----------------------------------------- README File for the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol %VER 1.1 ----------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION ============ This file should be read first. It is part of the documentation for the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol (NBP). It includes a reader's guide to the other documentation files included on disk in this release, as well as installation instructions. READER'S GUIDE ============== README This file contains a list of the documentation files that discuss the 3Com NetBIOS protocol, its parameters, and tuning strategies. It also contains detailed installation instructions. DOSTUNE.TXT This file contains "Tuning DOS Netstations Using the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol," a simplified guide to tuning the performance and memory consumption of DOS netstations using NBP. OS2TUNE.TXT This file contains "Tuning OS/2 Servers and Netstations Using the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol," a simplified guide to tuning the performance and memory consumption of OS/2 servers and netstations using NBP. PARMS.TXT This file contains "3Com NetBIOS Protocol Parameters," a detailed description of all parameters used by NBP. This guide is intended for network administrators and installers. Others will generally find the tuning guides (DOSTUNE.TXT and OS2TUNE.TXT) sufficient. ERRORS.TXT This file contains "3Com NetBIOS Protocol Error Messages," a description of all error messages generated by NBP and suggestions on how to resolve them. INSTALLATION ============ If you received any 3+Open update diskettes along with this release, install them first. This file will attempt to guide you through the process of upgrading your server to the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol (NBP) but it won't be able to cover everything, so you should consult the 3+Open LAN Manager Installation and Setup Guide where necessary. There are three steps to installing the NBP software: 1. Installing the NBP software on the server 2. Setting up the server to use NBP 3. Setting up the clients to use NBP Step 1: Installing the NBP software on the server ------------------------------------------------- The server must be up and running. You must either be on the server machine or be running an OS/2 client netstation with access to the server. While you can perform Step 1 from a client netstation, Step 2 requires that you be on the actual server machine (unless you have a 3Server386--see instructions at the end of this section). You must have Admin capability on the server. If the server is running with share-level security the following steps may be necessary: i) On the server, type NET SHARE ADMIN$ ii) On the netstation, type NET USE \\server\ADMIN$ where "server" is the name of the server to be used. Insert the NBP Pre-Release Update diskette into a floppy drive. Make that drive current (e.g., type A:). Type INSTALL to run INSTALL.CMD. Press Enter when prompted to "Press any key to continue." This will run the 3SIS.EXE program to accomplish Step 1. When the program has loaded, you will see the Server Selection dialog box. There should be a list of servers displayed below the cursor. You can either type the server name (preceded by "\\") or press Tab to move the cursor to the selection list, scroll through the list with the cursor keys, and press Space to highlight the correct server. Press Enter. You should see a message confirming that the current server has been changed. Press Enter again. There will be a pull-down menu along the top of the screen. The Operations menu will automatically drop down, highlighting the Install a Service command. To select this command, just press Enter. You will be prompted for the path to the OS/2 configuration file. Normally this will be C:\CONFIG.SYS, which will be displayed as the default. If correct, just press Enter. Otherwise, type in the complete path and filename and press Enter. You will be prompted for the drive to read the installation files from. The default will be A:. If the NBP diskette is in drive A:, then just press Enter. If not, type in the correct drive (for example, B:) and press Enter. The Install Service dialog box will be displayed. Again, you can either type in the name or select 3+Open NBP Pre-Release from the list by pressing Tab, using cursors, and pressing Space to highlight. Press Enter. You will be asked to confirm this selection. Press Enter again. The files will now be copied to the server. This may take a little while. Eventually you will see an Operation Completed window. Press Enter to confirm. Press F3 to quit 3SIS. The INSTALL.CMD batch file will now automatically run SETUP.CMD to continue with Step 2. If you have installed the NBP files from within 3SIS without using the INSTALL.CMD file, you can continue with Step 2 by running the SETUP.CMD batch file in the root of the NBP diskette. If the server you are upgrading is a 3Server386, you will have to break out of the batch file at this point. Press and hold the Ctrl key while you press Break when you are prompted to "Press any key to continue." For Step 2 to work, the NETSETUP program