Newsgroups: bit.listserv.novell
Date:         Thu, 9 Apr 1992 14:31:02 EDT
Reply-To:     Novell LAN Interest Group <NOVELL@SUVM.BITNET>
From:         Jim O'Brien <JOBRIEN@UMES.BITNET>
Subject:      Weird Problem LONG

I need some help on this one.

Up until yesterday,  I've had NW3.11 running on a ALR386/25mgz 8mram 340HD
with  an SMC3016 TP card with zero problems.  The LAN was local, not
on the internet.  I've been preparing to bring up PCbridge in a remote
configuration as a work around until we get fiber in few months.

I brought up the bridges,  watch frame counts on Concentrators, the bridges
are functional.  Here's where the trouble starts.

About an hour after I bring up the bridge, the server goes BOOM.  No error
messages, nothing in error log, etc..  Console screen is completly filled
with the same random ASCII character.  Turned off the bridges, reset server,
it comes up fine.  I had TCP/IP loaded at the time the server crashed.  I
unloaded it and removed from AUTOEXEC.NCF (I really didn't need it and haven't
given it enough time to be sure that its configured.)  It was late so
left bridges down.

This morning I brought the bridges backup. Things seem to be going ok.
NETWATCH shows traffic from rest of bridged network.   Bridges stop
transmitting  around 11:15am.  Reset, fine.  12:50pm server goes boom
again.  Same symptom as above.  Reset server.  On boot up, I catch the
following error scrolling repetively on the console:

    4/10/92 12:50pm 1.1.112 Router Configuration Error Detected
    Router@node 00001B372EEE claims network 2 should be 83760000

Look up error, find problem,  unbind ipx from lan driver, bind correct
network address.  change AUTOEXEC.NCF.  Time 1:30pm

Bridges are up, server is up.  No error messages on console.  All seems well.
But: 2:15pm  Server Stops.  On Console:  Multiple Abends Occuring. Processor
Stopped.  Turn Bridges off.  Bring server back up. It seems ok.

The ethernet being bridged is LARGE.  It encompasses at least 5 different
U of MD campuses.  The router error turns out to be another server at the
beginning of the ethernet.  I'm not looking for the why aren't you using
routers stuff,  I know and am trying to get our campus to go with routers
but in the mean time....

Here's our AUTOEXEC.NCF:

FILE SERVER NAME UMESCSNW1
IPX INTERNAL NET 111891
LOAD E16ODIF PORT=300 INT=3 FRAME=ETHERNET_802.3 NAME=SMC_802.3
LOAD E16ODIF PORT=300 INT=3 FRAME=ETHERNET_II NAME=SMC_II
BIND IPX TO SMC_802.3 NET=83760000
BIND IPX TO SMC_II NET=3
SET Maximum Packet Receive Buffers = 200
REM LOAD SNMP
REM LOAD TCPIP FORWARD=YES
REM BIND IP TO SMC_II ADDR=131.118.127.2
MOUNT ALL
SECURE CONSOLE
LOAD CLIB
LOAD STREAMS
LOAD APC
LOAD REMOTE XXXXX
LOAD RSPX
LOAD PSERVER PSERVER1
LOAD MONITOR


I haven't updated the network numbers to the HEX rep of their IP counter
parts yet.

So,  does anyone have any ideas, comments suggestions???

TIA!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim O'Brien  -  Network Manager     | BITNET:    jobrien@umes
University of Maryland Eastern Shore| INTERNET:  jobrien@umes.umd.edu
----------------------- Safe Diving !! -------------------------------
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU