Using Novell's ODI Drivers with Windows for Workgroups

• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.1

The following article contains information about using Windows for Workgroups with third-party products or configurations that have not been tested and are not supported by Microsoft.

If the steps or procedures described in this article do not function properly, use a supported configuration or contact the manufacturer of the third-party product for more information.

SUMMARY

Some Novell NetWare network-based applications require the Novell open data-link interface (ODI) transport/media-access-control drivers to operate. Windows for Workgroups version 3.1 uses MSIPX to emulate IPX and does not support Novell's ODI drivers. Novell has developed a workaround using ODINSUP.COM to enable the ODI drivers with Windows for Workgroups.

Microsoft can ensure connectivity between Windows for Workgroups version 3.1 and Novell NetWare only while running MSIPX.COM. If Novell's procedure for enabling the ODI drivers does not work, contact Novell Technical Support for more information or possible solutions.

NOTE: Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 works well with Novell NetWare. You must have ODI working first. If you have ODI working and connecting to your Novell server, all you need to do under Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 is add ODI support to your Network Setup (no MSIPX is needed).

The remainder of this article applies to Windows for Workgroups 3.1 only.

MORE INFORMATION

While the specification of Windows for Workgroups version 3.1 is MSIPX, an exclusively NDIS-compliant protocol, Novell's ODINSUP.COM, allows NDIS protocol stacks to run unmodified over the ODI LSL and talk to an ODI LAN driver. Novell's LSL can be accessed by adding the ODINSUP driver. Novell makes these files available on its bulletin board service (BBS) and in the Novell CompuServe forum. The current filename is DOSUP7.ZIP; however, it may change from time to time. Contact your Novell service person or the Novell CompuServe forum for more information on availability.

Below are the steps to configure Windows for Workgroups 3.1 using an NE2000 network card with Novell's ODINSUP driver. The modified configuration files include the following:

   CONFIG.SYS
   AUTOEXEC.BAT
   NET.CFG
   PROTOCOL.INI

Before You Begin

Since this configuration requires the Novell IPXODI drivers, you must have your machines set up and attached to a Novell server using IPXODI.COM at MS-DOS before proceeding to the "Setup Instructions" below.

Be sure to back up your AUTOEXEC.BAT file so that you can restore this configuration later if necessary.

Setup Instructions

1. Install Windows for Workgroups with your network card and Novell NetWare as a secondary network.

2. Edit the CONFIG.SYS file and remove or remark out the following lines:

         DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\<NE2000.DOS>
         DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\MSIPX.SYS
   

   NOTE: If you are using a different network card, the NDIS network card driver (<NE2000.DOS> in the above example) will be different.

3. Edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file as follows.

   a. Remove or remark out the following lines:

            C:\WINDOWS\NET START
   
         -and-
   
            C:\WINDOWS\MSIPX.COM
   
      b. Verify that your AUTOEXEC.BAT contains these lines:
   
            C:\<PATH>\LSL.COM
            C:\<PATH>\<your netcard's ODI MAC driver>.COM
            C:\<PATH>\ODINSUP.COM
            C:\WINDOWS\Net Start Netbind
            C:\<PATH>\IPXODI.COM
            C:\<PATH>\NETX.EXE
   
   

4. Edit the NET.CFG file and verify that it contains the following lines. If these lines don't exist, add them to the appropriate sections of the NET.CFG file. If you do not have a NET.CFG file, create one using a text editor (such as Microsoft Windows Notepad), and save it in the directory that LSL.COM is executed from.

         PROTOCOL ODINSUP
             BIND NE2000
             BUFFERED
         LINK DRIVER NE2000 <== where NE2000 is the filename of your
                                   netcard's ODI driver>
             INT n        <== where "n" is the one-digit interrupt number
             MEM nnnnn    <== where "nnnnn" is the five-digit memory address
             PORT ###     <== where "nnn" is the three-digit I/O port address
             FRAME ETHERNET_802.2
             FRAME ETHERNET_802.3
             FRAME ETHERNET_II
             FRAME ETHERNET_SNAP
             PROTOCOL IPX 0 ETHERNET_802.3
   
      NOTE: if you've been using ODI to attaching to a Novell server at
      DOS and you haven't specified the INT, MEM, PORT, DMA, SLOT, etc.,
      parameters in the NET.CFG file, you probably don't need to add them
      now. However, depending on the ODI MAC driver (Novell refers to
      this as the "MLID") you are using, you may need to place the INT,
      MEM, PORT, etc., lines after the FRAME lines. Additionally, list
      your network's frame type FIRST in the list of "FRAME
      ETHERNET_xxxx" entries. (This probably will be "ETHERNET_802.3"
      or "ETHERNET_II.")
   
   

5. Edit the PROTOCOL.INI file as follows:

   Replace the "BINDINGS=" lines in the [MS$NETBEUI] and [IPX$] sections with the Novell ODI MAC driver (MLID) as follows:

         [MS$NETBEUI]
         DRIVERNAME=NETBEUI$
         SESSIONS=10
         NCBS=32
         ;BINDINGS=MS$NE2000  <== NDIS MAC driver, NE2000.DOS
         BINDINGS=NE2000      <== ODI MLID, NE2000.COM
         LANABASE=1
   
         [IPX$]
         DRIVERNAME=IPX$
         MEDIATYPE=NOVELL/ETHERNET
         ;BINDINGS=MS$NE2000  <== NDIS MAC driver, NE2000.DOS
         BINDINGS=NE2000      <== ODI MLID, NE2000.COM
   
   

   BINDINGS=x3C509

EXAMPLES

Below are samples of what modified CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, NET.CFG, and PROTOCOL.INI files look like if you are using Novell's ODINSUP driver.

CONFIG.SYS

FILES=30 BUFFERS=30 DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\PROTMAN.DOS /I:C:\WINDOWS DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\WORKGRP.SYS LASTDRIVE=P DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS STACKS=9,256

AUTOEXEC.BAT

PATH=C:\WINDOWS C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE LSL NE2000 ODINSUP C:\WINDOWS\NET START NETBIND IPXODI NETX SET TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP Q: LOGIN SUPERVISOR

NET.CFG

PROTOCOL ODINSUP BIND NE2000 BUFFERED LINK DRIVER NE2000 ;The following 4 lines are required with ODINSUP and ethernet cards.

   FRAME ETHERNET_802.3
   FRAME ETHERNET_802.2
   FRAME ETHERNET_II
   FRAME ETHERNET_SNAP

PROTOCOL.INI

[NETWORK.SETUP] VERSION=0X3100 NETCARD=NE2000,1,NE2000 TRANSPORT=MS$NETBEUI,MS$NETBEUI TRANSPORT=IPX,IPX LANA0=NE2000,1,IPX LANA1=NE2000,1,MS$NETBEUI [PROTMAN] DRIVERNAME=PROTMAN$ PRIORITY=MS$NETBEUI [NE2000] DRIVERNAME=NE2000 IOBASE=0X300 INTERRUPT=3 [MS$NETBEUI] DRIVERNAME=NETBEUI$ SESSIONS=10 NCBS=32 BINDINGS=NE2000 LANABASE=1 [IPX] DRIVERNAME=IPX MEDIATYPE=NOVELL/ETHERNET BINDINGS=NE2000

For additional information concerning Novell's ODINSUP.COM, contact Novell Technical Support at (800) 638-9273.

Novell NetWare and ODINSUP.COM are manufactured by Novell, a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.