AI-LANBIOS Low-level Driver for the Intel EtherExpress 16(tm) Adapter (EXP16LAN.DOC - Rev 0.1) ----------------------------------------------------- (C) Copyright 1992, 1993 ARTISOFT, Inc. Portions Coyright 1992, 1993 Intel Corporation Introduction ============ The EXP16LAN low-level AI-LANBIOS driver for Intel's EtherExpress 16 ethernet adapter was developed by Intel Corp. in conformance with the specifications outlined in the Artisoft AI-LANBIOS Driver Development Program. The low-level driver interfaces directly to the network hardware and provides basic unreliable data transfer capabilities. The AI-LANBIOS high-level driver provides the reliable data transfer capabilities including all NETBIOS functions. The EXP16LAN driver makes extensive use of the on-board memory of the EtherExpress 16 board to improve network throughput. NOTE: For performance and compatibility reasons, the EXP16LAN driver is an I/O mapped-only version for the EtherExpress 16 adapter. This means that even if you have your adapter configured to run in memory mapped mode, the driver will ignore those settings and run in I/O mapped mode. Compatibility Statement ======================= * Version 2.01 of EXP16LAN is compatible with Artisoft's LANtastic/AI Network Operating System v4.1, except for the following functional considerations: - Frequent disconnects are encountered when trying to configure multiple adapters on 1 node. - Cannot exist on a network with traffic other than Lantastic 4.1 802.3 type packets. - Not compatible with XT systems. - Does not support XEROX type packets. - Hardware support is limited to EtherExpress 16/16TP ISA adapters * Version 2.03 of EXP16LAN is compatible with Artisoft's LANtastic/AI Network Operating System v4.1. This driver works with all EtherExpress 16/16TP/FlashC adapters and removes the functional considerations above. - System hangs can occur when trying to configure multiple adapters on 1 node. - Auto-connect feature can fail to detect attached network cable. * Version 3.00 of EXP16LAN is compatible with Artisoft's LANtastic/AI Network Operating System v5.0. This driver works with all EtherExpress 16/16TP/FlashC adapters and has the following functional considerations: - System hangs can occur when trying to configure multiple adapters on 1 node. - Auto-connect feature can fail to detect attached network cable. * Version 3.01 of EXP16LAN is compatible with Artisoft's LANtastic/AI Network Operating System v5.0. This driver works with all EtherExpress 16/16TP/FlashC adapters and removes the functional considerations above. It has a new auto- config feature when using multiple adapters on 1 node. - Automatically finds next available adapter and assigns a mutiplex number if no IOBASE or MPX parameter is specified on command line. - Detects an IRQ conflict if more than 1 adapter is configured for the same interrupt request. In addition, the EXP16LAN driver does not accept IRQ as a command line switch because the settings on the card are controlled by Intel's SOFTSET(tm) program. Vendor Information ================== Intel Personal Computer Enhancement Division. 5200, N.E. Elam Young Pkwy. Hillsboro OR 97124-6497. Tech Support Phone Number: 503-629-7576. Running EXP16LAN ================ Before running the EXP16LAN driver, configure your EtherExpress board by running the SOFTSET program that is contained on the driver disk that came with your EtherExpress board. The EXP16LAN low-level driver must be run before the AI-LANBIOS. The EXP16LAN driver interfaces to the AI-LANBIOS using a DOS multiplex (Int 2Fh) interrupt number. The default multiplex number is C7. If you are only running one low-level driver and one copy of AI-LANBIOS then you will not have to worry about which multiplex number to assign. Multiplex numbers 00 through BF are reserved for DOS use so you must use a multiplex number between C0 through FF. * Warning: Testing results showed that frequent disconnects were encountered when trying to configure multiple adapters (and invocations of EXP16LAN.EXE v2.01) on a single node. See Compatibility Statement above. * Each invocation of the EXP16LAN driver supports one Intel EtherExpress 16 adapter board. You must run multiple copies of EXP16LAN if you have multiple cards installed in your computer. For each invocation of EXP16LAN you must run a separate invocation of the AI-LANBIOS program. When running multiple invocations of the EXP16LAN driver each invocation must have a unique multiplex number and I/O base address (V2.01/2.03/3.00). The multiplex number and I/O base address can be assigned automatically by not specifying these parameters on the command line (V3.01). The EXP16LAN low-level driver program name is EXP16LAN.EXE. The syntax for EXP16LAN is EXP16LAN[switches . . . ] [ ; comment] where [switches . . . ] denotes zero or more optional command line