                  INVISIBLE LAN TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

                Copyright 1993 Invisible Software, Inc.



       [See GUIDE.TXT for a list of all manuals and text files.]



This file describes a number of commonly encountered problems, and how
to solve them.



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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 1.  Startup Problems
 2.  Communication Problems
 3.  Printing Problems
 4.  Keyboard Problems
 5.  Windows Problems
 6.  Application Problems



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1.  STARTUP PROBLEMS




Problem:  When I enter the NET30 command to start the network, it gets
to the point where it is loading TransBIOS and NetBIOS, and then
crashes.

Explanation:  This can happen if you have entered an incorrect hardware
type, or if there is a hardware conflict in your computer.  With some
network boards, this can also happen if the network cable is not
connected.

Recommended Action:  (1) Go into the SETUP30 program, and check the
hardware type to make sure it is correct.  (2) Make sure that the
network cable is properly connected.  (3) Check the configuration of
your network hardware, and make sure the I/O address, interrupt level,
DMA channel (if any), and memory address (if any) used by the network
hardware do not conflict with any other equipment in the computer.  Even
if you don't think you have any conflicts, try changing the network
board's I/O adress or interrupt level to see if it makes a difference.
(4) If your network board has any adjustments for bus timing (often
called something like "turbo mode" or "wait state setting" or "early
mode" or "signal timing"), try changing the bus timing settings.  (5)
Try removing some other boards from your computer (like extra printer
ports or serial ports) that you can temporarily do without, just to make
sure that none of them are conflicting with the network board.  (6) If
all else fails, try replacing the network board with a different board;
if that seems to cure the problem, there may be something wrong with the
original board.




Problem:  When I load the disk cache, it tells me that there is no
extended memory available.  But I know that I have extended memory.

Explanation:  Some other program is claiming all the extended memory.
The most likely possibilities are HIMEM.SYS or a RAMDISK program.

Recommended Action:  (1) Check your CONFIG.SYS file and see if you are
loading HIMEM.SYS.  If so, go into the SETUP30 program and change the
cache data location from EXTENDED to XMS.  (2) Check to see if you are
using a RAMDISK program.  If so, change the parameters of the RAMDISK
program so that it leaves some extended memory for the cache to use.




Problem:  When the network redirector loads, it doesn't produce any
error message, but it also doesn't seem to get loaded.  If I run other
network programs like the MAP command, they tell me that the redirector
is not installed.

Explanation:  This problem can be caused by a special keyboard handler
or device driver.  There are even a few "rogue" versions of ANSI.SYS
that can cause this problem.  (The official versions of ANSI.SYS from
Microsoft and IBM do not cause this behavior.)

Recommended Action:  Remove any special keyboard handlers or device
drivers that you have in your system.




Problem:  When I try to establish a drive or printer mapping, I get a
"server not listening" error message.

Explanation:  There are too many workstations trying to map into the
server.  You need to reconfigure the server to allow a greater number of
workstations.

Recommended Action:  Start the SETUP30 program, and go into the Advanced
Configuration section.  On the Server Parameters screen, increase the
value for "Sessions".  Refer to the Installation Manual for additional
information.



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2.  COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS




Problem:  The network stations can't communicate with each other, or
they communicate erratically.  If I poll the network (using either MENU
or NETDIAG), some of the stations can't see each other;  or, some
stations may seem to fade in and out.

Explanation:  Ninety percent of the time, this sort of behavior is
caused by a problem with the network cable.  The other ten percent of
the time, it is caused by a bad network board, or a hardware conflict in
one of the computers, or a problem in the AC wiring.  This sort of
problem can be frustrating to locate, because a single problem can
affect communication throughout the network.

Recommended Action:  First, verify the problem by running NETDIAG.
Refer to the text file NETDIAG.TXT for instructions on running NETDIAG.
On a correctly functioning network, every station should be able to see
every other station.  If there is a communication problem, some stations
won't see each other, or stations may appear and disappear from the
NETDIAG display.

Next, check your network cabling.  Make sure all the wires are properly
connected.  Make sure that any required cable terminators are installed.
Check all connections to make sure they aren't loose.  If you have any
repeaters or active hubs, make sure they are plugged in and turned on.

Next, double-check your network boards to make sure they are properly
installed, and don't conflict with other equipment in the computer.

If you still haven't located the problem, use the following procedure to
try to find which station or cable run is causing the problem.  Shrink
the network down to two stations by rearranging the network cables.  Run
the NETDIAG stress test to verify that the two-station network is
operating correctly.  Then, add stations to the network one-by-one.  At
each step, run the NETDIAG stress test.  When errors start to appear, it
is likely (although not certain) that the station or cable you just
added is the troublemaker.




Problem:  The network seems to run extremely slowly.

Explanation:  This can happen if there is a marginal communication
failure.  As in the preceding problem, the most likely cause is a
problem with the network cable.

