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Introduction and Preparation
The Peer-to-Peer implementation uses the IPX/SPX stacks that are provided with
Windows 95/Windows 98. The provided redirector software will establish a connection
with the printers supporting IPX Peer-to-Peer, without using an intermediate file
server, whether or not your network uses Novell NetWare.
The “IPX/SPX Compatible Protocol” must be installed when configuring the network
capabilities for the Windows computer. If you are not using NetWare, you do not need
to activate any NetWare Client application.
The IPX/SPX can be installed after initial Windows installation by going to the Network
setup function under Control Panel. To do this, you will need the Windows CD-ROM.
Note:
Because Peer-to-Peer uses the IPX/SPX Protocol, Novell operation must remain
enabled on the Network Card, even if traditional Novell printing facilities are not
being used. The name of the Peer-to-Peer printer, as it appears in the Windows
Port List, is the same as the Novell print server name, and may be changed by
changing the Novell print server name using the Web-based management or MAP
utilities.
On power up, the Network Card sniffs the network to see if there is Novell activity. If
there is, it will use the same frame type and the local network number that it senses. If,
in addition, the NIC can log on to a file server, it will assume that Novell is normally
used and will store this frame type and new number in NV RAM so that, when it comes
up again, it will not have to spend the time sensing (which can take some time).
However, if the NIC cannot attach to a file server, it will use the sensed values, but will
not store them.
If the NIC does not see any Novell activity, it will use 802.2 on 802.3 as a frame type
and will assign itself a network number of 0. The frame type and network number
being used is reported on the status and configuration sheet.
If a NIC is being moved from a site that had active Novell to a site that does not, the
unit should be reset to factory default to clear the frame type and network number
information.
