations provide telecommunications services to transfer LAN-to-LAN data, and many companies provide the appropriate modems or other customer-premise equipment. Before attempting to implement wide area communications, users should work closely with the telecommunications service providers and MIS personnel. Note: Refer to the "Interconnectivity Planning Checklist" (in this document) to document your internetwork connectivity plan. Server-Based vs. Dedicated Routing There are pros and cons for combining WAN routing with the LAN server (server-based router) and for establishing it as a separate router PC (dedicated router). Combining NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus with the NetWare v3.11 server can eliminate the cost of extra hardware. However, demands for server services may cause performance degradation. In such instances, the WAN might perform slower than expected for network services. In a server-based, moderately loaded configuration, users can expect aggregate WAN throughput performance for all four ports, up to 3 Mbps when using one WAN Synchronous/+ Adapter. For more than one high-speed WAN or multiple LAN connections, Novell recommends configuring NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus as a dedicated router. The best performance at supported data rates, including T1/E1, is achieved when configuring the system as a dedicated router. The advantages of using a dedicated PC for router functions are as follows: * It provides a backup unit if the server goes off-line. * A server can be down for periodic maintenance and users still can route across the WAN for network services. * A dedicated router can also be down for periodic maintenance and users still can attach to the local server for network services. WAN Boards A Novell Synchronous/V.35+, Synchronous/RS422+ (including X.21), or Synchronous/RS232C+ Adapter provides the connection to the communications device. The Synchronous/+ Adapter serial port(s) attaches to either a DSU/CSU, X.25 switch, synchronous modem, or multiplexer, which in turn connects to the telecommunications line. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus v2.1 supports the use of all four ports of the Synchronous/+ Adapter for routing or bridging. Novell recommends the V.35 or RS422 interface for data rates from 1200 bps to 2.048 Mbps, and the RS232 interface for data rates of 1200 bps to 19.2 Kbps. The four ports can be all the same speed or a mixture (as Table 4 shows). A combination configuration can be used to support a dial-up line as a backup solution or additional low-speed routing. Caution: A Novell Synchronous/+ Adapter does not support PPP and X.25 on the same board; you need a separate board for each. Table 4 - Port Configuration V.35 port RS422 port RS232C port (including X.21) Supported 1200 bps to 1200 bps to 1200 bps to Line Speed 2.048 Mbps 2.048 Mbps 19.2 Kbps Config 1 * 4 ports --- --- Config 2 * --- 4 ports --- Config 3 --- --- 4 ports Config 4 * 2 ports 2 ports --- Config 5 2 ports --- 2 ports Config 6 --- 2 ports 2 ports * The Novell Synchronous/+ Adapter is not shipped in these configurations. These configurations are achieved by replacing one of the daughter-boards. The appropriate replacement board can obtained from Newport Systems Solutions. Sample Network Configurations The following figures show example of various network configurations that require multiprotocol routing. Note that these network configurations do not show the use of source route bridging. Network configuration involving source route bridging are explained in detail in Chapter 1 of the Source Route Bridge Supervisor's Guide. LAN Configurations Although routing can be done on any of the media types source route bridging can be done only on token ring networks. Source route bridging can be used in combination with routing; the only exception is that you cannot route and bridge the same protocol on the same interface. WAN Configurations The optimal configuration for LAN/WAN connections is a blend of products that best serves the economics and performance requirements of the organization. Choose the appropriate WAN connectivity protocol (NetWare Link/PPP or NetWare Link/X.25) that meets the needs of the user community and the type of data that transfers across the router. Users typically need to perform a number of activities over the internetwork, including: * Remote office communications (file transfer)- uploading and downloading files between branch offices. * Electronic mail-an increasingly used tool for communicating in large, geographically distributed organizations. * Host access-organizations that need to provide users with access to key applications located in a host minicomputer or mainframe system. With a NetWare for SAA communications server installed at your central LAN, NetWare users can run 3270 LAN workstation software on remote LANs to access the SNA host across the T1 or CEPT links. * Direct file access-real-time manipulation of data on a remote workstation, file server, or mainframe; for example, accessing a centrally maintained database. * Network management-the ability to monitor the activity of separate local area networks and distribute software and other LAN utilities from a centralized location. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus accommodates applications with bandwidths from 1,200 bps up to 2.048 Mbps. When using speeds above 1 Mbps, users may not realize their work is being routed over a wide area network. Because of its capabilities, WAN connectivity provides unprecedented flexibility in constructing a wide range of internetworking solutions. Headquarters Office The NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software can be used to provide connectivity between remote branch offices and the network resources of a headquarters site. The headquarters site is the central site for business operations and communications. The headquarters router generally has a high concentration of wide area links and is at the hub connecting to the branch offices at the ends of the spokes. Wide area connectivity is generally architected as a hub and spoke where the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software supports a combination of up to 16 physical ports (4 Synch/+ Adapters) for point-to-point leased lines or X.25 links. The headquarters router should be dedicated to ensure that operations are not interrupted if a server is brought down. Branch Office Other corporate sites, besides headquarters, may include regional and branch offices located worldwide. Regional offices probably require a dedicated