How to Configure Windows for Use with NASI (125425)

If this article does not describe your hardware-related issue, please see the following Microsoft Web site to view more articles about hardware:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/w98?sid=460

NOTICE: The configuration described in this article is not supported or endorsed by Microsoft, and will not be supported by Microsoft Product Support Services.

SUMMARY

A common method for sharing modems on a network is to use a dedicated Asynchronous Communication Server (ACS). On Novell networks, you use the Novell Asynchronous Communication Server (NACS), or more commonly, Novell's NetWare Asynchronous System Interface (NASI).

NASI uses a terminate-and-stay-resident program (TSR) that requires the IPX network protocol. You cannot, therefore, use NASI with the Microsoft client for NetWare networks, the IPX/SPX protocol, and an NDIS network adapter driver.

This article describes how to configure Windows to use NASI.

MORE INFORMATION

You can use either of the following methods to configure Windows to use NASI.

Method 1

Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Network icon.
Add the following items to the network configuration:

Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks
IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol for Windows
Novell IPX ODI Protocol
Network Adapter (driver type must be ODI)
Make sure the following devices are present in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
LSL
<MLID>
IPXODI
<Required NASI entry>
NOTE: NETX.EXE is not loaded in this configuration.

Method 2

Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Network icon.
Add the following items to the network configuration:

Novell Netware (Workstation Shell 3.X [NETX])
Novell IPX ODI Protocol
Network Adapter (driver type must be ODI)
Make sure the following devices are present in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
LSL
<MLID>
IPXODI
<Required NASI entry>
NETX or VLM

Notes

Each of the two methods outlined above has its advantages and disadvantages. Using method 1 lets you reconnect to the server automatically if a connection is lost. NWREDIR supports long filenames and lets you use a login script. TSRs cannot, however, be loaded from within the login script.

Using method 2 lets you load TSRs from within the login script. If a server stops and you lose the connection, however, you must restart the system to establish another connection.