
              NOVELL TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT

TITLE:              NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus 2.1
DOCUMENT ID:        TID200012
DOCUMENT REVISION:  A
DATE:               04OCT93
ALERT STATUS:       Yellow
INFORMATION TYPE:   Symptom Solution
README FOR:         PPPCMP.EXE

NOVELL PRODUCT and VERSION:
NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus 2.1

ABSTRACT:

This update provides NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus 2.1 with software-based
data compression over a PPP connection without using additional hardware. 
Depending upon data type and line speed, compression ratios can be expected to
average 2:1.  The compression is proprietary and only works when used with
other NetWare MultiProtocol Router 2.1 Plus routers that have this compression
update installed.


DISCLAIMER
THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO NOVELL.  NOVELL
MAKES EVERY EFFORT WITHIN ITS MEANS TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION.  HOWEVER, THE
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY.  NOVELL
MAKES NO EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED CLAIMS TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS INFORMATION.


SYMPTOM

     Before this update, NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus 2.1 provided no
     data compression support for NetWare/Link PPP WAN connections.  This
     update provides PPP data compression that is compatible with other
     NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus 2.1 routers running this update.

SOLUTION

     Installing this update will add PPP data compression to NetWare
     MultiProtocol Router Plus 2.1.

     Self-Extracting File Name:   PPPCMP.EXE     Revision:  A

     Files Included    Size      Date

     \
       PPPCMP.TXT              (This File)
     PPPCMP_1.EXE     117247    11-03-93
       PPP_NW.PS       99965    11-02-93
       PPP_NW.TXT      16724    11-02-93

     The file PPPCMP.EXE is a self-extracting archive.

     Before you read the Installation Instructions below, please extract the
     file using the following procedure:

     1.   Make a new directory on a hard disk.

     2.   Copy PPPCMP.EXE into that directory.

     3.   Run PPPCMP to extract the files listed above from them.

     Installation Instructions:

     This README does not contain the installation instructions for this
     update.  The installation and configuration instructions are in a manual
     that is part this update package.

     Please read on for more information about installing and configuring this
     update.

     This README contains the following information necessary for installation
     and configuration:

     1)   A description of the files that contain the installation and
          configuration manual along with instructions for printing them.

     2)   A description of how to make the installation diskette.  This
          diskette will be used during the installation process.

     3)   A discussion of the Packet Burst technology and how it relates to
          NetWare/Link PPP Data Compression along with instructions for
          implementing it.

     4)   A list of common problems that might occur during installation and
          configuration.

     1.   The installation and configuration manual:

          One manual is shipped with this update:

          "The NetWare Link/PPP Data Compression Software - Installation and
          Setup"

          The manual, hereafter referred to as the Installation and Setup
          manual, is in both a PostScript file called PPP_NW.PS, and a text
          file called PPP_NW.TXT.

          The Installation and Setup manual contains instructions for:

               Installing NetWare/Link PPP Data Compression
               Configuring NetWare/Link PPP Data Compression

          You can print the text version of the Installation and Setup manual
          using a word processor or whatever method you normally use for
          printing text files.  The following command can also be used to
          print the Installation and Setup manual to a printer attached to
          those ports:

               COPY PPP_NW.TXT LPT1 (or LPT2)

          If you have a PostScript printer, you can print the PostScript
          version of the manual.  The following command will print the manual
          to a PostScript printer attached to those ports:

               COPY PPP_NW.PS LPT1 (or LPT2)

          If the LPTx port is being redirected to a Novell print queue by the
          use of CAPTURE, be sure to use PRINTCON to create a PostScript 'job'
          and issue the CAPTURE command with the JOB= parameter.

     2.   Making the installation diskette:

          The Installation and Setup manual will give you instructions for
          installing this update.  These instructions will refer to the
          installation diskette.  The following discussion will show you how
          to make installation diskette from the self-extracting file
          PPPCMP_1.EXE (see the list of files in the previous section).

          Use the DOS FORMAT command to format a diskette (3.5" or 5.25"
          high-density media).  The FORMAT command will ask you for the label
          to put on the diskette (this is not the label that you paste on the
          diskette).  When prompted, label the diskette:

               PPPCOMP

          Now that the diskette is formatted and labeled, the next step is to
          transfer the software to the diskette by running the self-extracting
          file PPPCMP_1.EXE.

          Make sure that you are in the directory on your hard drive where you
          extracted the update files (see the section above titled SOLUTION
          for details).

          Insert the diskette labeled PPPCOMP into the diskette drive.

          From the floppy drive's DOS prompt, enter the example command:

               A:> C:PPPCMP_1 <Enter>

          Because you run the self-extracting file from the diskette drive,
          the extraction process will place the files on the diskette.  The
          extraction process displays licensing information and asks you if
          you want to accept the terms and conditions of the licensing.  If
          you answer Yes, the process continues and the software is extracted
          onto the diskette.

          To check that the installation diskette has been made correctly,
          make sure that the directories and files listed below match what is
          on the diskette:

               \
               PRODUCTS 610      8192 05-21-93   8:53a
               PRODUCTS 515      5120 05-21-93   8:22a
               FILEDATA DAT      2129 11-02-93  11:28a
               PINSTALL HLP      4286 10-28-93  11:13a
               PINSTALL NLM     22511 11-02-93  10:21a
               PIN      DAT     76978 11-02-93  10:18a

               \WANNM
               PPPCFG   NLM     34620 11-02-93  10:22a

               \UTILS
               PPP_UPD  NLM      1539 11-02-93  10:29a

               \WAN
               PPP      LAN    114574 11-01-93   3:59p

     3.   The following section discusses IPX Packet Burst and NetWare
          Link/PPP Data Compression and how they relate:

          The performance of NetWare Link/PPP Data Compression can be enhanced
          greatly with the use of Novell's IPX Packet Burst technology.  The
          Packet Burst protocol enhances IPX networking performance by
          allowing larger data transactions comprised of multiple IPX packets
          to be transmitted as a single burst (or logical operation). 
          Acknowledgments are issued for the complete burst rather than for
          individual IPX packets.

