Newsgroups: bit.listserv.cdromlan
Date:         Wed, 9 Sep 1992 12:56:15 SST
              <CDROMLAN@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         CCELIMLL@NUSVM.BITNET
Subject:      MERIDIAN DATA INC'S CDNET SOFTWARE AND IPXODI DRIVER

Michael Schaarwaechter,

I am afraid that I am not able to help you with the problem of getting
CDNET software to work with IPXODI driver.  But I would like to share
with you problems which I encountered with CDNET software and 3COM ndis
IPX driver.

In our campus, we have about 25 subnets interconnected by Proteon
routers on a FDDI backbone.  Each of the subnet has at least a 3+Open
Lan Manager server.  We do not have any Novell server.

On the workstation side, we run 3COM NBP protocol (which is not routable)
to access local 3+open file server.  There are two units of Meridian
Data Inc's CDnet servers sitting in one of the subnets.

There are users from other subnets who want to access the CDnet servers.
Since NBP protocol is not routable, we have to run 3COM ndis IPX (which
is unloadable) on the workstations to enable access to the CDNET
servers across the routers (remote access).

There are two problems encountered when I run CDNET software with ndis IPX.

1.  To establish a connection with the CDNET server, the CDnet client
    software at the workstation first send out a broadcast packet type
    20.  If you have a  Novell server in your subnet, you are
    lucky because when you run netx, the workstation will get the
    correct subnet number. The CDnet client software will send out the
    broadcast packet with the correct subnet number in the source address.
    If you do not have a Novell server in your subnet (like my case),
    then the CDNET client will always set the subnet number to be
    zero (which is wrong).
    When the CDNET server received the broadcast packet (type 20) it
    will send a 'request for connection' to the workstation.  So if the
    subnet number in the source address of the broadcast packet is wrong
    in the first place,  the 'request for connection' from the CDNET server
    will never reach the workstation.

    Meridian Data Inc's CDNet server works with CISCO routers because
    CISCO had modified their router software so that it will put in
    the correct subnet no. in the source address of the broadcast packet
    type 20.


2.  Now, assuming that part 1 works, ie the 'request for connection' from
    the CDnet server does reach the workstation.  If you are using the
    'normal' ipx, the workstation will be able to read this request,
    send out another RIP request and subsequently communicate with the
    CDNet server.

    When I used the 3COM ndis IPX driver, the workstation does not seem
    to be able to read the 'request for connection' from the CDNet server
    .  The workstation just 'hang' there while the CDNet server kept
    sending out the 'request for connection'.

For problem no 2, we can't pin point whether the problem is caused by
CDNet software or the ndis IPX driver.

You mentioned that you use IP-router.  Do you have more than one subnet
interconnected by routers too ?

    I have highlighted the problems to Meridian Data Inc and the engineer
    there told me that he could simulate the same problem in his
    office.  The latest news that I've got is that a task group has been
    formed to look into the problem.

Regards,

Vivien Lim
Computer Centre,
National 'U' of Singapore.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU