NCP Clients Always Connect to FPNW Server on Startup

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51

SYMPTOMS

When you start a NetWare Core Protocol (NCP) client in a routed environment where there is a router between the client and the servers, the router always selects the Windows NT File and Print Services for NetWare (FPNW) server as its default server. This will occur even if there is a NetWare server with Reply to Get Nearest Server enabled and the FPNW server has Respond to Find Nearest Server Requests disabled. This may result in very poor response times for the NCP clients because the FPNW server can be many hops away and still be selected as the default server.

CAUSE

If you have not specified an internal IPX network number on the FPNW server, it will advertise itself on the IPX network number of the physical segment it is on. Netware servers must have an internal IPX network number, so they will always advertise on it. A router will see the SAP broadcasts from the servers and add entries to its list of available servers. The FPNW server will be at the top of the list, since the router thinks that it is zero (0) hops away. The router thinks this, since FPNW uses the physical segment's IPX network number and, therefore, appears to the to be on the same network as the router. The Netware server will be put lower on the router's list because the router thinks that it is one (1) hop away. The router thinks this because the Netware server uses its internal IPX network number and must logically route packets from the physical segment. Because the NCP client is on a remote segment, it will not get a response to its Get Nearest Server request. It will then send a General Service request. The router will respond to this with the first server in its list. As stated above, this will be the FPNW server. The NCP client will, therefore, always attach to it.

RESOLUTION

Specify a unique Internal Network Number on the FPNW server. Under Control Panel Network, on the Protocols tab, select NWLink IPX/SPX Compatible Transport. The router will then prioritize the servers in its list in the order the SAP broadcasts were received.