router, while the need is less in a remote branch office, so that the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software can be installed on the server. The branch office server, servicing 2 to 15 PCs, can incorporate both the wide area network link and the managed hub card. Wide area network connectivity can use various speed leased lines or X.25 packet-switched networks. Leased lines are appropriate when guaranteed bandwidth, low latency, and fixed cost are important. X.25 is preferred when data traffic is intermittent or bursty and would waste expensive fixed leased-line bandwidth. In the United States, leased lines are used more for domestic applications, whereas X.25 is used more for international interconnectivity. X.25 can be more economical than leased line solutions because it combines the traffic from many locations into a single connection point. Network Management NetWare management functions require significant memory and CPU resources. When using router management, you should configure your router for higher performance. NetWare MultiProtocol Router v2.1 includes the following management capabilities: * INETCFG-In addition to being used to configure the router, this utility aids in troubleshooting by allowing you to view and edit the AUTOEXEC.NCF file, the configuration information file, and the messages generated during a system restart. * RCONSOLE, ACONSOLE, and VT100 XCONSOLE - These utilities allow you to manage your router remotely from any workstation that supports VT100 or VT220 terminal emulation or an X Windows System interface. * SNMP Support-SNMP provides the necessary mechanism to allow network monitoring and management of protocols and devices having SNMP agents. The NetWare SNMP Agent can receive and send SNMP packets over any transport layer protocol. The transport layers included in the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software that provide SNMP support are IPX, IP, and AppleTalk. The SNMP Agent that comes with the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software is extensible and supports several standard MIBs including MIB-II (RFC 1213), AppleTalk (RFC 1243), source route bridge (RFC1286), and OSI (RFC 1162). * Protocol Consoles-An expanded MONITOR utility includes counters for both Frame and Packet level parameters for IPX/SPX. Other utilities include TCPCON for TCP/IP, an enhanced ATCON for AppleTalk, ISOCON for OSI products, and a new BRGCON for the source route bridge software. * CONLOG-NetWare system console audit logging utility. Synchronous/+ Adapter diagnostics A software utility called SD.EXE (run from DR-DOS or MS-DOS) is included with the hardware for board diagnostics. This utility can be used by the administrator in the event of board problems. For more information about the SD diagnostic utility, refer to the Synchronous/+ Adapter Installation Guide. Remote Management of Communication Devices CPECFG (Customer Premises Equipment Configuration), an NLM utility installed on your router or server, provides expanded control of your data communications equipment. You can now control customer premise equipment (if there is a supervisor port on the communications equipment) from any workstation on your internetwork through RCONSOLE, ACONSOLE, or VT100 XCONSOLE. This feature allows you to remotely configure, control, and troubleshoot data communications equipment from any workstation on the internetwork. A standard null modem cable is used from the router's serial port to the supervisory port or terminal on the data communications equipment. Refer to the manual provided with the data communications equipment for more information. X.25 Trace Utility The NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus product provides the NXTRACE utility which aids in troubleshooting problems related to X.25 connections, line congestion, or general configuration issues. For more information, see "Troubleshooting Tips" later in this document. Other Considerations Configuring with a Hub The NetWare MultiProtocol Router software is well-suited for applications where a combination router/hub is required. PC hub cards, such as Novell's Ethernet Hub Card and Intel's EtherExpress TPE hub, can be installed in the router and managed by Novell's Hub Services Manager. The Hub Services Manager is included with NetWare MultiProtocol Router v2.1 and allows for the management of hub cards that comply with Novell's Hub Management Interface (HMI) specification. Installing a hub within the router is a convenient and cost-effective way to create a subnet environment for small work groups or departments. Configure for Future Expansion If you intend to grow your network, add users, or add applications that increase traffic, select a system that will accommodate future traffic levels. This enables you to easily expand your network without reconfiguring routers. Time of Day Activities Analyze your high-traffic level demands and design your router applications and configurations to accommodate these needs. For example, if you expect many users to log in, read mail, and open databases at a certain time of day, configure your routers to handle this level of traffic. WAN Connections Making a WAN connection is accomplished using the NetWare Link/PPP or NetWare Link/X.25 software, some kind of a physical connection, and, in the case of NetWare Link/X.25, a defined Public Data Network (PDN) profile (included with the package) to make PDN connections easier to configure. Physical Connection A DSU/CSU, full-duplex synchronous modem, or other data communications equipment, such as a multiplexer or X.25 switch, is required at each router location. Listed later in this document are the modems tested in the Novell laboratories. NetWare Link/PPP and NetWare Link/X.25 are designed to run at any data rate within their respective ranges (1200 bps to 64 Kbps for NetWare Link/X.25 and 1200 bps to 2.048 Mbps for NetWare Link/PPP). For example, NetWare Link/PPP can operate at 64 Kbps. It can also use the Megastream service (CEPT 2.048 Mbps) available in parts of Europe. It is not limited to the T1 service provided in North America. NetWare Link/X.25 is often installed to operate at 9600 bps over voice-grade lines, but can also support speeds up to 64 Kbps. