IPX Routing
IPX Routing |
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An IPX router must be able to propagate broadcast traffic in order for nonroutable protocols (such as NetBIOS), which rely on broadcast traffic, to function properly in an IPX internetwork. (NetBIOS relies on broadcast traffic to register and resolve NetBIOS names.) Support for the propagation of broadcast traffic across IPX routers is provided by a special IPX packet called the IPX WAN Broadcast or IPX Packet Type 20.
The IPX WAN Broadcast header is characterized by an IPX packet type of 0x14 (20 in decimal) and the IPX Destination Node address of 0xFF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF. IPX routers can be configured to either propagate or silently discard IPX WAN Broadcasts.
NetBIOS over IPX Broadcasts contain the IPX WAN Broadcast header.
In Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0 and earlier, Windows for Workgroups, or Windows 95 or Windows 98 networking, server, and workstation services using Server Message Blocks (SMBs) for file and print sharing communication can use NetBIOS over IPX or just IPX. The process of sending SMBs over IPX without NetBIOS is known as direct hosting.
IPX WAN Broadcasts are used for the following NetBIOS over IPX SMB–based networking processes:
IPX WAN Broadcasts are used for the following direct hosting SMB-based networking processes:
When direct hosting, an IPX over NetBIOS header is not used. Instead, the SMBs are sent directly over IPX. The Locate Server Name Query and Browser Host Announcement direct hosting messages are sent using an IPX WAN Broadcast without the corresponding NetBIOS fields.
Disabling the propagation of IPX WAN Broadcasts can impair the ability of Microsoft SMB–based computers to propagate browsing information, resolve names, and establish connections on an IPX internetwork.
Note
When you run the Routing and Remote Access Server Setup Wizard, the default settings for NetBIOS over IPX broadcast propagation are to accept and deliver broadcasts for the Internal interface and to accept but never deliver broadcasts for all LAN interfaces. In this default configuration, propagation of IPX broadcasts is disabled on the Windows 2000 router. To enable propagation, configure the appropriate LAN interfaces to always deliver NetBIOS over IPX broadcasts from the properties of the LAN interface in the IPX Routing\NetBIOS Broadcasts node in the Routing and Remote Access snap-in.