Configuring network hardware

You can configure network hardware using the Hardware menu of the Network Configuration Manager:

• To add an adapter:

  Select Hardware Add new LAN adapter. Further configuration will be determined by the bus type of your machine and the ability of the Network Configuration Manager to detect your adapter. See:

  • ``Configuring PCI, PC Card, EISA, and MCA adapters''

  • ``Configuring ISA adapters''

  • ``Searching for adapters''

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  NOTE: Configuring a complete network interface includes configuring a protocol with your adapter; see ``Configuring protocols''.

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• To add an adapter as a backup device:

  If you want to configure an adapter as a backup device in the cases that another adapter fails, it is suspended by an administrator, or it loses its physical connection, select Hardware Add new LAN adapter. On the Add Protocol screen select Backup Device instead of a protocol suite such as TCP/IP. Then select an existing network adapter (the primary device) for which the new adapter will act as a backup device and click on OK.

  If the primary device is no longer usable because its hardware fails or it loses its physical connection (for example, by its lead becoming disconnected), the system will automatically switch to using the backup device.

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  NOTE: The backup device's hardware must be capable of allowing its Media Access Control (MAC) address to be reprogrammed with that of the primary device.

  For automatic failover to work, the primary device's driver must be capable of recognizing and signaling such problems to the kernel. Some device drivers may be capable of detecting hardware failure, but may be unable to tell if the physical connection has been broken.

  See the Compatible Hardware Web Pages (CHWP) at http://www.sco.com/chwp for more information about the known capabilities of various network adapters.

  Some packets may be lost when the system switches to a backup device. Retransmission of packets will happen automatically in the case of TCP connections. However, not all applications that use UDP may be capable of handling such interruption of service gracefully.

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  The Network Configuration Manager indicates that a primary device has failed or is otherwise unavailable for use by placing a cross on the icon for the network adapter. (In character mode, the string ``HX'' replaces ``HW''.)

  See ``Configuring a backup device'' for more information.

• To switch to a backup device: If you want to force the system to use the backup device instead of the primary device, select the primary device from the list, and then select Hardware Switch to Backup.

• To revert to a primary device:

  Once you have replaced a failed primary device or reconnected a network lead, you can switch the system back to using this device instead of the backup device, provided that the primary device is not a Token-Ring adapter.

  To revert to the primary device, select the backup device from the list, and then select Hardware Revert to Primary.

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  NOTE: If you shut down a system to replace a failed primary device, the system will automatically revert to using the primary device on being rebooted.

  If the primary device is a Token-Ring adapter, you can only revert to using it by shutting down and rebooting the system.

  When replacing a failed primary device, you must normally use the same type of network adapter. However, some vendor-specific hardware may support the interchange of different models of network adapter provided that they are supported by the same device driver. Please refer to the documentation provided by the vendor for more information.

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• To modify an adapter's configuration:

  Select the adapter to modify from the list, and then select Hardware Modify hardware configuration. Enter new configuration parameters as you did when adding adapters.

  See protocol stack configuration.

• To test network connectivity:

  Select the adapter to test from the list, and then select Hardware Test Network Connectivity. This sends a broadcast message to the broadcast MAC (Media Access Control) address using LLC (Logical Link Control) TEST frames.

  The response will display one of these messages:

  
  success

  indicating that the hardware connections are valid, and the send and receive paths are verified

  
  noanswer or bind failed

  which might indicate one of these problems:

  • a defective network adapter

  • physical connection problems; see ``Checking physical network connections''

  • incorrect configuration parameter settings (this is most likely with ISA and PC Card adapters; see ``Driver configuration'')

  • you need to reboot your system (this is only required by a few older drivers; see ``Driver configuration'')

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  NOTE: If your machine is the only one on the network, you might receive an erroneous noanswer.

  This procedure only tests the adapter's ability to reach the network; it does not detect protocol problems. See ``Troubleshooting network configuration'' for more troubleshooting information.

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• To view an adapter's configuration:

  Select the adapter to view from the list, then select Hardware View hardware configuration.

• To remove an adapter's configuration:

  Select the adapter to deconfigure from the list, and then select Hardware Remove network device. You will be prompted to confirm your choice and informed when the operation is complete.

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  NOTE: If your network interface includes only one adapter, deconfiguring the adapter will also deconfigure any protocols above it.

  To reconfigure a backup device as a primary device, first deconfigure the network adapter and then configure the device as a new LAN adapter.

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