Setting up IPX basic functionality

This topic discusses how to do the following:

• Enable IPX auto discovery

• Set your IPX internal network number

• Set your router type

• Turn on IPX diagnostic services

Carry out the following steps:

1. From scoadmin, select NetWare, then select the NetWare Setup utility.

2. Select IPX/SPX.

3. Select General.

   The ``General IPX/SPX Setup'' window appears.

4. Set the following variables as appropriate.

   • Basic. The Basic category shows the most commonly changed IPX and SPX variables:

     • Start IPX at Boot Time? ``Yes'' means IPX starts automatically when UnixWare is booted. ``No'' means IPX does not start automatically. If you choose not to start IPX, services such as NVT, NUC, NetWare Services, and NetWare printing will not run. The default is Yes.

     • Enable IPX Network Auto Discovery? ``Yes'' means auto discovery of the server's address is enabled. ``No'' means auto discovery is not enabled. If the ``IPX Internal Network Number'' variable has a value other than zero, auto discovery runs only once. The default is No.

     • IPX Internal Network Number. This variable provides a single network address for access from multiple LANs. Set this only if you have multiple LANs on your UnixWare system, or if you have installed NetWare Services. The address must be unique. ``0'' means no internal network is configured. Enter the values in hexadecimal, decimal, or octal format.

     • Router Type. You cannot have an internal network number or advertise services such as installation if you want to change the router type. This variable controls whether the SAPD (Service Advertising Protocol Daemon) starts and RIP advertises IPX networks.

       Click CLIENT if you have no services to advertise; SAPD does not start and RIP does not advertise. Use this option only if client access will be available from the UnixWare system, and you have a small network (no routers). Selecting this option cuts down on traffic.

       Click FULL if you want to advertise services; SAPD starts and RIP advertises. If the ``IPX Internal Network Number'' has a value other than zero, ``Router Type'' is set to FULL. This is the default.

     • Enable Diagnostics Services? This variable enables network management so that a node map can be created on a network-management console. ``Yes'' means IPX diagnostic queries are answered. ``No'' means diagnostic queries are ignored. The default is No.

     • Enable SPX Protocol? This variable specifies whether the SPX driver is started when the IPX protocol stack is started. SPX is a transport protocol that works with IPX to guarantee successful delivery of data packets across the network. IPX is a datagram service; SPX is a connection-based service. ``Yes'' means the SPX protocol starts when the IPX protocol starts. ``No'' means the SPX protocol does not start when the IPX protocol starts. Some NetWare services require SPX, for example, printing and NVT. The default is ``Yes''.

     • Enable SPX Network Remote Login (NVT)? This variable specifies whether NVT remote login services will be activated. ``Yes'' means the remote login services are activated. ``No'' means the remote login services are not activated. The default is ``Yes''.

     • Maximum SPX Connections. This variable specifies the maximum number of connections SPX can support. Small systems may want to decrease this variable to conserve kernel memory resources. If you will be using NetWare print services, allow enough connections for print services, printers, and other NetWare servers serviced by the print server. Systems configured for NVT will need to increase this number since NVT uses SPXII for its underlying protocol. Increase this number if connections are failing because no more devices or sockets are available. The default is 100.

     • Maximum SPX Listening Sockets. This variable specifies how many sockets SPX can use simultaneously when listening for connection requests from other end points. This variable is configurable so that small systems can efficiently use allocated memory for optimal system performance. Increase this variable if applications are failing because listening sockets cannot be opened. The default is 50.

   • Advanced. The Advanced category shows and allows you to change the less commonly used IPX variables:

     • IPX Maximum Hops. This variable specifies the maximum number of routers that may be traversed while searching for the destination network. Packets with a hop count equal to the value are dropped. The default is 16.

     • Number of IPX Router Hash Buckets. This variable specifies the number of hash entries in the Router Information Table. Increase this number if a large number of networks is visible from the local network on which the router/server resides. We suggest that every five to ten networks require a hash bucket. The default is 512.

5. Click OK.