Using an NDIS Driver with Invisible LAN for DOS and Windows 3.X
This document gives instructions for using an NDIS driver with the DOS and Windows 3.X version of Invisible LAN.
The NDIS option lets you use any Ethernet or Token Ring adapter that has an NDIS driver. (NDIS stands for Network Driver Interface Specification, a standard type of driver developed by Microsoft and 3Com.) To use this option, you need to have an NDIS driver for your network adapter.
You should be able to obtain an NDIS driver from the manufacturer of your network hardware. Note: The DOS and Windows 3.X version of Invisible LAN requires an NDIS 2 driver, also called a real-mode NDIS driver. (Many card manufacturers also supply NDIS 3 drivers, also called protected-mode NDIS drivers, which are used with Windows 95.)
Before using the NDIS option, you need to install the NDIS driver for your network adapter. There are three steps: (1) install three device drivers in CONFIG.SYS; (2) add a line to AUTOEXEC.BAT; and (3) create a text file called PROTOCOL.INI. Each of these steps is described below.
Also, be sure to choose NDIS as the network hardware type in the SETUP30 program.
Installing the Drivers in CONFIG.SYS
You need to add three lines to your CONFIG.SYS file to install three device drivers. Here is what the lines look like:
DEVICE = C:\NET30\PROTMAN.DOS /I:C:\NET30
DEVICE = C:\NET30\NE2000.DOS
DEVICE = C:\NET30\TBPROTO.DOS
The first line installs the NDIS protocol manager. It is always called PROTMAN.DOS. The /I parameter indicates the directory that contains the PROTOCOL.INI file. In this example, we are assuming that PROTOCOL.INI is in the directory called C:\NET30.
The second line installs the NDIS driver for your network adapter. The name of this driver varies. In this example, we are installing the driver for NE-2000 Ethernet adapters.
You should copy the NDIS driver for your network card into the NET30 directory. Then, change the second line to have the name of the NDIS driver file, in place of NE2000.DOS. Remember, this must be an NDIS 2 driver, not an NDIS 3 driver.
The third line installs the TransBIOS NDIS protocol driver. It is always called TBPROTO.DOS.
Adding a Line to AUTOEXEC.BAT
You need to add the following line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
NETBIND
This assumes that the program NETBIND.COM is in your DOS PATH.
If you have the NET30 command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, then NETBIND must come before NET30.
Creating the PROTOCOL.INI File
PROTOCOL.INI is a text file that contains parameters for all the NDIS drivers. You need to use a text editor or word processor to create the file. Make sure that the program you use can create a plain ASCII text file.
Here is an example of a PROTOCOL.INI file:
[PROTMGR]
DRIVERNAME = PROTMAN$
[NE2000_NIF]
DRIVERNAME = MS2000$
INTERRUPT = 5
IOBASE = 0x340
[TBPROTO]
DRIVERNAME = TBPROTO$
BINDINGS = NE2000_NIF
The file is divided into three sections, each of which begins with a name in square brackets. Following the name of the section is a series of parameters, one to a line. There is one section for each of the three NDIS device drivers.
The first section is for the protocol manager. It should be written exactly as shown above.
The second section is for the hardware driver. The name and parameters vary from driver to driver. However, there is always a DRIVERNAME parameter. Refer to the documentation for your NDIS hardware driver to see what parameters are required. This example shows parameters for the NE-2000 Ethernet driver. In this example, the section name is NE2000_NIF, the DRIVERNAME is MS2000$, and the hardware is configured for interrupt level 5 and I/O address 340 hexadecimal.
Many card manufacturers supply a sample PROTOCOL.INI file. If you have a sample PROTOCOL.INI file, you should copy the second section from the sample file. The sample file should include the appropriate DRIVERNAME parameter, plus whatever other parameters are supported by your card.
The third section is for the TransBIOS NDIS protocol driver. The section name is always TBPROTO, and the DRIVERNAME is always TBPROTO$. The value of the BINDINGS parameter must be the section name of the hardware driver.
Technical Notes
The NDIS option is designed to support Ethernet or Token Ring hardware.
For correct operation, an Ethernet NDIS driver must support a maximum packet size of at least 1514 bytes.
For correct operation, a Token Ring NDIS driver must support a maximum packet size of at least 1620 bytes, and it must support IBM source routing.
Under certain circumstances the NDIS option may be able to support other types of network hardware, such as ARCNET. Many NDIS drivers for ARCNET and other types of network hardware declare themselves to be Ethernet drivers. The NDIS option should work with any NDIS driver that declares itself to be an Ethernet driver, provided that the driver has a maximum packet size of at least 1514 bytes.
Notices: Copyright 1996 by Invisible
Software, Inc. Invisible Software and InvisibleLAN are trademarks
of Invisible Software, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of
their respective holders.
This document was prepared on 07/24/96, and was believed to be
accurate as of that date. Procedures, specifications, and
compatibility may change without notice, and therefore this
document may be out-of-date and/or inapplicable to current
product versions. Invisible Software provides this document
"AS IS" and without warranty of any kind. Under no
circumstances shall this document be construed as creating or
expanding any warranty of product performance.