switches. Switches may be delimited by blanks or slashes (/). If a switch takes a value, the switch must be followed by an equal sign (=) or a colon (:). Some values may be hexadecimal numbers while other values may be decimal. All switch values are range checked and illegal values produce errors. You may place a comment on the command line by preceding the comment with a semicolon (;). You must precede the comment character with a blank. The valid switch formats are: SWITCH SWITCH:value /SWITCH /SWITCH=value @file The valid EXP16LAN switches are enumerated below. The letters "ddd" denote a decimal number. The letters "hh" denote a hexadecimal number. Values enclosed in [] indicate default values if the switch is omitted. Values after [] denote the valid range of the switch. ---------- @switch-file This option specifies that further switches are to be taken from an switch file. Any switches after the @switch-file name will be used, and the switch settings take precedence over any settings in the switch file. You may invoke switch files from within switch files as often as you wish. The file should contain valid switches and may contain comment characters (;) at the beginning of each line or after switches. For example, EXP16LAN @setup The file SETUP contains ; EXP16LAN AI-LANBIOS driver setup file IOBASE=310 ; Use I/O address 310 verbose ; Display verbose information ---------- HELP or ? This switch displays information about the valid command line switches, but does not install the EXP16LAN driver. For example, EXP16LAN/help EXP16LAN ? See the messages section for a detailed description of the HELP display output. ---------- IOBASE=hhhh [300] 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 300, 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370 This switch specifies the I/O base address configured on the EtherExpress card. The IOBASE switch value must match the value stored in the board EEPROM. The default value is the same as the default factory setting on the cards. Unless you have more than one EtherExpress board installed in your computer, the IOBASE switch is unnecessary, as the driver can find and initialize the board - (V2.01/2.03/3.00) The driver can find and initialize To set the I/O base address on the card, run Intel's SOFTSET program. ---------- MPX=hh [C7] C0-FF This switch specifies the multiplex (MPX) interrupt number to use for communication to the high-level AI-LANBIOS. You will need to change this value only if the MPX number is in use by another application or low-level driver. ---------- PACKET_SIZE=dddd [1500] (574-1500 - V2.01/2.03) (600-1500 - V3.00/3.01) This switch specifies the maximum data size of transmitted packets. You may need to change this value when using certain bridges that do not support the full 1500 byte packet size. Even when you reduce the packet size, the low-level driver can still receive large packets. ---------- XEROX [XEROX] - V3.00/3.01 This switch specifies the XEROX format of the packet header. ---------- IEEE [IEEE] - V2.01/2.03 This switch specifies the IEEE 802.3 format of the packet header. ---------- REMOVE This switch removes EXP16LAN.EXE from memory. You must remove TSR programs in the opposite order they were loaded. For example, if you loaded EXP16LAN.EXE and then AILANBIO, you must remove AILANBIO before EXP16LAN.EXE In addition, if you have more than one invocation of EXP16LAN.EXE and AILANBIO you must use the MPX= switch on the command line to specify which copy of EXP16LAN.EXE but not (AILANBIO) that you want to unload. For example, if you load two copies of EXP16LAN.EXE and AILANBIO: EXP16LAN.EXE/MPX=C7 AILANBIO/ADAPTER=0/MPX=C7 EXP16LAN.EXE/MPX=D7 AILANBIO/ADAPTER=1/MPX=D7 To unload these copies of EXP16LAN.EXE and AILANBIO: AILANBIO/REMOVE EXP16LAN.EXE/MPX=D7/REMOVE AILANBIO/REMOVE EXP16LAN.EXE/MPX=C7/REMOVE The REMOVE option will remove the most recently run copy of AILANBIO. ---------- VERBOSE This switch causes the EXP16LAN driver to be installed and detailed information about the configuration of the EXP16LAN driver to be displayed. See the messages section for a detailed description of the verbose output. EXP16LAN messages ================= The EXP16LAN driver produces two types of messages: Informative and Error. All error messages are preceded by the text "ERROR:" and cause the EXP16LAN driver not to be installed. -------- MESSAGE: AI-LANBIOS EXP16LAN driver Vn.nn - (C) Copyright 1992 ARTISOFT Inc. This message appears each time the low-level driver is invoked. -------- MESSAGE: ---- EXP16LAN driver installed ---- This message appears after the low-level driver is successfully installed. -------- MESSAGE: ---- EXP16LAN driver NOT installed ---- This message appears if the low-level driver is not installed. The driver will not be installed if help information is displayed or an error