djc@duke.cs.duke.edu (David J. Cherveny) (12/08/90)
In the last couple of months, we have started using CUTCP, packet drivers
and the BYU Novell-packet diver interface to do TCP/IP Telnet from our Novell
workstations. It all works fine... most of the time.
Intermittently, a workstation will loose touch with the server and give
the good ole IGNORE, RETRY, ABORT message. Retrying does not help.
I've rebuilt the ni5210 driver with the DAN code turned off as it is known
to cause problems with Novell nets. I've heard the "free" version 2.1 BYU
code can cause some hangs, but I'm unwilling to pay for the 3.0 version just
yet.
Until recently, we thought it was just occuring on workstations using the
packet driver setup. However, recently, it has occured to NORMALLY CONFIGURED
workstations as well.
It seems to happen in rashes. Like for an hour all hell will break loose
then it will be quite for days then will happen again.
It does NOT happen to the STARLAN connected workstations.
We've used NETWATCH during these spells but haven't noticed anything unusual.
We are connected to a campus "backbone" network with a MAC level bridge.
It is starting to sound like a HW problem to me since unmodified workstations
are involved.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to proceed?
HW and SW Details:
DOS 4.0 on AT&T PCs
Micom/Interlan NI5210 cards in workstations
Novell 286 Netware SFT v2.15 rev c
NI5210 version 7 packet driver with DAN code OFF
BYU Novell-Packet driver interface V 2.1
CUTCP 2.2d
Network HW is Synoptics Lattice Net UTP from a 110 box.
David Cherveny
Duke University Medical Center
djc@hodgkin.mc.duke.edu (919)684-6804