Configuring a LAN or WAN Board

Configuring, or reconfiguring, a board involves choosing a driver for the board, assigning a name to the board, and specifying values for the board parameters.

When you select and configure a LAN board, you are actually configuring one or more physical interfaces that correspond to individual connections over which packets are routed. Configuring a board causes the driver associated with the board to load each time you initialize the router.

Most drivers that are compatible with NetWare software have a driver description file that defines the hardware parameters necessary for the driver to operate with the board you select. This file---sometimes called the .LDI file ---also specifies the valid range of values for each parameter. If a driver has an .LDI file, the parameters associated with that driver are presented in the Board Configuration menu; you simply choose a value for each parameter. If a driver has no .LDI file, you must enter the required values in the Board Parameters field.

For information about selecting a WAN board and about the most current Novell-certified boards and drivers, refer to the Novell Labs WWW location http://labs.novell.com/infosys/mastr_06.htm.

How to Configure a LAN or WAN Board

To configure a board, complete the following steps:

1. Load NIASCFG, then select the following parameter path:

   Select Configure NIAS > Protocols and Routing > Boards

2. Do one of the following:

   If you are configuring a new board:

   • Press Ins to display the list of available drivers.
   • Scroll through the list of available drivers and select the driver that corresponds to the type of new LAN board you are installing in your system. If the driver you need is not in the list, refer to Adding a New Board Driver or NLM File to Your System.

   If you are changing an existing board configuration, select that board.

3. The Configured Boards screen is displayed.

   NOTE:  If you are doing a new configuration, no existing boards are shown. Otherwise, boards that have already been configured are shown.

   The Configured Boards screen displays a list of configured boards with some or all of the following information:

   • Board Name ---Name you assign to the board.
   • Driver ---Name of the driver associated with the board.
   • Int ---Interrupt request level (IRQ) used by the board.
   • IOAddr ---Base input/output port address for the board.
   • MemAddr ---Base memory address used by the board.
   • Slot ---Number of the slot where the board is installed.
   • Status ---Status of the board, which is Enabled by default.
   • Comment ---Any comments that you enter about the board or its configuration.

   NOTE:  Not every board-driver configuration requires all this information; in fact, some configurations require other, link-specific parameters that are not shown in the Configured Boards screen. These parameters are displayed in the Board Configuration menu, as described in the following steps.

   If the board driver has an .LDI file, the parameters you need to configure for the board are displayed as separate fields in the menu.

   If the board driver has no .LDI file, only the Board Name , Board Parameters , and Comment fields are provided as a means for entering the parameters manually.

4. Enter a name in the Board Name field; or, if needed, change the name of an existing board.

   You can use up to 10 alphanumeric characters for the board name.

5. Specify the board parameters by doing one of the following:

   If the driver selected has a description file, the parameters are listed as separate fields. You must highlight each field one at a time and select the appropriate value for the parameter from the displayed list.

   HINT:  Use the context-sensitive help text if you need an explanation of any parameter. Highlight the parameter and press F1 to display the help text. Press Esc to exit the help screen. When in doubt, accept the default values.

   If the driver selected does not have a description file, the Board Configuration Without A Driver Description File menu is displayed. You must type the parameters in the Board Parameters field; use the following as an example:

   PORT=300 INT=3

   These parameters are appended to the LOAD <driver> line.

   WARNING:  NIASCFG automatically manages frame types. Do not put a frame= option in the Board Parameters field.

6. Press Esc to return to the Configured Boards screen; save your changes when prompted.

   The Configured Boards screen now shows the board you just configured. Note that the board status is Enabled ; you can use the Tab key to toggle between Enabled and Disabled . To ensure that the board is loaded, continue with the next step.

7. Press Esc to return to the Internetworking Configuration menu; save your changes when prompted.

8. If you want these changes to take effect immediately, perform the following actions.

   LAN boards with a single network interface need no further configuration; however, an enabled driver is not loaded unless a protocol is bound to it.

   WAN boards also require that a data-link protocol be assigned and configured for each required port. This is done by selecting Network Interfaces in NIASCFG. Refer to the appropriate data-link protocol configuration section for information about configuring network interfaces.

   After a data-link protocol has been associated with the board, select Reinitialize System or restart the router to make the changes take effect. If there are any conflicts with the hardware parameters of other boards, one or more messages describe them. You must determine whether the conflicts are acceptable or whether they interfere with the operation of the router and, if necessary, resolve them.