Recommended Action:  Run NETDIAG, and go to the status screen.  Look at
the numbers for retransmissions and session aborts.  If these numbers
appear high -- and especially if they increase as you watch -- then
there is something wrong with the network hardware.  In this case, refer
to the preceding problem for advice on how to localize the cause.



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3.  PRINTING PROBLEMS




Problem:  When I print a document to a network printer, my application
program tells me that printing is finished, but nothing comes out on the
printer.  But when I exit from the application and return to DOS, then
it prints.

Explanation:  When your application finishes printing, Invisible LAN
doesn't know it's finished, and so it waits for the application to send
more data and never sends the document to the printer.  You need to let
Invisible LAN know when a print job is finished.

Recommended Action:  There are two ways to let Invisible LAN know when
the print job is finished.  First, you can press Ctrl-Alt-* (using the *
key on the numeric keypad) at the end of the print job.  Second, you can
set up a "print stream truncation timeout" so that Invisible LAN
automatically assumes the job is finished whenever the application stops
sending data to the printer.  You can set up the print stream truncation
timeout by:  (1) using the TRUNCATE command at the DOS command line (see
the DOS User Manual);  (2) using the MENU program (see the DOS User
Manual);  (3) using the SETUP30 program to set up a timeout that is
established automatically every time you start Invisible LAN (see the
Installation Manual).




Problem:  When two users send documents to the same network printer at
the same time, the documents get mixed together as they print.

Explanation:  The print stream truncation timeout is too short.  When a
user sends a document to the printer, Invisible LAN is timing out in the
middle of the document, and so the document gets split up into two or
more separate print jobs.  When this happens, another user can get
access to the printer in between these jobs, giving the appearance that
the documents are mixed together.

Recommended Action:  Increase the print stream truncation timeout, or
disable it.  You can do this by:  (1) using the TRUNCATE command at the
DOS command line (see the DOS User Manual);  (2) using the MENU program
(see the DOS User Manual);  (3) using the SETUP30 program to adjust the
timeout that is established automatically every time you start Invisible
LAN (see the Installation Manual).




Problem:  When I send a document to the printer, there seem to be
occasional characters missing from the printout.  For example, the word
"computer" might print as "coputer".  Or, columns of text may come out
misaligned.

Explanation:  The print spooler is designed to send print data directly
to the printer port hardware, at high speed.  However, some printer
ports are not able to handle data at the speed the print spooler sends
it.

Recommended Action:  Changing the printer port card may solve the
problem.  Another solution is to go into the SETUP30 program on the
server, go to Print Spooler Parameters under Advanced Configuration, and
change the "Access Method" to BIOS.  This tells the print spooler to use
the printer BIOS instead of sending data directly to the printer port
hardware.




Problem:  When I print a document from my word processor, the actual
printing doesn't start until the word processor is completely finished
with printing.  I would like to have the printing start while the word
processor is working on the job, just like it does when I print to a
local printer.

Explanation:  By default, the print spooler does not send a job to the
printer until the workstation has finished the entire job.  However, you
can change this by reconfiguring the server.

Recommended Action:  Enable "direct print" on the server.  This tells
the print spooler that it may begin printing a job while the workstation
is still producing it.  You can do this by:  (1) using the PQ command at
the DOS command line (see the DOS User Manual);  (2) using the SETUP30
program to configure the server so that direct print is enabled
automatically every time you start Invisible LAN (see the Installation
Manual).




Problem:  There is a blank page at the end of each print job.

Explanation:  By default, the print spooler adds a form-feed command at
the end of each print job, to ensure that the jobs are separated.  But
you can change this.

Recommended Action:  At the server, disable form-feeds for the network
printer.  You can do this by:  (1) using the PQ command at the DOS
command line (see the DOS User Manual);  (2) using the MENU program (see
the DOS User Manual);  (3) using the SETUP30 program to adjust the form
feed setting that is established automatically every time you start
Invisible LAN (see the Installation Manual).




Problem:  The server drops off the network when it is printing a big
print job, or when a job is held up by the printer going off-line.  When
the print job is complete, then the server reappears on the network.

Explanation:  This is probably caused by a hardware conflict between the
printer port and the network board.  When the server tries to print, it
interferes with the operation of the network board.

Recommended Action:  Check the I/O addresses used by your network board,
and make sure they don't conflict with the I/O addresses used by your
printer port.  Be especially wary of setting the I/O address of an
Ethernet board to 360, because it will actually occupy all the addresses
from 360 to 37F, and many printer ports use addresses 378-37F.  If there
is a conflict, you must change the I/O address of either the network
board or the printer port.




Problem:  When I run Windows on the server, the print spooler sends data
to the printer very slowly, or not at all.

Explanation:  Some Windows applications take up all of the computer's
time, leaving no time for the print spooler to operate.  WordPerfect for
Windows is an example of such an application.

Recommended Action:  Install the print spooler demon program,
PSDEMON.EXE, on the server.  Refer to README.TXT for instructions on
installing PSDEMON.



