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ODI Driver Software: Broadcom NetLink®/NetXtreme® 57XX User Guide

Installing the Driver Software

Configuring the Driver Software

The Open Data-Link Interface (ODI) driver software allows LAN drivers to work together irrespective of differences between the hardware and/or the protocol stacks of communicating computers. An intervening layer, called the link support layer (LSL), is responsible for routing different packet types between LAN drivers and protocol stacks.

Installing the Driver Software

Installing the ODI driver software involves the following steps:

  1. Verifying that the MS-DOS operating system files are installed on your system hard disk or are available on a removable storage device.
  2. Installing the ODI driver software in the MS-DOS environment.
  3. If necessary, reconfiguring the driver software after installation.
Preinstallation Requirements

Verify that the Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet adapter driver software has been installed on your system. If it has not, install it (see Installing the Driver Software). Otherwise, you cannot use a Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet adapter in the MS-DOS environment.

Note: To successfully install the adapter driver for MS-DOS, the adapter must be installed before you install the adapter driver.

Installing the Novell NetWare Client32 Driver for MS-DOS
  1. Extract the dw271.zip file to a temporary directory on the hard disk.
  2. Double-click the dw271e.exe file.
  3. Type y and then press ENTER when you are prompted for a response.
  4. Restart your system in MS-DOS mode.
  5. Change to the directory where the extracted files are located.
  6. Type install, and then press ENTER.
  7. Read the agreement, and then press ENTER to accept the agreement.
  8. Using the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key as necessary, highlight Novell Client for DOS (required), and then press F10 to save and continue.
  9. Highlight 32-bit LAN Drivers, and then press F10 to save and continue.
  10. Insert the floppy disk containing the Broadcom 32-bit LAN driver files into the floppy disk drive.
  11. Highlight USER SPECIFIED 32-BIT DRIVER, and then press ENTER.
  12. Press ENTER.
  13. Highlight NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet Driver, and then press ENTER.
  14. Press ENTER.
  15. Select Receive Buffers, type 32 for the value, and then press F10 to save and continue.

    16. Note: Do not change the default settings for any of the other items in the Installation Configuration Summary.

  16. Press F10 to save and continue. The B57.LAN and B57.ldi files are copied to the directory.
  17. Restart the system to complete the install.
  18. As the files are being loaded, the system attempts to attach to a Netware system using the frame types specified in Net.cfg. If the connection is successful, a dialog box is displayed. Change to drive F and log on to the NetWare system.

    19. Note: The driver loads during system configuration, and the Broadcom banner, the adapter name, the MAC address, the IRQ number, the detected line speed, and the bus number (BusNum) and device number (DevNum) of the adapter are displayed. If the driver fails to load, an initialization fail message appears.

Installing the Novell NetWare ODI Client16 Driver for MS-DOS
  1. Extract each of the 6 vlm121_*.exe files to a temporary common directory on the hard disk.
  2. Type y and then press ENTER each time you are prompted for a response.
  3. Restart your system in MS-DOS mode.
  4. Change to the directory where the extracted files are located.
  5. Type install, and then press ENTER.
  6. Using the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key as necessary, highlight Highlight here and press <Enter> to see the list below item 5, and then press ENTER.
  7. Do not change the default settings for items 1 through 4. Insert the floppy disk containing the Broadcom ODI 16-bit driver files into the floppy disk drive.
  8. Highlight Other Drivers, and then press ENTER.
  9. Press ENTER.
  10. Highlight Broadcom Ethernet DOS ODI, and then press ENTER.
  11. Highlight Frame Type, and then press ENTER.
  12. Highlight Ethernet 802.2, and then press ENTER.
  13. Press F10 to save and continue.
  14. Highlight Highlight here and press <Enter> to install, and then press ENTER.
  15. The B57.com and B57.ins files are copied to the directory.
  16. Restart the system to complete the install.
  17. As the files are being loaded, the system attempts to attach to a Netware system using the frame types specified in Net.cfg. If the connection is successful, a dialog box is displayed.
  18. Change to drive F and log on to the NetWare system.

    19. Note: The driver loads during system configuration, and the Broadcom banner, the adapter name, the MAC address, the IRQ number, the detected line speed, and the bus number (BusNum) and device number (DevNum) assigned to the adapter are displayed. If the driver fails to load, an initialization fail message is displayed.

Configuring the Driver Software

The ODI driver software can be configured by adding specific optional keywords to the Net.cfg file.

If multiple (or multiport) Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet adapters are installed in a system, the ODI driver software loads by default on the adapter/port that has a good link. If 2 or more adapters have a good link, the ODI driver software loads on the adapter having the latest Device ID. If 2 or more adapters that have a good link have the same Device ID, the ODI driver software loads on the adapter that is located in the slot having the lowest bus number. If it is necessary to have the ODI driver load on certain adapters in a certain order, the BusNum, DevNum, and FuncNum keywords can be used. Do not use these keywords unless you know how to configure PCI devices.

The BusNum keyword value, which represents the PCI bus number in which the adapter is located, is a hexadecimal number ranging from 0 to 255.

The FuncNum keyword value, which represents the function (port) number of a multiport adapter, is a hexadecimal number with 0 representing the first port and 1 representing the second port.

The DevNum keyword value, which represents the assigned device number, is a hexadecimal number ranging from 0 to 31.

Notes:

The LineSpeed keyword is used to force the speed of the network connection. The LineSpeed keyword requires a decimal number and of either 10, 100, or 1000. Technically, a line speed of 1000 Mbit/s cannot be forced and can be achieved only through auto-negotiation. For the sake of simplicity, the driver performs auto-negotiation when the line speed is set to a value of 1000. Forced 1000 Mbit/s speed is not needed for copper links; auto-negotiation is the proper supported configuration under the IEEE Ethernet specification.

The Duplex keyword is used to force the duplex mode of the adapter. The Duplex keyword requires a text string of either HALF or FULL. When the Duplex keyword is used, the LineSpeed keyword must also be used. If neither keyword is used, the network adapter defaults to auto-negotiation mode.

Example keyword entries for the LineSpeed, and Duplex keywords are shown below: 

LINK DRIVER B57

LINESPEED 100

DUPLEX FULL

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