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus adapts dynamically to speed changes on the link (for example, T1 multiplexers with dynamic bandwidth allocation). In addition to these telecommunications services, NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus works with private transmission facilities such as satellite, microwave, and optical fiber, with the requisite DSU/CSU equipment. X.25 Profiles The NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus package provides a set of standard X.25 profiles for the major public packet-switched networks worldwide. Supervisors can use these profiles, modify them, or create their own customized profiles for any public or private data network. Upgrading NetWare Link/64 or NetWare Link/T1 Upgrading from the NetWare Link/64 or NetWare Link/T1 software to the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus package is easy. Just install the software on a server-based or dedicated router. If you were using ROUTEGEN, you must install the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus v2.1 software on a v3.11 server. Once the software is installed, you configure the software using the INETCFG utility. All the LOAD, BIND, PROTOCOLs, and NETWORK ADDRESSes for all your LAN and WAN boards are configured by INETCFG. When you plan the upgrade, you need to upgrade both connecting points on the link at the same time. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus does not interoperate with the previous NetWare Link releases (NetWare Link/T1,NetWare Link/64, NetWare Link/X.25) or with NetWare v2.x servers. By using the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus product, you preserve your synchronous hardware because it uses the same hardware as NetWare Link/64 and NetWare Link/T1 (except for NetWare Link/X.25). Upgrading NetWare Link/X.25 Upgrading from NetWare Link/X.25, you need to purchase a new Synchronous/+ Adapter board and install the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software on a standalone router or NetWare v3.11 server. The previous NetWare Link/X.25 software was designed to operate with the Novell X.25 Adapter; the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software is designed to operate with the Novell Synchronous/+ Adapters. The NetWare Link/X.25 software operated with ROUTEGEN, which is an external router program that can function on an 8-bit PC. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus operates on an 80386/80486, 32-bit PC using NetWare v3.11 or any other product that contains NetWare Runtime v3.11. The previous hardware is an older generation 8-bit board, while the Novell Synchronous/+ Adapter is a 16-bit ISA board (full size slot) with an onboard processor (NEC V50) with 512 K memory. Once the new board is installed, you can install NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software and configure the software using INETCFG. INETCFG, based on your configuration inputs, configures all the LOAD, BIND, PROTOCOLs, and NETWORK ADDRESSes for you automatically. When you plan the upgrade, you need to upgrade all the points to which you were connecting. NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus does not interoperate with the previous NetWare Link/X.25 software. Upgrading NetWare WAN Links To upgrade NetWare WAN Links v2.0, simply install NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software and configure any new WAN connections using INETCFG. All existing WAN connections were configured using INETCFG, and do not need to be reconfigured. Because NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus v2.1 is backward-compatible with NetWare WAN Links v2.0, you do not need to upgrade all the WAN connecting points, although it is advised. WAN Interconnectivity Planning Checklist This list is provided to aid in designing a WAN solution. If in doubt, hire a qualified WAN consultant to implement your proposed solution. Discovery Stage [] Conduct user survey [] Conduct needs assessment study [] Define applications requirements [] Contact international system design consultants [] Determine site locations [] Determine site modifications [] Develop timeline for project [] Finalize system design [] Propose solution to management [] Budgetary approval [] Assemble project team Implementation Planning Stage [] Develop requirements for equipment/services bids [] Obtain government regulation guidelines for each country, including PTTs (Public Telephone and Telegraph) and Customs [] Investigate customs and holiday schedule for each country, and incorporate into schedule [] If possible, contract with local in-country integrators to assist in the final implementation phase [] Assign corporate in-country contact for project tracking responsibility at that location Equipment Planning Stage [] Evaluate necessary hardware [] Determine potential vendors, both local and international [] Obtain required PTT certification documents for equipment from vendors [] Obtain VERIFICATION documents from the PTT on the equipment [] Determine which communications gear can be purchased or brought in from outside the country in question [] Acquire permits, government approvals, and network addresses [] Send out bid requests to all vendors and service providers [] Select bids and award contracts [] Mock up network in-house for applications testing [] Document network and publish [] Develop cut-over schedule and publish [] Purchase or lease test gear for circuit and network troubleshooting Implementation Stage [] Coordinate equipment delivery dates with all vendors [] Coordinate service installation dates with all PTTs and Carriers [] Run loopback tests with all telecom personnel, end-point to end-point, to ensure proper circuit operation at each location [] Install pilot location end-to-end and test applications for one week minimum to locate and repair problems and establish performance benchmark [] Complete installation of remaining sites on a scheduled basis , test each one, and allow for fine-tuning of network parameters [] Select team member to act as central contact for all internetworking issues [] Follow up with all vendors to ensure no loose ends remain [] Complete and publish network user documentation [] User training [] Complete and sign off project documentation Troubleshooting Tips Before You Call Novell Tech Support * Check the NetWireSM section of CompuServe for the latest patches, drivers, and applications notes for the NetWare MultiProtocol Router series of products. These continually updated files are located in either NOVLIB section 1, 8, or 9. * Make hard copies of these configuration files: STARTUP.NCF AUTOEXEC.NCF SYS:ETC\CONSOLE.LOG SYS:ETC\NETINFO.CFG WARNING: DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE! Examining these four files should help you spot a network configuration error. If you need to call for technical support, it's a good idea to have these files printed, as well as a network