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4.  KEYBOARD PROBLEMS




Problem:  When the network is loaded, it seems to interfere with my
keyboard.  Sometimes I get uppercase letters when I should get lowercase
letters, or vice-versa.  Or, the Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock
lights on the keyboard don't turn on and off properly.  Or, when using
the arrow keys to scroll through a document, sometimes a number gets
entered into the document.

Explanation:  Some keyboards exhibit problems when there are programs
running in the background, such as network programs.

Recommended Action:  We have included a program called IKB that fixes
most keyboard problems.  Refer to the text file COMPAT.TXT for
instructions on how to use IKB.



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5.  WINDOWS PROBLEMS




Problem:  When I try to start Windows while the network is running, the
Windows title screen appears, and then the system crashes.

Explanation:  There are three possible causes:  (1) you have not enabled
Invisible LAN's Windows support;  (2) you have used up all the shadow
RAM (memory between 640K and 1M), so that Windows can't allocate the
shadow RAM that it needs;  (3) you are using the TransBIOS/NetBIOS ROM
on the network card, and you aren't using the RIPLMEM program.

Recommended Action:  (1) Go into the SETUP30 program, and make sure you
specified "Y" for "Windows Support".  (2) If you are loading the network
into shadow RAM, try moving some of the network modules back into
conventional DOS memory.  Invisible LAN can cram itself into shadow RAM
so efficiently that there may not be enough left for Windows.  (3) If
you are using the TransBIOS/NetBIOS ROM (say, on a diskless
workstation), you must install the RIPLMEM program.  See RIPLMEM.TXT for
instructions.




Problem:  When the network is running, Windows slows to a crawl.

Explanation:  You are using the Invisible LAN disk cache, and the cache
is using so much extended (XMS) memory that Windows can't operate
efficiently.  By default, the cache only leaves one megabyte of extended
memory for Windows, which is the bare minimum that Windows must have in
order to run.

Recommended Action:  Go into the SETUP30 program, and reduce the amount
of extended (XMS) memory you allocate for the cache.  Windows will speed
up if you give it more memory.




Problem:  My DOS applications can access network disks and printers, but
my Windows applications can't.  Whenever I try to access a network disk
or printer from within Windows, I get a message like "error on drive x:"
or "unable to print".

Explanation:  You are using a WINSTART.BAT file (a batch file that is
executed automatically whenever you start Windows), and you haven't used
the WINSTRT program.

Recommended Action:  Insert a WINSTRT command into your WINSTART.BAT
file.  Refer the the Installation Manual for more details on WINSTRT.




Problem:  When I use the Network Manager to establish a drive mapping,
the new network drive doesn't show up in File Manager.

Explanation:  File Manager can't recognize new network drives that you
create while the File Manager window is open.

Recommended Action:  To make File Manager recognize the new network
drive, close the File Manager window and then open it again.




Problem:  When I click on the Invisible LAN Manager icon, or the Network
icon in Control Panel, the Network Manager does not appear.  Instead, I
get a dialog box that says "warn if network not running".

Explanation:  The Invisible LAN Windows network driver is not installed.

Recommended Action:  Run the Windows Setup program, and install the
network driver for Invisible LAN.  Refer to the Installation Manual for
details.



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6.  APPLICATION PROBLEMS




Problem:  I'm installing an application program, and it gives me a list
of networks to choose from.  Invisible LAN is not on the list.  What
should I do?

Explanation:  Invisible LAN is compatible with networking standards
established by IBM and Microsoft, so even if Invisible LAN is not listed
in your application, there is almost always another choice that will
work.

Recommended Action:  Choose one of the following networks:  (1) "IBM PC
LAN Program";  (2) "MS-NET Network";  (3) "NetBIOS Network".




Problem:  I have an application that uses Btrieve, and it doesn't work
on Invisible LAN.

Explanation:  There are two versions of Btrieve, one for Novell and one
for MS-NET.  You probably have the Novell version, which doesn't work on
Invisible LAN.

Recommended Action:  Get the MS-NET version of Btrieve.




Problem:  I have a multiuser application that's designed for Novell
Netware.  If I install it on Invisible LAN, it runs fine so long as only
one user tries to use it.  As soon as a second user tries to log in to
the program, it fails.

Explanation:  The program probably depends on Novell's ability to mark
files as "shareable" so they can be accessed by several users
simultaneously.

Recommended Action:  On the server, use the MENU program to create a
shortname.  Set up the shortname so it does not have the "sharing access
right".  Have the users map into the server by using this shortname.
Then all the files accessed via this shortname will be "shareable".
Refer to the DOS User Manual for information on setting up the
shortname.




Problem:  I have installed a pop-up utility on my computer, which is
configured as a network server.  When I pop the utility up onto the
screen, other network users cannot access my computer until I exit from
the utility.

Explanation:  The pop-up utility is grabbing control of the system in a
way that prevents the server from running.

Recommended Action:  We have included two programs called POPMAST and
POPTOP that "tame" most pop-up utilities so they don't interfere with
the server.  Refer to the text file COMPAT.TXT for instructions on how
to use POPMAST and POPTOP.
