Delay While Establishing SPX II Connection

 Last reviewed: May 19, 1997
Article ID: Q163267
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51 and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51 and 4.0

SYMPTOMS

While establishing an SPX II connection, you may experience approximately a five second delay during the SPX session setup.

CAUSE

When establishing a SPX II session, you following these steps.

  • Client - SPX II Connection Request
  • Host - Extended SPX II ACK
  • Client - Negotiate Size Request
  • Host - Extended SPX II ACK (Negotiate Size ACK)
  • Host - Session Setup/Negotiate Size
  • Client - Extended SPX II ACK (Negotiate Size ACK)

When Windows NT sends the last Client ACK, it does not require an ACK to be returned (does not turn on the acknowledge bit). The server, in these cases, is waiting for a packet that requires an ACK to start transmission. Apparently, during the session setup phase of SPX II, it is OK to require that all packets have the ACK bit set. Because the client did not require an ACK on the last packet of the negotiation, the Novell server does not start sending data, as we would normally expect it to. Instead, we timeout the NWLNKSPX Parameter for KeepAliveTimeout (which defaults to 12), which is a measurement in half seconds. This is the delay before a packet that requires an ACK is sent, and this starts the server going again.

Sample Trace of an SPX II Connection with This Failure

Time Src MAC Addr Dst MAC Addr Protocol Description 

0.245  Client        The Server   ConCtrl = 0xCC, DtaStrm = 0x00, 0xE3A0 ->
0xFFFF 
0.247  The Server    Client       ConCtrl = 0x8C, DtaStrm = 0x00, 0x235C ->
0xE3A0 
0.249  Client        The Server   ConCtrl = 0xCC, DtaStrm = 0x00, 0xE3A0 ->
0x235C 
0.252  The Server    Client       ConCtrl = 0x8C, DtaStrm = 0x00, 0x235C ->
0xE3A0 
0.270  The Server    Client       ConCtrl = 0xCC, DtaStrm = 0x00, 0x235C ->
0xE3A0 
0.270  Client        The Server   ConCtrl = 0x8C, DtaStrm = 0x00, 0xE3A0 ->
0x235C 
6.223  Client        The Server   ConCtrl = 0xC8, DtaStrm = 0x00, 0xE3A0 ->
0x235C 
6.224  The Server    Client       ConCtrl = 0x88, DtaStrm = 0x00, 0x235C ->
0xE3A0

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. We are researching this problem and will post new information here as it becomes available.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces): 

   S E R V P A C K

Additional query words: prodnt Silent RIP

Keywords : kbbug3.51 kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 kbfix4.00.sp3 kbnetwork NTSrvWkst
Version : 3.51 4.0
Platform : WinNT
Resolution Type : kbservicepack

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Last reviewed: May 19, 1997
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