occurred. -------- MESSAGE: Command line /verbose IEEE 802.3 node address 02608C4B10CC Network packet size 1500 MPX interface number C7 Machine bus type PC/XT/AT IO base address 0300 Interrupt request (IRQ) 2 Packet type IEEE 802.3 Bytes of memory used 2160 This message appears if the VERBOSE switch is specified. The values displayed specify how the low-level driver is configured. Some values may not agree with switch values you specified on the command line. This will happen when you specify an IOBASE or RAMBASE switch value that is not a proper multiple of the allowed value. -------- MESSAGE: Valid command line switches: HELP IOBASE= One of the following choices: 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 300 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 MPX= range C0 to FF hex PACKET_SIZE= range 570 to 1500 decimal VERBOSE ? @ range 0 to 2048 byte file This message appears when the HELP or ? switch is used. Each valid switch is listed with the acceptable range of values (if any) and the base (hex or decimal) that the numbers must be entered in. The acceptable file size range for indirect files (@) is also listed. The low-level driver is not installed when this switch is used. -------- MESSAGE: ---- EXP16LAN removed ---- The EXP16LAN.EXE driver has been removed from memory. -------- ERROR: EXP16LAN not loaded Meaning: You have issued the EXP16LAN/REMOVE command and do not have EXP16LAN.EXE loaded into memory. Remedy: Only issue this command after the program is loaded. -------- ERROR: Can't REMOVE -- EXP16LAN interrupts re-hooked Meaning: You have attempted to remove EXP16LAN.EXE and the interrupts are in use by another TSR, or EXP16LAN.EXE was not the last TSR loaded. Remedy: Remove any TSRs loaded after EXP16LAN.EXE. For example, if you load EXP16LAN.EXE then AILANBIO.EXE, you must first remove AILANBIO.EXE, then you can remove EXP16LAN.EXE. -------- ERROR: Installed EXP16LAN is different version Meaning: You have loaded a version of the EXP16LAN.EXE program and attempted to remove it from memory with the /REMOVE switch. The version with which you are attempting to remove EXP16LAN.EXE is not the same version that was loaded. Remedy: Remove EXP16LAN.EXE with the same version of the program that was loaded. -------- ERROR: MPX number hh is already in use - Try another number Meaning: Multiplex (MPX) interrupt number hh is being used by another application or low-level driver. Remedy: Try another MPX number. -------- ERROR: No network hardware found at I/O base address ????H Meaning: The EtherExpress 16 hardware could not be located. This error message appears displayed because the adapter card is not present or the IOBASE specified on the command line is different from what is jumpered on the adapter. Remedy: Check to see that the IOBASE switch specified on the EXP16LAN.EXE command line matches the I/O Address setting contained in the EtherExpress board's EEPROM. To do this, run Intel's SOFTSET program and choose the VIEW CURRENT CONFIGURATION menu. -------- ERROR: Illegal switch - ??????=nnnn Meaning: The switch ??????=nnnn is not a recognized switch. Remedy: You may only specify legal switches on the command line. -------- ERROR: Illegal character after switch name - ??????xnnnn Meaning: The switch ?????? is followed by a character other than "=" or ":" or the switch does not take a value. Remedy: Only use the characters "=" or ":" to specify switch values and do not place characters after switches that do not take values. -------- ERROR: Switch value not in range - ??????=nnnn Valid range is ssss to eeee Meaning: The value nnnn is not in proper range. The value ssss represents the lowest acceptable value and the value eeee represents the highest acceptable value. Remedy: Limit your range of values to the acceptable range. -------- ERROR: Illegal digit in switch value - ??????=nnnn Meaning: An illegal digit (character) was encountered in the numeric switch value. Remedy: You must restrict numeric decimal values to the numbers 0-9. You must restrict hexadecimal values to the numbers 0-9 and the letters A-F. -------- ERROR: Cannot open indirect file - @file Meaning: The file "file" cannot be opened as an indirect file. Remedy: The file must exist before it can be used as an indirect file. Testing EXP16LAN return code (error level) ======================================== You may test the EXP16LAN return code or error level in a batch file by using the IF ERRORLEVEL command. The following error levels are returned: 0 No error has encountered. EXP16LAN driver installed 1 MPX number is in use 2 Switch error 3 No memory found or memory error 4 No hardware found or hardware already in use 6 EXP16LAN not loaded 7 Can't remove, different version loaded 8 Cannot remove, interrupts re-hooked 9 ERROR: Can't REMOVE -- AI-LANBIOS (R) still installed -------------------