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Q149842: NCP Clients Always Connect to FPNW Server on Startup

Article: Q149842
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.51
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 20-FEB-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.51 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you start a NetWare Core Protocol (NCP) client in a routed environment
where there is a router between the client and the servers, the router always
selects the Windows NT File and Print Services for NetWare (FPNW) server as its
default server. This will occur even if there is a NetWare server with Reply to
Get Nearest Server enabled and the FPNW server has Respond to Find Nearest
Server Requests disabled. This may result in very poor response times for the
NCP clients because the FPNW server can be many hops away and still be selected
as the default server.

CAUSE
=====

If you have not specified an internal IPX network number on the FPNW server, it
will advertise itself on the IPX network number of the physical segment it is
on. Netware servers must have an internal IPX network number, so they will
always advertise on it. A router will see the SAP broadcasts from the servers
and add entries to its list of available servers. The FPNW server will be at the
top of the list, since the router thinks that it is zero (0) hops away. The
router thinks this, since FPNW uses the physical segment's IPX network number
and, therefore, appears to the to be on the same network as the router. The
Netware server will be put lower on the router's list because the router thinks
that it is one (1) hop away. The router thinks this because the Netware server
uses its internal IPX network number and must logically route packets from the
physical segment. Because the NCP client is on a remote segment, it will not get
a response to its Get Nearest Server request. It will then send a General
Service request. The router will respond to this with the first server in its
list. As stated above, this will be the FPNW server. The NCP client will,
therefore, always attach to it.

RESOLUTION
==========

Specify a unique Internal Network Number on the FPNW server. Under Control Panel
Network, on the Protocols tab, select NWLink IPX/SPX Compatible Transport. The
router will then prioritize the servers in its list in the order the SAP
broadcasts were received.


Additional query words:

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS351search
Version           : :3.51

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