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This appendix describes the use of the MacIPX software provided with WATCHER.
The MacIPX control panel lets you:
ï designate the Novell IPX network interface
ï change various parameters that MacIPX uses
Install MacIPX in the Control Panels folder inside the System Folder under System 7.
The MacIPX control panel resembles the Macintosh Network control panel. (See Figure A-1.) The control panel displays the network number and node number of the Macintosh on the selected interface.
If required, you can configure the MacIPX control panel to let your Macintosh send and receive IPX packets. The MacIPX control panel is delivered with default configuration settings that do not normally require changes.
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Figure A-1 MacIPX control panel
When you open MacIPX, the icons showing the network interfaces that are available on your Macintosh appear in the window. (Figure A-1 shows Ethernet, AppleTalk and Token Ring interfaces.) MacIPX automatically configures itself to use the first networking environment it detects when the Macintosh starts up. You can click one of the other icons to choose another network interface to use for sending and receiving IPX data.
Note: If the Macintosh is equipped with both an Ethernet card and a Token Ring card, MacIPX automatically chooses the Ethernet card and configures itself to that card's interface.
When you click a highlighted icon, a dialog box opens to let you set parameters for the particular network interface. (See Figure A-2.)
Note: Ethernet and Token Ring interfaces are handled in the same way, with equivalent parameters and options provided for either interface. Follow the procedures described in Selecting an AppleTalk Interface later in this chapter.
If you check Always Auto-Configure Frame Type, MacIPX will try to determine the appropriate packet frame type by listening to packets on the cable. This takes place when you start up your Macintosh. (When this box is checked, the radio buttons for the frame types are grayed out.)
Alternately, you can explicitly select a frame type if so desired. Uncheck Always Auto-Configure Frame Type and select one of the frame types by clicking its radio button. You can direct MacIPX to determine the appropriate frame type at any moment by clicking Auto-Configure Type Now. MacIPX will highlight various radio buttons in sequence until it finds the appropriate frame type.
Note: When multiple frame types are present on a network, MacIPX may not choose the frame type you require. In this case, uncheck Always Auto-Configure Frame Type box and select the appropriate frame type by clicking its radio button.
The dialog box always indicates the currently selected frame type.
From the MacIPX control panel you can set other parameters that affect MacIPX operation. Click Advanced Options to see the dialog box in Figure A-2.
This dialog box lets you modify parameters used by MacIPX to tune it to network environment.
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Figure A-2 MacIPX Parameters dialog box
You can modify the following MacIPX parameters. Do not change these parameters unless you have a good understanding of the aspects of network operations the parameters affect. If you set parameters improperly, you may adversely affect MacIPX and WATCHER's use of the IPX network.
Click this checkbox if you are not using any network management tools that require IPX diagnostic services.
Enter a value in this field to limit the maximum network packet size. This value cannot be greater than the maximum value supported by the physical network. Entering 0 allows MacIPX to determine for itself what value to use.
Click Restore Defaults to restore the parameter settings originally provided with MacIPX.
Click Cancel to close the dialog box without making any changes to parameters.
Click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes to the MacIPX parameters.
You can modify these SPX parameters:
Enter a value in this field to adjust the amount of time that SPX will wait without receiving any response from the other side of the connection before it terminates the session. The value is expressed in ticks. (There are 60 ticks in a second.)
Enter a value in this field to adjust the amount of time that SPX will wait without receiving any response from the other side of the connection before it starts requesting that the other side send back a packet. (It does this to ensure that the connection is still valid.) The value is expressed in ticks.
Enter a value in this field to adjust the frequency at which SPX sends packets to the other side of a connection to inform it that MacIPX is still alive. The value is expressed in ticks.
Enter a value in this field to specify the maximum number of times that SPX will attempt to retransmit a packet before determining that the packet cannot be send and thus to abort the connection.
Enter a value in this field to specify the minimum number of times that an SPX packet must be retransmitted.
You can modify these SAP parameters:
Enter a value in this field to specify the time that must elapse before a SAP query is retransmitted. The value is expressed in ticks.
Enter a value in this field to specify the number of times a SAP query is retransmitted.
Enter a value in this field to specify the number of buffers to handle responses returned from SAP queries.
You can modify this RIP parameter:
Enter a value in this field to specify the time that must elapse before a RIP request is retransmitted. The value is expressed in ticks.
You can specify an AppleTalk interface for MacIPX if required. For example, your Macintosh might be connected to the network with only a LocalTalk cable. The Macintosh can send IPX data encapsulated in AppleTalk packets. The encapsulated packets may be received at an IPX gateway on the AppleTalk network, which decapsulates them and routes the original IPX data to its destination in the IPX network.
When the Macintosh starts up and detects that it is connected to an AppleTalk networking medium like LocalTalk, it automatically tries to configure itself to use an available IPX gateway. You can select a different IPX gateway by clicking the AppleTalk icon in the MacIPX control panel.
In the dialog box that appears, click the zone name. A list of available gateways in the zone appears. Select a gateway by clicking on it. If the Always Auto-Select an IPX Gateway from the Selected Zone checkbox is checked, you don't have to select a specific gateway. Click OK to make your change.
The IPXNetStat desk accessory lets you monitor various aspects of the IPX, SPX, and SAP communications going on in your network. IPXNetStat displays information in tabular form, depending on the options you set by clicking on checkboxes.
To install IPXNetStat, copy it into the Apple Menu Items folder under System 7.
IPXNetStat has some options you can change to tailor it to your own situation. The following buttons, checkboxes and fields are available:
Click the checkbox and enter a period in the field. This determines how often MacIPX watches network activity.
Click the checkbox to stop MacIPX from watching for network activity automatically.
Click Update to check network activity and update the window.
Click Clear Stats to clear IPX and SPX statistics in the IPXNetStat window.
Click Print to print whatever appears in the IPXNetStat scrollable window.
IPXNetStat lets you monitor the following aspects of IPX communications by clicking the appropriate checkbox:
Lets you view the IPX configuration, containing items that include address values, or the MacIPX version number.
Lets you view the open IPX socket values.
Lets you view IPX statistics.
Lets you view IPX statistics that are still at zero.
Lets you view the physical address to which packets are sent for the network shown in the Net field.
Displays the IPX network number.
IPXNetStat lets you monitor the following aspects of SAP communications by clicking the appropriate checkbox:
Lets you view what IPX/SPX services are currently being advertised.
Click to perform a general query for the service type entered in the Type field. You can enter 0xFFFFF as a wildcard to include all service types.
IPXNetStat lets you monitor the following aspects of SPX communications by clicking the appropriate checkbox:
Lets you view the SPX configuration, containing items that include the timeout value, or the MacIPX version number.
Lets you view the active connections on the Macintosh. When the ID field is 0, all connections are shown. When the ID field is not 0, the session control block for that specific connection appears. When the Listeners checkbox is checked, connections waiting for incoming connection requests are also displayed.
Lets you view all the SPX connections that are waiting for incoming connection requests.
Lets you view SPX statistics.
Lets you view IPX statistics that are still at zero.
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