          Packet burst protocol support should be enabled on all client and
          server systems.  Enabling the packet burst protocol on intermediate
          systems such as MPRs that do not also function as servers is not
          necessary, but does no harm.

          The packet burst protocol support is provided for IPX client
          workstations by the client Virtual Loadable Modules (VLMs.)  It is
          provided for NetWare 3.11 servers by PBURST.NLM.  NetWare 3.12 and
          NetWare 4.01 servers contain built in support for Packet Burst. 
          Novell recommends that you use PBURST.NLM 2.01 (or higher) and VLMs
          1.03 (or higher).

          Please note that BNETX.COM must never be used.  NetWare Clients
          using NETX.COM will not utilize PBURST functionality and will
          adversely affect PPP data compression efficiency.  Earlier versions
          of PBURST.NLM or the client VLMs can be used; however, when
          operating over PPP with data compression connections at less than 56
          Kbps, client workstations may experience network time-outs.  If a
          time-out occurs, a message similar to the following will be
          displayed on the IPX client workstation:

               Error receiving from network.
               Abort, Retry, Fail?

          The user should select the R (retry) option after the time-out
          notification.  This will reestablish the connection if the session
          is still active.  Multiple consecutive time-out messages indicates
          that the client session is lost.  In this case the user must login
          again.  If you are experiencing network time-outs, refer to the
          NetWare 3.12 or 4.0 Workstation for DOS and Windows manual.  This
          manual contains information on configurable NET.CFG parameters that
          may be used to minimize time-out errors.

          Both the server PBURST.NLM and the client VLMs are available on
          NetWire on CompuServe.  The 2.01 version of PBURST.NLM and the 1.03
          version of the VLMs are packaged in the VLMUP2.EXE package in the
          NOVFILES forum.

          To download VLMUP2.EXE log onto CompuServe and issue the GO NOVFILES
          command to go to the NOVFILES library.  From there, a menu of
          prompts will guide you through the download process.

          The VLMUP2.EXE file is also available on Novell's FTP server,
          FTP.NOVELL.COM (137.65.1.1) in the files
          \NETWIRE\NOVFILES\DOSUPX.EXE and \NETWIRE\NOVFILES\VLMUP2.EXE. 
          Login in as ANONYMOUS and give your e-mail address as a password.

     4.   Common installation and configuration problems, plus solutions:

          *    If you have difficulty installing this update, check the
               following list of common problems and their solutions:

               The diskette is not recognized or accepted during installation.

               -    Make sure that the diskette has been properly labeled
                    (check the label with the DOS LABEL command) when it was
                    formatted: PPPCOMP is the proper label.

               -    Make sure that there are no TSRs or other memory resident
                    programs loaded on the server before you run SERVER.EXE. 
                    The best way to do this is to make sure that they are not
                    in the server's CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files and then
                    boot the server before running SERVER.EXE.

               -    Check your floppy drive to make sure that it can recognize
                    when diskettes are removed and inserted.

          *    If you have difficulty using ATCON note that:

               The ATCON utility requires that the SNMP.NLM is loaded with the
               MONITORCOMMUNITY=PUBLIC (default).  If the MONITORCOMMUNITY is
               not set to PUBLIC, the ATCON utility reports the following
               error message:

                    ERROR GETTING ROUTER INFORMATION

               This happens because the ATCON utility expects the
               MONITORCOMMUNITY to be public and can't use any other community
               name.

     Patch History:

     * NetWare/Link PPP Data Compression:

          -    Provides a proprietary, software-based solution for data
               compression over a NetWare/Link PPP connection without
               additional hardware.

          -    Compression algorithm allows compression up to T1/E1 line
               speeds.

          -    Depending on the type of data, the PC system speed, and the
               line speed, compression ratios can be expected to be 2:1, on
               average.

          -    Recognizes NetWare/Link PPP connections to other PPP nodes that
               are unable to provide compression and reverts to a PPP
               connection without data compression.

     WARNING: This update is applicable to NetWare MultiProtocol Router Plus
     2.1.  It is incompatible with WAN Links 2.0.  DO NOT INSTALL THIS UPDATE
     ON WAN LINKS 2.0

     This PPP compression functionality is also available as part of the Frame
     Relay Update (FRELAY.EXE and FRELY2.EXE), which also includes the RIP/SAP
     Filter Update.

     NetWare/Link PPP Data Compression functions so that connections to
     non-NetWare MultiProtocol Routers automatically switch to non-compression
     mode.

     Novell is not responsible for any data loss that may result from
     implementing this program.  Novell strongly recommends a backup be made
     before any program is applied.  Technical support for this program is
     provided at the discretion of Novell.

     NetWare, the N-Design, and Novell are registered trademarks, and IPX
     NetWare Link/Frame Relay, NetWare MultiProtocol Router, and NetWare
     MultiProtocol Router Plus are trademarks of Novell, Inc. NetWire is a
     registered service mark of Novell, Inc.

     PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Inc. CompuServe is
     a registered trademark of CompuServe, Inc.