Mac2NCS Connections

This section contains Mac2NCS software troubleshooting information that is divided into three categories:

• Configuration Tips
• Troubleshooting Checkpoints
• Common Problems

If a problem that is general in nature occurs, the procedure described in Troubleshooting Checkpoints will help you isolate and resolve the problem. If a problem with a specific symptom occurs, refer to Common Problems.

Additional troubleshooting information is provided in the Mac2NCS README file.

Configuration Tips

We recommend the following guidelines for troubleshooting Mac2NCS connections:

• This product supports the stop bit settings of 1 and 2. It does not support a setting of 1.5.
• To ensure proper modem initialization, make sure that the modem script and the modem used on the server match. A mismatch might result in disconnection problems.
• If you anticipate using Mac2NCS for repeated transfers of extremely large files over a fast link, consider performing the following procedures:
  • Open the Control Panel within the System Folder, double-click the MACIPX icon, and select Advanced Options. Set the value of Default Retry Count in the SPX parameters box to 100 or another high value.
  • Ensure that the Ethernet driver is an Apple* built-in Ethernet driver that is version 1.01 or higher.
  • If the receiving device appears to fail between file transfers, insert a delay between the file transfers.

Troubleshooting Checkpoints

To isolate and resolve Mac2NCS connection problems, complete the following tasks:

• Make sure that your modem type is correctly identified in the Specific Name and General Name fields in the Chooser menu.
• Use the modem script supplied by your modem's vendor.
• Avoid setting software flow control if possible.
• If you must modify a vendor-supplied modem script, use the following guidelines:
  • Use the modem command AT&D0 to configure your modem to ignore the DTR lines.
  • Make sure the line rate (modem transmission speed over the phone wire) and the port rate (modem communication speed with a host computer) are not synchronized. Refer to Common Problems for examples of this issue.
  • If you modem stops responding when you try different speeds, check the availability of the port selection on the Chooser menu. If the port is not available, ask your system administrator to reset the port and restart your Macintosh.

Common Problems

This section discusses various symptoms of common problems related to Mac2NCS connections and the potential solutions.

You cannot use the Mac2NCS Chooser because of a Type 1 error.

There is a conflict between the Mac2NCS drivers and the drivers in your system. To use Mac2NCS, you must identify and remove the conflicting drivers. First, identify a basic set of drivers that allow Mac2NCS to function without the Type 1 error. All system drivers are located within the Extension or Control Panel folders of the System Folder. Move all nonessential Extension folder and Control Panel objects to different folders (Unused Extension and Unused Control Panel, for example). Restart your Macintosh system.

After you have established a basic set of functioning drivers, you can identify the conflicting driver by moving the unused objects back to their original folders until the Type 1 error reoccurs.

After you click Chooser Setup, a message states that no server was found or another error message appears.

Ensure that all modules are installed correctly and that the desired servers are accessible to your Macintosh. Open the remote access Mac Client folder (or diskette), open the Mac2NCS folder, drag the IPXNetStat application into the System Folder, and answer yes to the prompt. This adds IPXNetStat to the Apple menu. From the Apple menu, select IPXNetStat and enter 394 in the Query type field. A report of all the Novell Internet Access Server 4.1 servers accessible to your Macintosh appears. If IPXNetStat does not function properly, check the physical connection to the LAN and reinstall Mac2NCS.

If the desired server is accessible, reinstall Mac2NCS by clicking the Installer icon within the remote access Mac Client folder (diskette).

When you use a modem application, a message states that the attempt to use a remote access port has failed.

Verify port access by first clicking SetUp in the Mac2NCS Chooser. In the remote access Login window, enter your password and click Continue. The remote access Port Selection window appears. Ensure that the desired remote access port can be selected. Also, ensure that there are no other configuration errors. Exit the Chooser and try the modem application again. If the message appears, contact your system administrator.

Mac2NCS cannot detect a modem even though it is configured to use the modem.

Verify that the Redirect to LAN buttons in the Mac2NCS Chooser are set to On. Also, ensure that the serial port selected by the modem application matches the serial port selected by the Mac2NCS configuration.

You cannot dial out with Mac2NCS.

From the Chooser menu, select Mac2NCS. In AppleTalk Zones, select a zone. Click Setup and enter the User ID, Context, and password of a valid Novell Directory Services^TM (NDS^TM) user. Click Options and then select Server, General Name, and Specific Name. Click OK to return to the Chooser main menu. If the only option that appears is Any Available, there is a communication problem between the server and the workstation. Use NIASCFG on the server to troubleshoot the server configuration (parameter path: Select Configure NIAS > Protocols and Routing > Protocols > AppleTalk).

If the application you are using is Mac2NCS aware, set Redirect to LAN to Off in the Chooser. Within the application you are using, change Modem Port to Mac2NCS. If the application is not Mac2NCS aware, set Redirect to LAN to On. Within the application, change Mac2NCS to Modem Port.

Your modem application uses a stop bit setting of 1.5.

Most AIO drivers on the server do not use a 1.5 stop bit setting. Instead, use a stop bit setting of 1 or 2.

Your modem application uses a bps rate of 12,000, 14,400, 28,800, or 33,600.

Set the bps rate to the next highest rate. Supported bps rates above 9,600 are 19,200, 38,400, 57,600, and 115,200. For example, if you want to use a bps rate of 12,000, instead, use the next higher supported rate of 19,200.

Using a 14,400-bps V.32bis modem, you cannot establish a connection to Novell Internet Access Server 4.1.

Remove the AT-extended commands &Q0 and &M0 from the initialization script string. These commands instruct the modem to use Direct Asynchronous mode, which eliminates buffering and requires the line speed to match the port speed. Because remote access ports do not support 14,400 bps, a mismatch of port and line speed causes the connection attempts to fail. These problems do not occur on modems with 9,600-bps or lower ratings.

Clicking the Redirection On and Redirection Off buttons in the Mac2NCS Chooser interface does not change the Redirection setting. In addition, the diagnostic claims another application is still using the serial driver, but you cannot find this application in the Finder.

Restart your system. The serial driver was not closed properly by the last application using it.

As you attempt to establish a connection while using a client program from an online service or from a bulletin board software package, a message states that the modem does not respond properly.

This can be caused by mismatched modem types between the application and the remote access port. Ensure that the modem type used by the application matches the modem type configured for the remote access port. Also, ensure that the remote access port is not configured as a modem-independent port.

You do not want to use hardware flow control with a Bocamodem* 14,4000-bps V.32bis modem.

The remote access software initializes a Bocamodem 14,400-bps V.32 modem to use hardware flow control. If you do not want to use hardware flow control, send the modem the AT&K0 command to cancel the hardware flow control mechanism for the modem.

You have problems downloading large files from online services.

Make sure you have the latest version of the online service installed on your Macintosh.

You cannot see your Novell Internet Access Server 4.1 server on the Login window, but other servers are visible.

Your preferred server is not responding to the SAP query generated by Mac2NCS. Contact your network administrator.

You have selected 115,200 bps or 230,400 bps, but data transfer seems to be using a much lower rate.

Sometimes an application simply does not support these rates, even though the selection is available on the application's user interface. Contact your network administrator.

You cannot establish a connection to an online service or bulletin board using 14,400 bps or 28,800 bps.

The reason might be that the application does not support these rates, even though they appear on the application's user interface. Contact your network administrator. The solution is usually specific to a particular modem type.

One possible solution is to configure your online service software to use only a 9,600-bps or lower rate and then dial in to an online service that supports 9,600-bps or lower rates.