SPX Troubleshooting

[DavePL]

We're wondering where to find a reference for troubleshooting problems with SPX?

We're having a hard time troubleshooting problems connecting to a Lotus Notes NT server, using SPX (frame type: ethernet_802.3).

Users have to logon to Novell first, but sometimes they can't find the notes server. Rebooting doesn't fix it, but sometimes the next day it starts working by itself!

We tried switching client software from Novell Client 3.x to Microsoft client. This fixed a printer sharing problem but not Notes.

The funny thing is everything worked up until 10/31/01, but on 11/01 half the people couldn't login to the Notes server.

We're hesitant to change our frame type or go to TCP/IP, since things have worked alright for a number of years as it is.

We would appreciate if someone may know where to look for SPX support, on using SPX on a Notes NT server.

 

[TheLad]

Why don't you just use IP for the Notes server? Notes runs a lot better (and quicker) over IP.

You wouldn't have to change your NetWare server ... -----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
-----------------------------------------------------

 

[DavePL]

Not everybody on the network has an IP address. (We can't use DHCP currently because of another subnet that has a DHCP server that would interfere.)
Right now we would rather not give everyone an IP address.

 

[TheBoySmith]

It could be a problem using 802.3

Try using 802.2 on the netware server. Only 802.2.

On the workstations set it to only use 802.2 frame type, not auto detect. There are issues with windows not being able to detect both frame types.

With it working on some days and not others this could be the issue. If I can find the TID about it I'll post it.

Lee Smith
Xenon Network Services
Snr. Technical Support
LSmith@xenon-uk.co.uk

 

[TheBoySmith]

Although not specific to your problem have a read of
TID 10021159 on support.novell.com Lee Smith
Xenon Network Services
Snr. Technical Support
LSmith@xenon-uk.co.uk

 

[DeanTX]

Did you specify an IPX network number on the workstations that is the same as what the Notes server is on?

I didn't understand why you won't use IP...DHCP broadcast packets are just that..they won't route over to another network..you should have any "conflicts" ?

If anything, you can set your DHCP scopes to be different..but then again DHCP broadcast packets don't route..they only broadcase to the .255, etc of the subnet the dhcp server is on...

NETIQ (from Sniffer Pro??) sells an SPX ping..can you SPX ping the Notes server ? Are you using autodetect frame types? Are you manually set to 10/100, etc ?

How's the server setup is it manual? Has the firmware on the switch that the server resides on been updated/ or changed recently ? What changed on the server from 10/31 to 11/1 ? What changed on the desktop side? Any new app installs ?

 

[DavePL]

Everything now is set to the 802.3 frame type, including the Novell and Lotus/NT server and the Win98 clients. We changed autodetect to manual (on the Notes server and clients) but that made no difference. Both servers have recent patches applied.

All the computers that can't login to Notes are newer and came with an OEM version of Windows 98. The problem can be fixed if we reformat the hard drive or delete the c:\windows directory and reinstall Win98 from the CD.
We would rather not reformat because the clients have a lot of specialized software. I started a new thread on this topic in the Lotus Notes/IBM forum.

 

[DeanTX]

Try the SPX ping.

This will verify whether it is the IPX/SPX protocol stack on the new Win98 machines or not. SPX ping itself.

Obviously a re-format puts back drivers/dlls that work, so you probably already know it's that...just which ones, that's hard to determine.

We standardize our builds, and have app servers that deploy our apps...we can re-image a machine in under 4 minutes... so even if they have apps, we deploy those with Zenworks...

Just a thought for the future...