map or drawing to help the technical staff examine the entire configuration as well as the surrounding environment (because most of the calls Technical Support receives are a result of configuration issues involving more than just the routers themselves). * Print the contents of the CONFIG command by performing the following actions: - Log in to the router from a workstation using RCONSOLE - Type CONFIG at the console prompt - Redirect the output to a printer by pressing . General Issues Interface Boards * Only use boards that are certified by Novell Labs. * If you are using IBM token ring boards, a shared RAM size of 16 KB is recommended. * In most cases, NetWare MultiProtocol Router's associated LAN and WAN boards can be installed with the Video Memory Addressing set to the factory default settings. However, the default settings for some boards may conflict with already installed VGA/EGA boards. To eliminate the conflict, either the VGA/EGA board or the network interface board must be reconfigured. * When configuring the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software, do not use duplicate values for board parameters such as interrupts, memory map addresses, base I/O addresses, and network addresses. Because no error messages are produced by the use duplicate values, you should record this information on a worksheet during configuration so that any conflicts can be easily seen and avoided. Such a worksheet is provided in the NetWare Router Supervisor's Notebook. * You cannot route IPX on two different interfaces boards that are attached to the same routed IPX network. In the case of token ring networks, source route bridging can be used (instead of routing) to connect two or more IPX networks. * If you are routing on an Ethernet board, set the maximum physical receive packet size to at least 1514 in the STARTUP.NCF file. If you are routing on a Token-Ring board, set the value to at least 4202. * Before you install a network or Synchronous/+ Adapter in the computer, make sure that you check all the available interrupts, I/O base, and memory for all boards. To avoid conflicts with board parameter settings, verify that the same values are not being used by multiple boards. For reference, the values used by your PC are listed below: COM1 uses IRQ-4, port=3F8-3FF COM2 uses IRQ-3, port=2F8-2FF LPT1 uses IRQ-7, port=378-37F LPT2 uses IRQ-5, port=278-27F Refer to the hardware manual for each device to determine valid settings for IRQ, I/O base, and memory locations. As you configure the router and WAN links, record this information on a worksheet so that any conflicts can be easily seen and avoided. Such a worksheet is provided in the NetWare Router Supervisor's Notebook. * The Novell Synchronous/+ Adapter only has one switch for I/O base address. * The Novell Synchronous/+ Adapter only has one switch for I/O base address. The interrupt and memory are all software- driven. When you use INETCFG to configure the NetWare Link/X.25 or NetWare Link/PPP protocols of the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus package, it allows you to select an I/O base, interrupt, and memory. Ensure the INETCFG I/O base setting match the jumper setting on the board. There are several memory options available. Each use a 64K range of memory. All Synchronous/+ Adapters used to support NetWare Link/X.25 and NetWare Link/PPP can be configured to share a single memory range. However, memory ranges cannot be shared with other boards. Configuration * Read the README.21 file located in the root directory of Disk 1. * Obtain the latest LAN drivers from NetWire or your network interface board vendor. * Always use the INETCFG utility to configure the NetWare MultiProtocol Router or NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus software as a standalone router or a combination router/server. * Do NOT modify the NETINFO.CFG file found in the SYS:ETC subdirectory. * INETCFG provides a series of easy-to-use menus for router configuration the LOAD and BIND commands used with NetWare v3.11 and earlier servers. INETCFG also allows you to view and edit (for troubleshooting purposes) the configuration information file (NETINFO.CFG), the AUTOEXEC.NCF file, and the messages generated during a system restart. Finally, INETCFG provides several layers of context-sensitive help, making the configuration process quick and easy. * INETCFG does not check for duplicate entries in protocol attachment. * Your NETINFO.CFG file contains the LOAD and BIND commands you configured with INETCFG. If you use the INSTALL utility to create an AUTOEXEC.NCF file after using INETCFG, the LOAD and BIND commands in your system memory are written to your AUTOEXEC.NCF file. This procedure is not recommended, because it can create duplicate entries of the LOAD and BIND commands already in your NETINFO.CFG file. * Do not load and bind the bridge from the command line. Installation * For new installations of the NetWare MultiProtocol Router product, it is highly recommended that you automatically convert the commands in your AUTOEXEC.NCF file to INETCFG commands. However, if you choose to perform a manual conversion of the AUTOEXEC.NCF file, all LOAD commands for LAN and WAN drivers and all BIND commands must be commented out within (or removed from) the AUTOEXEC.NCF file. Table 5 shows the protocol LOAD and BIND commands that must be commented out of the file. Table 5 - LOAD/BIND Command Removal Protocol LOAD/BIND Commands IPX IPX (BIND commands only) AppleTalk APPLETLK ATLKSNMP TCP/IP TCPIP TCONFIG IPCONFIG Other ROUTE (LOAD commands only) However, do not remove other services from the AUTOEXEC.NCF if they are present; for example: - NFS - AFP - ATPS * If you plan to use the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software in combination with another Novell product, see the README file for any special installation instructions required for your version of the product. The order of installation is especially important if you are using NetWare for Macintosh, NetWare for SAA, or NetWare for NFS with the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software. SAP Filter * To filter traffic through the router but still allow access to the router through RCONSOLE, you must add the Remote Console to the filter list (in PASS mode). The SAP filter only affects SAP traffic received from other servers and routers, not locally generated SAP traffic. TELNET VT100, XCONSOLE, and ACONSOLE * Your router can be managed remotely from any remote workstation that supports Telnet VT100 or VT220 terminal emulation or an X Windows System interface, as well as