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Q166321: Configuring Maximum IPX Packet Size in Windows 95

Article: Q166321
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): 1,2,2.1
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv osr1 msnets osr2 win95
Last Modified: 20-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
- Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release, versions 1, 2, 2.1 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you are using the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol that is included in Windows
95 to communicate across an IPX router, some communications may not work if the
router requires a smaller packet size than is used by the LAN media (Ethernet or
Token Ring, for example).

In some cases, NCP-based communications with NetWare servers may succeed, but
operations using other protocols running over IPX, such as SPX or NetBIOS, may
not work.

CAUSE
=====

You may be able to work around such routing restrictions by manually limiting
the size of IPX packets sent by the communicating systems. However, when you are
using the version of the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol that is included in Windows
95 (all versions), it is not possible to manually specify a maximum IPX packet
size.

RESOLUTION
==========

An update for Microsoft Windows 95 and OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2) to provide
this functionality is now available from Microsoft, but has not been fully
regression tested and should be applied only to computers experiencing this
specific problem. To resolve this problem immediately, contact Micros ft
Technical Support to obtain the fix.

For a complete list of Microsoft Technical Support phone numbers and information
on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

This update for Windows 95 and OEM Service Release 2 should have the following
file attributes (or later):

  File name     Version    Date      Time     Size
  ---------------------------------------------------------
  Nwlink.vxd    4.00.1112  4/23/97   11:12am  51,049 bytes


It may be possible to work around this issue by limiting the maximum packet size
sent by the network adapter itself. Not all network adapter drivers provide such
a feature, and implementing such a feature, if it exists, may vary among network
adapter drivers. Contact your network adapter manufacturer for more information
about this possible workaround.

It may also be possible to resolve this issue by a configuration change or
updated software or firmware on the router itself. Contact your router
manufacturer for more information about this possible workaround.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 95 and OEM
Service Release 2 (OSR2).

This updated functionality is not included in Microsoft Windows 98.

MORE INFORMATION
================


For additional information about Windows 95 updates, please see the following
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q161020 Implementing Windows 95 Updates

For additional information about specifying the maximum IPX packet size for the
IPX/SPX-compatible protocol that is included in Windows NT, see the following
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q99745 Tuning NWLINK Registry Parameters

  Q103002 REG: Network Services Entries, Part 6

For information about how to contact third-party vendors, see the following
articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

  Q60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

  Q60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv osr1 msnets osr2 win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbOPKSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin95OPKOSR2 kbWin95OPKOSR1 kbWin95OPKOSR210
Version           : :1,2,2.1

=============================================================================

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