Routing IPX over Ethernet

UPDATE: August 27, 1999

SUMMARY:

To route IPX over Ethernet all one has to do is set the IPX network number and the framing type to the ethernet port. Once done save the configuration and reboot the unit to load the IPX module.
But first you must get the IPX external network number / framing type for the ethernet backbone the PortMaster will be connected too. It is also necessary to enable RIP (routing protocol) since IPX protocol use gateways very well. 

set ether0 ipxnet [IPX network number]
set ether0 ipxframe [_802.3, ethernet_802.2, ethernet_ii, 
    ethernet_802.2_ii]
set routing on
save all
reboot

BEFORE YOU START:

1 - Set ethernet up for IP.
This is generally a good idea even if you don't plan to use TCP/IP on your network as it will allow you to administer the PortMaster  (TM) using PMConsole/PMVision or telnet. If you are not connecting to the Internet you can use the IP network address space designated as internal network numbers by RFC1597. 

set address [ip address for ethernet interface]
set gateway [ip address of primary gateway router
if one exists]

2 - Obtain external IPX network number.
This is the IPX network number of the ethernet segment to which you are connecting the PortMaster. 

The IPX network number is an 8 digit hexadecimal number. If you are not using a Novell system you may choose any IPX network number you like. Many people tend to convert their IP network numbers to hex and use those if running both IP and IPX.

If you are running a Novell file server then you will want to get the "external" IPX network number for the Novell server's "autoexec.ncf" file. This file can be 2 from the system console using the install.nlm module. 

load install.nlm

NOTE: The external network number is the net = xxxxxxxx bound to the ethernet adapter using the "BIND" command. You do not want server's internal network number.

3 - Obtain the ethernet framing type associated with the IPX network number. When using a Novell server this information is generally found in the 'autoexec.ncf' file with the IPX network number.

The PortMaster will accept the following IPX framing types.

  • ethernet_802.3
  • ethernet_802.2
  • ethernet_ii
  • ethernet_802.2_ii

CONFIGURING FOR IPX ROUTING ON ETHERNET:

1 - Set the IPX network number 

Command> set ether0 ipxnet feedfefe
ether0 IPX network changed from 00000000 to feedfefe

2 - Set the IPX ethernet framing type 

Command> set ether0 ipxframe ethernet_802.3
ether0 IPX frame type set to ethernet_802.3

3 - Enable the RIP routing protocol 

Command> set routing on
ether0 routing changed from on (broadcast,listen) 
to on (broadcast,listen)

4 - Save configuration and reboot the PortMaster.

This is required to load the IPX portion of the Operating system. 

Command> save all
Command> reboot

At this point your ethernet port configuration should look similar to the following: 

Command> show ether0
  Ethernet Status: IP - Enabled IPX - Enabled

   Interface Addr: 192.168.1.3
          Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Broadcast Address: 192.168.1.0

      IPX Network: FEEDFEFE
   IPX Frame Type: ETHERNET_802.3
 Ethernet Address: 00:c0:05:01:02:01

          Routing: Broadcast, Listen (On)
     Input Filter:
    Output Filter:

DEBUGGING TOOLS:

  1. Common IPX socket numbers
  2. IPX packet tracing
  3. 'show sap' to show services table
  4. 'show ipxroute' to show ipx routing table

TROUBLESHOOTING:

Can't see IPX over link or can't get a SLIST of Netware servers.
1 - List the IPX routing table.
You should see a list of IPX routes and where they are being routed to.

Command> show ipxroute
Network   Gateway               Flag Met Ticks Interface
--------  --------------------- ---- --- ----- ---------
00001701  95C60100:0080AD06A39A ND    2    2   ether0
95C60800  95C60100:00C005000792 ND    2    2   ether0
95C60100  95C60100:00C005010923 NL    1    1   ether0

Key to Routing Table Flags.

2 - If the first entry has 'NS' flags (standing for network static) then reset your IPX gateway. Rarely if ever will you want to set an IPX gateway.

NOTE: After resetting the IPX gateway you have to reboot to clear the routing table.

Command> show ipxroute
Network   Gateway               Flag Met Ticks Interface
--------  --------------------- ---- --- ----- ---------
00000000  00000008:00C005001C19 NS     1   0   ether0
00000008  00000008:00C005001C19 NLC    1   1   ether0
0A000100  0A000100:00C005001C19 NLC    1   1   ether1
Command> set ipxgateway 00000000:000000000000
IPX gateway reset
Command> save all
Command> reboot

3 - Show SAP table and check for entries coming from other side. The "Interface" column will show where the SAP packet came from. Over the WAN network, over the ethernet or from itself.

Command> show sap
Server     Svc  Network  Host         Sock Hops Interface
---------- ---- -------------------------- ---- ---------
tie        5F2 000000AA:00C0050101B2:066B   1   ptp1
ywing      5F2 00000008:00C0050161A7:066B   1   ether0
xwing      5F2 00000008:00C00501200E:066B   1   ether0
falcon     5F2 000000AA:00C005021D12:066B   1   ptp1
calamari   5F2 00000008:00C005001C19:066B   0   Internal

If you see SAP's from the other side then you have your 0 configured correctly.

4 - Double check configurations and set up IPX packet trace and see exactly what the packets are doing.