by using NetWare RCONSOLE or ACONSOLE. DSU/CSU Issues * Always make sure that there is only one transmit clock and one receive clock on the line. More than one clock brings the line up and down repeatedly. * If your clocking is being provided by either the DSU/CSU or TELCO, make sure your line speed is set to EXTERNAL. Do not set this option to reflect the speed of the line; this is incorrect. Selecting a line speed initializes the clocks built into the WAN board and confuses the DSU/CSU. The built- in clocks are commonly used for back-to-back testing. Remote Access and Control * You can configure your router to automatically restart by creating a .NCF file with these commands: REMOVE DOS DOWN EXIT Use RCONSOLE to attach to that router and run the .NCF file. That restarts the router/server. Of course, make sure that you have the SERVER command in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file of the router/server. LAN Tools Here are a few simple tools to help you determine whether you have connectivity. The idea of these brief descriptions is to give the installer an idea of what tools to use during an installation. It is not a complete description of the NLM files presented, and does not address performance issues. Non-Protocol Specific Tools CONLOG.NLM Logs console messages in an ASCII file called CONSOLE.LOG in the SYS:ETC subdirectory on the server on which CONLOG.NLM has been loaded. The CONSOLE.LOG file can be used to check that during start up of the router/server, all modules have been loaded without any errors. It can be viewed from the INETCFG utility screen under General Node Information-View Configuration Information-Console Messages. See Chapter 3 of the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Supervisor's Guide for further details. MONITOR.NLM Under the LAN Information option, you can find a list of all the configured network adapters in the machine. If an adapter doesn't appear on that list, it hasn't been initialized. When this occurs, check the board configuration and be sure the INETCFG settings for the LAN board match the hardware settings and do not conflict with other boards in the machine. Refer to the NetWare Version 3.11 Systems Administration manual for more details about the MONITOR Utility. Protocol Specific Tools AppleTalk ATCON.NLM is a console utility for diagnosing AppleTalk network conditions and verifying connectivity. ATCON provides information about the router's AppleTalk stack and any attached AppleTalk networks. Load ATCON.NLM from the colon prompt. Select "View RTMP table." This table displays the RTMP responses the router has received from the AppleTalk network. You can also use the "Lookup and Echo Services" option to verify AppleTalk device connectivity. Please see the AppleTalk Support Package manual for further information. NOTE: A view limit list of 1000 items in the "View Zones List" and "View RTMP Table" has been placed into ATCON. These two menu items can potentially display thousands of entries in a large network situation, causing ATCON to consume too much CPU time to process the information. This limitation of 1000 items can be negated through the use of the "-w" switch when loading ATCON. IP TCPCON.NLM allows the user to check connectivity when using TCP/IP in conjunction with SNMP. LOAD TCPCON from the colon prompt and select the CHANGE HOST option. Input the IP address of the remote host you want to test. If details from that remote host are displayed, the remote host is alive and functioning. NOTE: This utility requires SNMP to be loaded on the remote host; otherwise, you receive an error message that the host is unavailable. Another cause of the "Host unavailable" message may be a routing error. You can check the routing table of the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software by accepting the default value of "lb" in the "Change Host" option and selecting "Tables" from the main menu. Select "Routing table" to view the routing information table that the NetWare MultiProtocol Router software has received from RIP or Static routes. Compare this to the address topology of the network. See the TCP/IP Transport Supervisor's Guide for more information. IPX As of the NetWare MultiProtocol Router v2.1 release, there are no specific NLM tools for troubleshooting IPX connectivity. There are specific commands available from the colon prompt that prove useful when troubleshooting IPX connection problems. For example: * Display Servers Lists all known NetWare servers names and the number of hops (IPX routers that must be crossed) to reach each servers. * Display Networks Shows the IPX network number, the number of hops to reach the network, and the estimated time in ticks (1/18 of a second) for a packet to reach a network. The number of known networks is shown at the end of the list. For NetWare v3.11 servers, both the internal IPX network numbers and the cabling network numbers are displayed. * Reset Router Resets the IPX Router table in the file server if this table becomes inaccurate or corrupted. * Track On Displays three types of information: (1) Server, (2) Network, and (3) Connection Requests. This information is formatted according to whether the router/server is receiving the information (IN), broadcasting the information (OUT), or receiving a connection request. See the NetWare Version 3.11 System Administration manual for more details. OSI ISOCON.NLM is an SNMP-based program that can be used to manage local or remote systems. This utility requires TCP/IP connectivity to monitor both local and remote OSI hosts/routers. This utility allows you to check the CLNP routing tables, IS-IS system tables, and the IS-IS CLNP destination tables. See the NetWare OSI Transport Supervisor's Guide for more information. Source Route Bridge BRGCON.NLM uses SNMP to provide the following capabilities: * Basic Bridge Configuration Information * Spanning Tree Per Bridge Information * Ports Table * Spanning Tree Port Configuration Information and Statistics * Source Route Bridge Port Configuration Information and Statistics * Interfaces Table WAN Tools The NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus package includes several tools to help you determine whether you have WAN connectivity. These brief descriptions give you an idea of what tools to use during an installation. It is not a complete description of the NLM files presented, and does not address performance issues. CONLOG.NLM Logs console messages in an ASCII file called CONSOLE.LOG in the SYS:ETC subdirectory on the server on which CONSOLE.NLM has been loaded. The CONSOLE.LOG file