must be run on the server. Since the 3Server386 does not normally have a keyboard or video display, you will have to use a 3C connection to do this. If you are unsure how to set up a 3C connection, refer to the 3+Open for 3Servers Installation and Setup Guide. Once you have done this, you can restart the installation process at Step 2 by running SETUP.BAT. Continue with Step 2. You will need to run the NETSETUP program on the server itself--you cannot use NETSETUP to update the server remotely. If you have run 3SIS remotely to update the files on the server, you will have to break out of the INSTALL.CMD file at this point and restart the process by running SETUP.CMD on the server. Step 2: Setting up the server to use NBP ---------------------------------------- The NBP files have been copied to the server. You will now need to use the NETSETUP.EXE program to change the protocol from what is currently installed to NBP. Note: If you are currently running the XNS protocol stack and ---- switching over to NBP, you should note that NBP does not require the locator service which you have installed on one of your machines. At this point you may wish to use NETSETUP on that machine to remove the locator service. If you wish to upgrade clients from the server over the network, you should not reboot that machine until you have done so. Refer to the 3+Open LAN Manager Installation and Setup Guide for details. Before proceeding you may want to ensure that you have the following information about the server: i) The location of the 3+Open software on the server (generally C:\ in a 3OPEN subdirectory) ii) The location of the system initialization files (usually C:\CONFIG.SYS and C:\STARTUP.CMD) iii) The network adapter installed in the target machine as well as any switch settings needed. iv) The amount of memory installed in the machine. When NETSETUP starts, it will explain its function and a line "OK - Continue" will be highlighted. To confirm that you want to run the program, press Enter. The Main Menu will be displayed. You will be presented with a small selection list. One of the items will be Modify Configuration Settings. Use the cursor up and down keys to highlight it, and then press Enter. At this point you will go through a number of screens to specify various configuration parameters. One of these screens will allow you to change to the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol. Since you have already run NETSETUP once, you may not have to change the information on many of these screens. If you want to skip a screen and proceed to the next, just press F5. It is recommended that you check the information on each screen before doing this, since F5 confirms what is displayed. If the information must be supplied, you will be prompted to enter it. You will be prompted for the path to the 3OPEN directory. The default is normally C:\3OPEN. If this is correct, just press F5. Otherwise type in the actual path to the 3OPEN directory and press Enter. You can use the cursor left and right keys, Backspace, Insert and Delete to edit the path as you are typing it. You will be prompted for the locations of the system initialization files. The defaults for these will usually be C:\CONFIG.SYS and C:\STARTUP.CMD. NETSETUP will change these files to alter the configuration. If these values are correct, just press F5. If not, you can move from field to field with the Tab and Backtab keys and edit the fields as above. When you are ready, move the cursor to the "OK - Continue" line with the Tab key and press Enter. Next you will specify the server type, either concurrent or dedicated. The default should be the way the server is currently set up. Press F5. The next screens prompt you to fill in the computer and user names. Press F5 if the information on screen is correct. Next you will be prompted for the server security level, either user security or share security. The default should be the way the server is currently set up. Press F5. Next you will be asked to assign an administrator password. Press F5 if you don't want to change it. Next you will be prompted for the 3+Open home server for the netstation you are on. Type in the name of the server you are administering and press Enter twice (F5 won't work here). Then you will be prompted for the home server security type, either user security or share security. Select it with the cursor keys (the default is not necessarily correct so check it) and press Enter. Various parameters for the server will be set up with values which depend upon the amount of memory in the server. Since you may be administering the server remotely, the program cannot determine these itself, so F5 will not work here. Type in the amount of memory into the first box and any memory you want to reserve for other applications into the second box and press Enter. Finally, you will be prompted for the communications protocol, which is what you want to change. One of the entries in the list should be Host-Based NBP. Select it and press Enter. At this point some files will be copied. Then you will be prompted for the network adapter to use on the server. The selection highlighted should be the currently configured adapter. If