[comp.protocols.appletalk] Question on Devices not Detected by NBP lookups

domenikos@emass.enet.dec.com (George Domenikos) (03/14/91)

I have notice that NBPlookup call cannot detect certain devices on an
appletalk network. As an example I cannot detect Fastpath type 2 version
4.1.2 routers, although I have been able to detect earlier versions of
Fastpath. I can still detect ethergates. Some other devices that are
not detectable appear to be wellfleet routers, farallon star controllers,
and cisco routers.
Can any body help me on this as to how I can make my NBPlookup detect
the above entities. Or at least can any one from the respective companies
give me an idea as how can I detect those entities on my network.
Is this problem perhaps related to appletalk phase II?
In other words is there a different NBPlookup call to detect 
those specific devices.

thanks
george domenikos 

cremer@Apple.COM (Mike Cremer) (03/16/91)

In article <4133@ryn.mro4.dec.com> domenikos@emass.enet.dec.com
(George Domenikos) writes:
> [...]  Some other devices that are
>not detectable appear to be wellfleet routers, farallon star controllers,
>and cisco routers.
>Can any body help me on this as to how I can make my NBPlookup detect
>the above entities.

The problem is not with the devices or the protocol, per se.  NBP names
must be registered by the device on the network.  In the case of some of
the devices (if not all) that you mention, the devices are designed to
be network invisible (i.e. have no AppleTalk address) and consequently
cannot register an NBP name.  Hence, tools like Inter*Poll will not see
them.  This is true mostly of things like repeaters and star controllers
(whose main function is to expand the number of available nodes on
LocalTalk).  As far as the true routers are concerned, there is no
requirement that they register an NBP name, though many AppleTalk routers
do.  There is no real solution to your problem, short of some nasty
link-level polling (i.e. checking to see if anyone is at the address you
are interested in, and even this won't find repeaters).

Note that this is also true for Macintoshes that do not register any
services.  That is the reason for Responder (basically).  [didn't someone
ask about Responder a while back?]
Responder registers a name for the Macintosh corresponding to the
chooser name and machine type.  It provides no real services (except to
Inter*Poll) but it does allow network administrators to see Macintoshes
even though they have no "offical" service published (like AppleShare).

Basically, you cannot use NBP to locate devices unless that device has
registered an NBP name.

>thanks
>george domenikos 

For what it's worth, you're welcome. :-)

$mike cremer
apple network systems development

jerrys@canada.sbi.com (Jerry Simonowits) (03/19/91)

Just thought I would let you know that cisco routers do show
up when I run interpol.