can be used to check that during initialization of the router/server, all modules have been loaded without any errors. It can be viewed from the INETCFG utility screen under General Node Information-View Configuration Information-Console Messages. See Chapter 3 of the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Supervisor's Guide for further details. MONITOR.NLM Under the LAN Information option, you can find a list of all the configured LAN and WAN network boards in the machine. If a board does not appear on that list, it has not been initialized; therefore, check the board configuration to ensure that the INETCFG settings for the WAN board match the hardware settings and do not conflict with other boards in the machine. Refer to NetWare Version 3.11 Systems Administration manual for more details about the MONITOR utility. PPP To check the state of PPP connectivity, use the MONITOR utility to check the statistics for the PPP LAN driver. Statistics for each port are displayed on a per-port basis. Following is an example of some of the statistics: * Baud Rate * Transmit Packets * Transmit Packets Miscellaneous Errors In addition, each port on the PPP board has states listed for the following protocols: * LCP (Link Control Protocol) * AppleTalk * IP * IPX * OSI * Bridge Each of these link states has a number associated with it. State 1 indicates that you have configured the protocol and it is listening for a response on the line. State 5 indicates that the protocol in question has "opened" and is transmitting across the line. State 6 indicates that the protocol has closed the line and is not listening. Additional definitions of these numeric values can be found in Chapter 6 of the NetWare WAN Connectivity Supervisor's Guide. LCP A PPP link is established after the originating PPP first sends LCP packets to configure and test the data link. On the monitor screen, your LCP link state should be set to five. If it is not set to five, you are probably having a data communications problem on the line. Check and ensure that the data encoding for the WAN links port connected to the DSU/CSU is set to the same as the router on the other side of the connection. Also make sure the data encoding is the same as the DSU/CSU or other communications device to which the port is connected. Contact your TELCO and have them check the line and perform loopback testing with the DSU/CSU. Run the SD.EXE program (see Novell Synchronous/+ Adapter Installation Guide) and test the Synch/+ Adapter. AppleTalk, IP, IPX, OSI, Bridge If the link state is at five and you are not getting connectivity on that protocol, the problem probably exists in the configuration of the routed protocol. If the state is zero, you may have not enabled the protocol and it is not listening on this line. If the state is one, the protocol has been configured and is waiting for a response from the other side. X.25 The MONITOR utility provides frame and packet transmission statistics on a per-port basis for X.25. See Chapter 6 in the NetWare WAN Connectivity Supervisors Guide for more information. NXTRACE.NLM The NXTRACE utility is an NLM utility that can be run on the router or server, providing a Data Link and Frame layer output of X.25 traffic. The utility aids in troubleshooting problems related to X.25 connections, line congestion, or general configuration issues. For example, a trace can be logged to disk for later printout. This printout can then be sent to your PDN or Novell Technical Support for problem resolution, or reviewed by internal telecom staff trained in troubleshooting X.25. The NXTRACE utility generates a formatted screen or disk display of X.25 protocol and process activity. NXTRACE consumes a considerable amount of NetWare and CPU resources and should be used for diagnostic purposes only. Refer to Chapter 6 of the NetWare WAN Connectivity Supervisor's Guide for further details. Following is an example of a trace output (note that this is not a complete listing): 07/13/92 10:27:54 X25-CONNECTION FC 0 PH_ACTIV 07/13/92 10:27:54 X25-CONNECTION FC 0 DL_CONN 07/13/92 10:27:54 X25-CONNECTION FS 0 SABM 1 1 07/13/92 10:27:54 X25-CONNECTION FR 0 SABM 3 1 07/13/92 10:27:54 X25-CONNECTION FS 0 UA 3 1 07/13/92 10:27:54 X25-CONNECTION FR 0 INFO 3 0 0 0 1000FB0700 The hex codes that can originate within an X.25 trace listing are discussed in Appendix B, "Link/X.25 Messages," of the WAN Connectivity Supervisor's Guide under the "Cause Codes for Link/X.25 Trace" section. CALLMGR.NLM The call manager (CALLMGR.NLM) utility displays the status of IPX WAN connections. IPX WAN connections can be initiated and terminated from the display screen. CPECFG This utility allows you to remotely configure, control, and troubleshoot data communications equipment from any workstation on the internetwork, as described on page 12. Refer to the manual provided with the data communications equipment for more information. Back-to Back Testing You should perform back-to-back testing of all WAN interfaces before you install the router on-site. To implement a back-to back test, use the following steps: 1. Construct the appropriate crossover cable (described below) and attach it between the NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus machines. 2. Using either the PPP or X.25 Expert Port configuration menu, change the line speed on one of the routers to a line speed other than "External." 3. Set the appropriate protocol parameters and WAN Calls involved. 4. On the other router, leave the speed setting to the default "External" and save both settings. 5. Restart both machines. 6. Use the MONITOR utility (as described on page 21) to verify that the connection is working properly. You can also use the TCP/IP utility PING to verify connectivity. Figure 1 shows pinouts for constructing an RS422 crossover cable, which can be used on either of the RS422 ports. Figure 1 - RS422 Crossover Cable RS422 37-pin Connector RS422 37-pin Connector Female End Female End (this side supplies clock) Shield 1 <----------------> 1 Shield SG 19 <----------------> 19 SG DTR a 12 <----------------> 11 DSR a DTR b 30 <----------------> 29 DSR b DSR a 11 <----------------> 12 DTR a DSR b 29 <----------------> 30 DTR b TXD a 4 <----------------> 6 RXD a TXD b 22 <----------------> 24 RXD b RXD a 6 <----------------> 4 TXD a RXD b 24 <----------------> 22 TXD b --------> 8 RX Clock a TX Clock a 5 <-------( --------> 6 TX Clock a --------> 26 RX Clock b TX Clock b 23 <-------( --------> 23 TX Clock b CTS........Clear To Send RTS.......Ready to Send DCD........Data Carrier Detect SG........Signal Ground