Workstation for DOS ODI/NETX client This document applies to the EtherExpress(tm) 16, 16TP, 16C, FLASH, FLASH TP, FLASHC, MCA, and MCA/TP adapters. For information on setting up the ODI driver with TCP/IP software such as LAN Workplace for DOS, see the TCP/IP readme file on the EtherExpress disk. BEFORE YOU START ---------------- You must configure and test the EtherExpress 16 adapter with SOFTSET.EXE Boot the workstation with DOS, and then insert the EtherExpress 16 LAN Adapter Configuration and Driver disk into drive A. From DOS, type: A:SOFTSET 1. Select "AUTOMATIC SETUP" to let SOFTSET configure the EtherExpress adapter to work in your computer, or select "MANUAL SETUP" if you want to designate which interrupt and I/O address you want the EtherExpress 16 to use. 2. Select "RUN DIAGNOSTICS" from the main menu to test the configuration you have selected. GENERAL INSTALLATION -------------------- 1. Copy LSL.COM, EXP16ODI.COM, IPXODI.COM, NET.CFG and NETX.EXE from the \NWCLIENT directory of EtherExpress 16 disk to the root directory of the boot disk. 2. Edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT batch file to include these commands in this order: LSL EXP16ODI IPXODI NETX F: LOGIN 3. If the EtherExpress board is configured to use the default I/O address (300H), and your server is using a frame type of 802.2, you are done. Reboot the computer and watch for the NetWare* logon message. If the EtherExpress board IS NOT configured for the default I/O address (300h) or your server is not using 802.2 frame type, go to the next step. 4. Edit or Create the NET.CFG. The NET.CFG file must be in the same directory as the EtherExpress driver. The NET.CFG should contain these statements: Link Driver EXP16ODI Port xxx Frame Ethernet_zzz WHERE xxx is the I/O address for the EtherExpress card. WHERE zzz is the Ethernet Frame type used by your server. NOTE: NET.CFG is position sensitive so be careful to indent with one space or one tab as shown below in the sample files. TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS -------------------- 1. If workstations cannot login to the file server, check these: - On the file server: Verify the Frame type the file server is using is the same as the first frame type specified in the NET.CFG on your computer. If you do not have a NET.CFG or do not specify a frame type, EXP16ODI will load 802.2 by default. Also, Verify that IPX is bound to the loaded frame type at the server. Here is a list of the default frame types for NetWare servers: NetWare 2.x 802.3 NetWare 3.11 802.3 NetWare 3.12 802.2 NetWare 4.x 802.2 You can verify what frame types your NetWare file server is using by typing the command "CONFIG" at your NetWare server console screen. - On the workstation: Reboot the workstation without loading the network drivers and run the EtherExpress SOFTSET/MCADIAGS on-board and on-network diagnostics. If you have more than one EtherExpress card installed on the network, reboot the other workstation without loading the network drivers, run SOFTSET/MCADIAGS diagnostics and set this workstation up as a responder. Rerun the on-network diagnostics on the first workstation and see if the two machines see each other. This process can be reversed to fully check communication between the EtherExpress cards. If on-network diagnostics fail, there is likely a cable, connector, hub or concentrator problem. If On-Board diagnostics fail, try setting the EtherExpress 16 to a different I/O address, a different interrupt, or change Force 8 bit to "YES". If On-Network diagnostics fail, there is likely a cable, connector, or hub problem. Verify that the cabling you are using is connected properly and that the cable is not defective. For more information on cable specifications, view the 10BaseT or COAX ethernet cabling readme files on the EtherExpress LAN adapter and Options disk. If the on-network diagnostics pass, the boards tested can communicate. This indicates there could be a problem with the driver usually caused by loading the wrong frame type on the workstations. Reload the drivers on the workstation and verify that the workstation drivers load properly. You can do this by loading them one at a time, rather than in a batch file, and watch for error messages. NOTE: "Responder not found" is NOT an error. This message will be displayed IF YOU ARE NOT RUNNING THE SOFTSET/MCADIAGS RESPONDER ON ANOTHER MACHINE with an EtherExpress card or if the card cannot actually communicate with the responder card. If you do not have a responder running or if the two cards cannot communicate, the diags will try to send packets back to itself. 2. Check for a LASTDRIVE statement in the config.sys. LASTDRIVE is not required, but if your last drive is S, you will only have drives T-Z available for NetWare. If you want drives F-Z available for NetWare, your LASTDRIVE should be E. Without a LASTDRIVE statement, NetWare will usually default to F as the first drive. You will not be able to login using NETX if you have LASTDRIVE=Z in the CONFIG.SYS file. 3. If you are using a memory manager like EMM386.EXE, make sure you EXCLUDE the memory range the EtherExpress FLASH chip is using. The default range to exclude is DOOO-D3FF. You can verify the address the EtherExpress FLASH chip is using by running SOFTSET and selecting "View Current Configuration". 4. Thin ethernet (RG58A/U COAX) requires a T-connector on EVERY workstation and 50 ohm terminators on the end of each trunk segment. One of the two terminators should be grounded. You cannot directly connect 2 workstations without using T-connectors and terminators. Refer to your to the EtherExpress cable readme files on the EtherExpress disk for more information. 5. Verify the PORT=XXX setting in your NET.CFG matches the I/O address being used by the EtherExpress 16 if it is not at 300h. 6. Below are sample files for reference: C:\CONFIG.SYS ------------- files=25 buffers=25 lastdrive=E C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT --------------- path=c:\dos prompt $P$G lsl.com exp16odi.com ipxodi.com netx.exe f: login C:\NET.CFG ----------- Link Driver Exp16odi port 300 frame ethernet_802.3 frame ethernet_802.2 frame ethernet_ii frame ethernet_snap NOTE: NET.CFG is position sensitive, so be careful to indent with one space or one tab as shown above in the example. * Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.