Common Problems

This section lists various symptoms of common problems and the associated solutions.

• The NetWare Link/Frame Relay connection will not come up.

  Cause 1 ---Misconfiguration of protocol parameters.

  • Verify that there are no incompatible frame relay parameter settings (timers, counters, frame size, and so on) between the router and the attached network.
  • Verify that there are no incompatible router-to-router parameter settings (network and routing protocol options and so on) among peer routers.

  Cause 2 ---The router on the other end of the PVC is inactive.

  • Typically, the frame relay switch will not report that the DLCI is active until both end's link management protocols (LMI or Annex-D) are up and running; however, some ISPs can force the DLCI to become active, even though the router at the other end is not connected.
  • If the remote router is connected but the link will still not come up, then load NIASCFG to reduce the Status Poll Timer value by a few seconds (parameter path: Select Configure NIAS > Protocols and Routing > Network Interfaces > frame relay interface > Expert Configuration > Parameter Group Configuration).

  Cause 3 ---Misconfiguration of hardware options.

  • Verify that there are no incompatible hardware options (loopback, ESF, B8ZS, and so on) between the customer DSU/CSU (or modem) and network DSU/CSU (or modem).
  • Verify that there are no incompatible hardware options (clock source, electrical interface, cable wiring, and so on) between the network interface board and the customer DSU/CSU (or modem).
  • Verify that there are no incompatible hardware options (NRZ, NRZI, and so on) between the network interface board and the attached switch port.
  • Verify that there are no conflicting interrupt levels or shared memory locations among multiple network interface boards residing in the same PC.

  Cause 4 ---Hardware problems.

  Verify that there are no malfunctioning NICs, DSU/CSUs, and cables.

• There are problems with data corruption, parity errors, and server abends. Typically, the symptoms are intermittent.

  There is a network interface board or PC system timing incompatibility.

  Use Novell-approved hardware.

• There are CRC errors, transmission aborts, and link restarts.

  There are problems with the line noise/interference or signal attenuation. When line quality becomes unacceptable because of excessive errors, NetWare Link/Frame Relay issues disconnects. NetWare Link/Frame Relay recovers automatically (reestablishes the link) when link quality becomes acceptable again.

  Contact your ISP.

• DLCI status is inactive.

  If the DLCI status is inactive, decrease the status polling time several seconds in NIASCFG (parameter path: Select Configure NIAS > Protocols and Routing > Network Interfaces > Expert Configuration > Parameter Group Configuration > Status Polling Timer option).

  In FRCON, select the Virtual Circuits option to check the DLCI status.

  If the status is active, load FRTRACE and select REAL-TIME MONITOR. See the Load FRTRACE menu item.

• LMI and ANNEX-D settings don't match.

  Load FRTRACE, select the Real-time Monitor option, and view sent and received data. If the message unknown packets appears, load NIASCFG to verify that the LMI and ANNEX-D settings on the local and remote routers match (parameter path: Select Configure NIAS > Protocols and Routing > Network Interfaces > Parameter Group). These parameters manage the data link connection.

  If only one IPX packet is sent and received each time the routing software attempts to establish a connection, decrease the user data size so that it is equal to or less than the size used by the frame relay switch. Also, ensure that the user data size is equal to or less than the physical receive packet size.

• Unknown packets appear in FRTRACE.

  If the message unknown packets appears in the FRTRACE file, load NIASCFG to verify that the LMI and ANNEX-D settings on the local and remote routers match (parameter path: Select Configure NIASCFG > Protocols and Routing > Network Interfaces > Parameter Group). These parameters manage the data link connection.

• IPX link connects and then immediately disconnects.

  Load NIASCFG (parameter path: Select Configure NIAS > Protocols and Routing > Network Interfaces > frame relay network interface > Expert Configuration > User Data Size) to reduce the User Data Size parameter value. The User Data Size value should be less than or equal to the maximum limit supported by the frame relay switch and less than or equal to the Maximum Physical Receive Packet Size value on your router. Check with your frame relay provider for the frame relay switch value.