DSR........Data Set Ready TX........Transmit Clock DTE Clock..Data Terminal Equip Clock TXD.......Transmit Data DTR........Data Terminal Ready RX Clock..Receive Clock FG.........Frame Ground RXD.......Receive Data Figure 2 shows pinouts for constructing a V.35 crossover cable for back-to-back testing, which can be used for testing through either of the V.35 ports. Figure 2 - V.35 Crossover Cable V.35 34-pin Connector V.35 34-pin Connector Female End Female End (this side supplies clock) FG A <----------------> A FG SG B <----------------> B SG DTR H <----------------> E DSR DSR E <----------------> H DTR TXD x P <----------------> R RXD x TXD y S <----------------> T RXD y RXD x R <----------------> P TXD x RXD y A <----------------> S TXD y --------> V RX Clock x TX Clock x Y <-------( --------> Y TX Clock x --------> X RX Clock y TX Clock y Y <-------( --------> AA TX Clock y --------> C RTS DSD F <-------( --------> D CTS RTS C <-------- )-------> F DCD CTS D <-------- CTS........Clear To Send RTS.......Ready to Send DCD........Data Carrier Detect SG........Signal Ground DSR........Data Set Ready TX........Transmit Clock DTE Clock..Data Terminal Equip Clock TXD.......Transmit Data DTR........Data Terminal Ready RX Clock..Receive Clock FG.........Frame Ground RXD.......Receive Data Figure 3 shows the pinouts for constructing an RS232 crossover cable for back-to-back testing, which can be used on any of the RS232 ports. Figure 3 - RS232 Crossover Cable DB-25 Connector DB-25 Connector Female End Female End (this side supplies clock) FG 1 <----------------> 1 FG TXD 2 <----------------> 3 RXD RXD 3 <----------------> 2 TXD CTS 4 <----------------> 5 RTS RTS 5 <----------------> 4 CTS SG 7 <----------------> 7 SG DSR 6 <-------- )-------> 20 DTR DCD 8 <-------- TX Clock 15 <-------- )-------> 24 DTE Clock RX Clock 17 <-------- --------> 6 DSR DTR 20 <-------( --------> 8 DCD --------> 15 TX Clock DTE Clock 24 <-------( --------> 17 RX Clock CTS........Clear To Send RTS.......Ready to Send DCD........Data Carrier Detect SG........Signal Ground DSR........Data Set Ready TX........Transmit Clock DTE Clock..Data Terminal Equip Clock TXD.......Transmit Data DTR........Data Terminal Ready RX Clock..Receive Clock FG.........Frame Ground RXD.......Receive Data Troubleshooting AppleTalk * To configure AppleTalk to work on a WAN, one side of the WAN connection should be configured to initiate outgoing calls and receive incoming calls. Therefore, a WAN Call Destination is required. The other side of the WAN connection should be configured to receive incoming calls, unless it needs to make another connection through another port. If you have both ends initiate calls to each other on the same port and the WAN datelink used is PPP, you may see the message "retrying call for target name xxxx. Call attempt failed because the selected port is currently in use." Check whether there is already an existing connection to the remote server, and reconfigure the connection as needed. * If you are running AppleTalk on X.25 at 19.2 Kbps and up, change the Default Packet Size in X.25 (Packet Layer Parameters) from the default 128 bytes to 1024 bytes to increase performance. * AppleTalk functions over PPP at 1200 baud. Because of the low data rate, throughput is slow. AppleTalk can only function on X.25 at 2400 bps or higher. * Increase the Routing Table Update Timeout period from the default 10 seconds to anywhere between 60 and 300 seconds when using links below 19.2 Kbps. This maximizes data throughput by minimizing the routing information packets sent through the link. WARNING: By maximizing the Router Table Update Timeout period, you adversely affect the amount of time a network takes to converge after a change of topology. * If an internal network is configured on a NetWare AppleTalk router, the router's Name Binding Protocol (NBP) name resides on the default zone of the internal network. If the internal network is not configured, the NetWare AppleTalk router name resides on the default zone of the first LAN interface bound to AppleTalk. * When configuring AppleTalk "Attachment Parameters" (seed versus non-seed), you must ensure that there is at least one seed router on each AppleTalk network. If there are other seed routers directly connected to the same network, all the network numbers and zone names must be configured the same. Troubleshooting IP * Ensure that static routing is configured if other third-party routers that do not use RIP are connected on the network. * Ensure that the subnet mask you choose while configuring the router matches the mask of your internet. * Ensure that all client software has the default router option configured to match the IP address of the network adapter inside the router that is connected to the local segment. If you are using Novell's LAN Workplace for DOS product, the IP_ROUTER option in the NET.CFG file sets this parameter. Troubleshooting IPX The most common IPX configuration mistakes can be avoided by following the few rules listed below. You may want to double check the following options before calling Novell: * Ensure that all servers/routers on the same LAN/WAN segment have unique internal network numbers. In addition, servers/routers on the same network segment must have the same IPX network number. * When configuring IPX WAN Call Destination options, do not set both sides to connect automatically. If you want an automatic connection, set one side to AUTOMATIC and one side to MANUAL. If you set both sides to automatic, errors are displayed on one of the routers. Setting both sides to manual requires the use of CALLMGR.NLM to connect the two routers. * To establish an IPX connection over a WAN connection, third- party routers must use IPX WAN RFC 1362) to initiate, maintain, and terminate the IPX connection. * Ensure that the IPX network number is different for each WAN link. Troubleshooting Source Route Bridging Troubleshooting Checkpoints 1. Board Configurations and Frame Types * Check that the defined speed of the token ring interface boards matches the speed of the ring. * All frame types for the interfaces attached to the ring are individually loaded and bound. For example, when bridging over a given token ring LAN interface, make certain that both the TOKEN-RING and the TOKEN-RING_SNAP frame types for that interface are loaded and bound. * Ensure that the LAN Driver is ODI-certified to support source route bridging. 