you don't need to change it, just press F5. Otherwise, select the adapter from the list and press Enter. You may then be prompted for some additional parameters specifying switch settings on the adapter hardware (the program won't remember these from the previous installation). Certain adapters require these settings, others don't. Refer to your adapter documentation for details. The server setup is now complete. A command to Return to Main Menu will be highlighted. Press Enter. Select Quit Installation and Setup Program and press Enter to exit the program. The server has now been modified to use the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol stack. If you reboot the server now, it will start running with NBP. However, if you wish to upgrade any client stations over the network, you should do so now, while the server is still running the original protocol stack. Step 3: Setting up the clients to use NBP ----------------------------------------- At this point, the server has been reconfigured to use the NBP. Until it has been rebooted, however, the server will continue to operate with the protocol it was previously configured with. While the server is in this intermediate state, you can update client stations to use the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol by running NETSETUP off the server. This way you won't have to carry the update diskette around from station to station. However, floppy boot diskettes can be still be created directly on the server. Refer to the 3+Open LAN Manager Installation and Setup Guide for details. You will use the NETSETUP program to configure a target machine. The target machine is the machine you are configuring, which need not be the machine you are sitting in front of while executing the NETSETUP program. You may be creating a boot floppy that will later be used on another machine. Or you may be configuring another server remotely. Remember to answer the questions asked by NETSETUP for the target machine. Before proceeding, you may want to ensure that you have the following information about the target machine: i) Whether the target machine is running DOS or OS/2, and if DOS, what version is being used (3.1/3.2, 3.3/3.31 or 4.0) ii) Where the 3+Open software is currently installed on the target machine (generally A:\ or C:\ in a 3OPEN subdirectory) iii) Where the 3+Open software is installed on the server (e.g., C:\) iv) The home server and security level for the target machine v) The network adapter installed in the target machine as well as any switch settings needed vi) Whether the machine has a color or monochrome display vii) Whether or not the 3Com DOS Maximizer/386 is being used viii) If the machine is an OS/2 netstation, how much memory it has To run the NETSETUP program remotely, you must be logged in as a network administrator and must have Admin capability on the server. If the server is running with share-level security, the following steps may be necessary: i) On the server, type NET SHARE ADMIN$ ii) On the netstation, type NET USE \\server\ADMIN$ where "server" is the name of the server to be used. You will need access to the root directory of the hard disk where the 3+Open software is installed (usually the server's C: drive). Assuming you have administrator access, the following will link the F: drive to the root directory of drive C: on the server: NET USE f: \\server\C$ The resource C$ is shared automatically by the 3+Open server. There will be similar shared resources (D$, E$, etc.) for each hard disk partition on the server. You should link to whichever partition the 3+Open software was installed on. No password should be necessary. Make this drive current, switch to the \3OPEN\SERVER\LANMAN\NETPROG subdirectory and run NETSETUP.EXE. For example: F: CD \3OPEN\SERVER\LANMAN\NETPROG NETSETUP When NETSETUP starts, it will explain its function and a line "OK - Continue" will be highlighted. To confirm that you want to run the program, press Enter. At this point, the process diverges based on whether the target machine is running DOS or OS/2. Follow the instructions in the appropriate section. Step 3.1: Setting up a DOS client to use NBP -------------------------------------------- The Main Menu will be displayed. You will be presented with a small selection list. One of the items will be Install LAN Manager software; it will be highlighted. Press Enter to select it. Another selection list will appear, asking you to specify whether the target machine is an OS/2 Netstation or a DOS Netstation. Select DOS Netstation from the list with the cursor keys and press Enter. You will now be prompted for the source and target paths for the installation. The source path is the server directory from which you will be copying the newly installed files; F:\ in the above examples. The target path is the local disk where the 3+Open software is to be installed, usually C:\. Type in the correct source and target paths, press Tab until the cursor is on "OK - Continue," and press Enter. Since you are updating an already installed machine, you will be prompted to confirm this fact. Just press Enter. A number of files will be copied from the server. You will be prompted