March 10th 1997 Mirror Sites ![]() Download the Software Network Card Drivers ![]() Features User's Guide Help ![]() Search Distribution Rights Listserv Shareware Links ![]() Order the Software Help Us Promote NetSoft LAN Dealer Enquires Welcome Home Page | http://www.netsoft.ie/ CHAPTER 11 Inter-Networking and Packet RoutingInter-NetworkingInter-Networking is the term for connecting two or more networks. NetSoft LAN can inter-network any combination of hardware, using any cabling schemes. This chapter explains a number of ways to inter-network your machines.The basic procedure for inter-networking is simple. You merely assign a machine as a routing machine, (sometimes termed a gate-way), then load the network as normal, for whatever hardware you are using. The routing machine will be using two or more network cards. On this machine, you must load the appropriate drivers for each network card used. There is no limit to the number of routing machines used on the network. This gives you complete freedom in how you inter-connect your machines. This chapter assumes that you are familiar with the general installation process (i.e. loading drivers and changing the DOSNET.INI file parameters). Connecting a Parallel network to Serial networkBelow is a diagram showing three machines connected using two cables. Machine 1 is connected to Machine 2 using the parallel cable. Machine 2 is connected to machine 3 using the serial cable.![]()
Machine 1 Machine 2 Machine 3 DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM PARALLEL.COM PARALLEL.COM SERIAL.COM SERIAL.COM Machine 1 loads DOSNET.COM and PARALLEL.COM, Machine 3 loads DOSNET.COM and SERIAL.COM. Machine 2 is connected by both parallel and serial, so it loads DOSNET.COM, PARALLEL.COM and SERIAL.COM. On this network, all of the machines have access to one other. For example, machine 1 may use the hard disk or printer on machine 3. Machine 3 may use resources on machines 1 and 2 simultaneously (and so on). Machine 2 is known as a Routing Machine, as it is using two standards (parallel and serial), whereas machines 1 and 3 are using only one standard (parallel or serial). Machine 2 acts as a go-between for machines 1 and 3. This process means translating incoming parallel packets (destined for machine 3) to outgoing serial packets, and visa versa. Connecting a laptop to an Ethernet or Arcnet based networkTo connect a laptop to your Ethernet or Arcnet card-based network, install the card-based network as normal, then select any machine to be a laptop Routing Machine. The laptop's parallel or serial cable is connected to the Routing Machine's parallel or serial port, as shown below:![]()
The drivers required by the above machines are as follows: Machine 1 Machine 2 Machine 3 Machine 4 DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM ETHERNET.COM ETHERNET.COM ETHERNET.COM PARALLEL.COM PARALLEL.COM This example uses Ethernet and Parallel. If you wish to use Serial or Arcnet instead, substitute SERIAL.COM for PARALLEL.COM, and ARCNET.COM for ETHERNET.COM. NOTE The UserCount= parameter under the heading [setup], in the DOSNET.INI file, must be set to the total number of machines (including laptops) on the network. Connecting Arcnet to EthernetYou can inter-network an Arcnet based network with an Ethernet based network. To do this, assign one machine as a Routing Machine. This machine must have both an Ethernet and Arcnet card installed, as shown below:![]()
The drivers required by the above machines are as follows: Machine 1 Machine 2 Machine 3 Machine 4 DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM ETHERNET.COM ETHERNET.COM ETHERNET.COM ARCNET.COM ARCNET.COM Machine 5 DOSNET.COM ARCNET.COM On machine number 3, you must set the parameters under the headings [Arcnet-1] and [Ethernet-1], as that machine is using two standards. In this example, machines 1, 2 and 3 are using the NetSoft LAN NE1000/2000 ETHERNET.COM driver. You may inter-mix any of the Ethernet standards on these machines. Star topology Serial and Parallel networksNetSoft LAN allows up to four drivers of each kind to be loaded on each machine. This means that it is possible to connect five machines using 4 serial or parallel cables, creating a star topology network, as shown below:![]() In the above example, machine 5 loads the serial port driver 4 times (once for each connection). Again, all machines have full access to each other, through machine 5. The drivers required by the above example would be similar to the following: Machine 1 Machine 2 Machine 3 Machine 4 DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM DOSNET.COM SERIAL.COM SERIAL.COM SERIAL.COM SERIAL.COM Machine 5 DOSNET.COM SERIAL.COM SERIAL.COM SERIAL.COM SERIAL.COM On machine 5, you must configure the parameters in the DOSNET.INI file under the following headings: Machine 5 [Serial-1] [Serial-2] [Serial-3] [Serial-4] The settings include the IRQ=, Port= and Speed= parameters for each port used. NOTE If parallel is used instead of serial, change the settings under the heading [Parallel-x]. The packet routerThe packet router program (ROUTER.COM) is neither a client nor a server configuration. Its purpose is to act as a software bridge only. This means that machine number 5 below simply loads the ROUTER.COM program (instead of DOSNET.COM), and then loads the SERIAL.COM driver 4 times (once for each connection).![]()
The advantage of the router configuration is that it only requires about 5k of memory. In addition, it is non-dedicated. This means that the routing machine may be assigned to a non-network dedicated task (e.g. monitoring a telephone system), while performing all of the network routing in the background. NOTE Because a sole routing machine (a machine using ROUTER.COM) is not part of the network, do not include that machine in the count for the UserCount= parameter in the DOSNET.INI file. Routing TechnologyThe Routing Technology built into all NetSoft LAN configurations is very intelligent, it does not require setting up a hardware path showing how information is transferred from one machine to another.This means that you can move machines around, without concern about the hardware connection details. For example, a laptop machine may be connected to machine number 3 today, but may be moved to machine number 1 another day. The routing process is completely automatic. Routing fault toleranceOne of the most important features of NetSoft LAN's Routing Technology, is its ability to remember all connections if a machine is powered off. This means that if you connect to a server, and that server is powered off, you will still be connected when the server is powered back on.If you are accessing the server machine at the moment it was powered off, you may receive a DOS error message, similar to the following: General failure writing device ETH-NET1 This message is normal. When the server is back on-line, press R for Retry, and the Routing Technology will automatically re-connect you to the server. [Table of Contents] [Home Page] | |
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