2. Ring Numbers * Ensure that all bridges on a given ring have been assigned the same ring number for the interfaces attached to that ring. * Ensure that all token rings in a source-routed topology have been assigned unique ring numbers. * Ensure that the virtual internal ring number is unique for all rings in the bridged network. The virtual internal ring number must be non zero for the virtual internal ring to be active. 3. Bridge Numbers * When using two or more parallel bridges between rings, ensure that each parallel bridge has been assigned a unique bridge number. * When using half-bridges, verify that both half-bridges use the same bridge number. 4. Virtual Internal Ring Numbers * You must assign a virtual internal ring number when (1) There are three or more LAN interfaces that support source route bridging (2) Clients requires access to a server application when the underlying transport protocol for that application is being source route bridged * Ensure that the virtual ring number is unique. 5. Virtual WAN Rings Verify that both interfaces that connect to the virtual WAN ring use the same virtual WAN ring number for all rings in the bridged network. 6. Half-Bridged WAN Links Verify that both bridges have the same number and that the ring numbers are the remote "target" rings. Symptoms of Configuration Problems The following lists various symptoms of configuration problems and the associated resolution: 1. Source route bridge is not bridging one or more protocols. * Ensure that the appropriate frame types have been loaded and bound to the bridge. * When a protocol is routed on an interface, bridging of that protocol is automatically blocked. Bridging cannot occur unless routing of that protocol is disabled. When routing on a multiport WAN board, bridging of that protocol is blocked on all ports, even if routing is enabled on just one port. * Check the filter table to ensure that no filter exists for the protocol. 2. End stations cannot make a connection. * If you have loaded upgraded server software that has been modified to support larger buffer sizes than 4202, ensure the LAN drivers you are using support this size. * Check for duplicate ring numbers or bridges on the same ring with different ring numbers assigned. Load BRGCON.NLM and display the Source Route Port Statistics. If duplicate ring numbers exist, the appropriate error counter increments. * Check how often the hop count limit is being reached. Load BRGCON.NLM and display Source Route Port Statistics. * If the end station is a NetWare client, ensure that the station has ROUTE.COM loaded and the server has ROUTE.NLM loaded. * Ensure the version of ROUTE.NLM is v1.12 (dated May 1, 1991) or later. * You cannot log in to a server that is more than the maximum number of hops set up in the source route bridge configuration. 3. A protocol seems to be routed and bridged. * Router and bridge configuration is not done through INETCFG. Because INETCFG informs the bridge which protocols are routed, the bridge does not receive this information if INETCFG is bypassed. Therefore, the bridge does not block routed traffic. * When attaching the bridge to a WAN interface, the "Plan to Route IPX" option is set to "No" when, in fact, routing is actually configured. 4. VBRIDGE clients do not work. * Load MONITOR.NLM and display the LAN information for the VBRIDGE LANs. The Custom Statistics may indicate what the problem is. It may be as simple as assigning a virtual ring number or loading the right ROUTE.NLM (v1.12 or later). * If you see Too Many Fragments or Raw Transmit errors, it indicates that one or more of the clients cannot use the VBRIDGE. Note that all NetWare MultiProtocol Router clients have been validated to operate with VBRIDGE (IPX, TCP/IP, AppleTalk, and OSI). * If you see Receive Packet Route Too Long errors, it means that the hop count of a peer connection is greater than seven or the Maximum Hop Count parameter has been set to less than seven on one of the intervening source route bridges. * Ensure that the frame type is correct for the protocol. For example: IP and AppleTalk need VIRTUAL_SNAP, while IPX, NetBIOS, SNA, and OSI need VIRTUAL_8022. 5. Unable to connect to an X.25 network. Check that the local DTE address matches the remote DTE address at the other end of the WAN link. 6. Spanning Tree Issues * Novell recommends that the IPX RETRY COUNT, specified in the NET.CFG on the client, be changed from the default (20) to 40 or greater when implementing standby (parallel) bridges. This allows for a successful workstation recovery from a bridge failure. * On NetWare servers, use the default source route update interval (when configured through INETCFG), or equivalently, the default TIME parameter for ROUTE.NLM (when configured through the AUTOEXEC.NCF file). The default is three seconds. 7. Frame Types for Protocols * IP and AppleTalk require TOKEN-RING_SNAP. * IPX, Spanning Tree Protocol, NetBIOS, SNA, and OSI require TOKEN-RING. * If you are using the virtual internal ring, IP and AppleTalk require VIRTUAL_SNAP, while IPX, NetBIOS, SNA, and OSI require VIRTUAL_8022. Ordering Information Product Part Number NetWare MultiProtocol Router v2.1 (3.5") 0062644002040 NetWare MultiProtocol Router v2.1 (5.25") 0062644002057 NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus v2.1 (3.5") 0062644002064 NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus v2.1 (5.25") 0062644002071 Novell Synchronous/V.35+ Adapter 883-000840-001 Novell Synchronous/RS-422+ Adapter 883-000890-001 Novell Synchronous/RS-232+ Adapter 883-000891-001 Btrieve, DR-DOS, LAN Workplace, NetWare, Novell, and the "N" design are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. NetWire is a Service Mark of Novell, Inc. NE1000, NE2000, NE3200, NE/2, and NE/2-32, NetWare Hub Services, NetWare Link/64, NetWare Link/PPP, NetWare Link/T1, NetWare Link/X.25, NetWare Loadable Module, NetWare MultiProtocol Router, NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus, NetWare Runtime, NTR2000, RX-Net II, and NLM are trademarks of Novell, Inc. AppleTalk and Local Talk are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. AST is a registered trademark of AST Research Corporation. Compaq is a registered trademark of Compaq Computer Corporation. ARCnet is a trademark of Datapoint Corporation. VT100 and VT220 are registered trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. 80386 and 80486 are trademarks and Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. SAA is a trademark and IBM, Micro Channel, and PS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. NFS is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. 3Com is a registered trademark of 3Com Corporation. Novell, Inc., 1993. All rights reserved. 122 East 1700 South Provo, UT 84606 y