for the communications protocol to use. One of the selections will be Host-Based NBP. Move the cursor to it and press Enter. More files will be copied. You will be asked what network adapter is installed in the local machine. Select the correct adapter from the list and press Enter. You may then be prompted for some additional parameters specifying switch settings on the adapter hardware (the program won't remember these from the previous installation). Certain adapters require these settings, others don't. Refer to your adapter documentation for details. Next you will be prompted for the 3+Open home server for the netstation you are on. Type in the name of the server you are administering and press Enter twice (F5 won't work here). Then you will be prompted for the home server security type, either user security or share security. Select it with the cursor keys (the default is not necessarily correct so check it before you press F5) and press Enter twice. You will be prompted for the DOS version being used. Select the DOS version (4.0; 3.3 or 3.31; 3.1 or 3.2) being used. The default may not be correct, so be sure to check before pressing Enter. Next you will be prompted to specify whether the video monitor is color or monochrome. Select the correct answer with the cursor keys and press Enter. If you wish to install the 3Com DOS Maximizer/386, you will do so now. Select No if you do not need to make use of this feature. Press Enter. You will be asked whether or not to install the Messenger Service. Answer No, since the Messenger Service is not supported in this pre-release. Press Enter. The DOS client setup is now complete. A command to Return to Main Menu will be highlighted. Press Enter. Select Quit Installation and Setup Program and press Enter to exit the program. The client has now been modified to use the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol stack. Once you have updated all the clients, you can reboot the server and all the clients to start using NBP. Step 3.2: Setting up an OS/2 client to use NBP ---------------------------------------------- The Main Menu will be displayed. You will be presented with a small selection list. One of the items will be Modify Configuration Settings. Use the cursor up and down keys to highlight it and then press Enter. You will be prompted for the path to the 3OPEN directory. The default is normally C:\. If this is correct, just press F5. Otherwise type in the actual path to the 3OPEN parent directory and press Enter. You can use the cursor left and right keys, Backspace, Insert and Delete to edit the path as you type it. You will be prompted for the locations of the system initialization files. The defaults for these will usually be C:\CONFIG.SYS and C:\STARTUP.CMD. NETSETUP will change these files to alter the configuration. If these values are correct just press F5. If not, you can move from field to field with the Tab and Backtab keys and edit the fields as above. When you are ready, press F5. Next you will specify the server type, either concurrent or dedicated. The default should be the way the server is currently set up. Press F5. The next screens prompt you to fill in the computer and user names. Press F5 if the information on screen is correct. Next you will be prompted for the server security level, either user security or share security. The default should be the way the server is currently set up. Press F5. Next you will be prompted for the 3+Open home server for the netstation you are on. Type in the server's name (this may not be the server you are currently linked to) and press Enter twice. Then you will be prompted for the home server security type, either user security or share security. Select it with the cursor keys (the default is not necessarily correct so check it) and press Enter. Various parameters for the OS/2 client will be set up with values which depend upon the amount of memory installed. Type the amount of memory into the first box and any memory you want to reserve for other applications into the second box and press Enter (F5 will not work here). Finally, you will be prompted for the communications protocol, which is what you want to change. One of the entries in the list should be Host-Based NBP. Select it and press Enter. Next you will be prompted for the network adapter to use on the target machine. The selection highlighted should be the currently configured adapter. If you don't need to change it, just press F5. Otherwise, select the adapter from the list and press Enter. You may then be prompted for some additional parameters specifying switch settings on the adapter hardware (the program won't remember these from the previous installation). Certain adapters require these settings, others don't. Refer to your adapter documentation for details. Files will now be copied. The OS/2 client setup is now complete. A command to Return to Main Menu will be highlighted. Press Enter. Select Quit Installation and Setup Program and press Enter to exit the program. At this point the client has been modified to use the 3Com NetBIOS Protocol stack. Once you have updated all the clients, you can reboot the server and all the clients to start using NBP.