Information file for IBM Streamer(**) Family NDIS MAC Device Driver ------------------------ Information About This Release ------------------------ Version 3.00.00 This device driver supports the following IBM Streamer Family adapters: - IBM EtherStreamer(**) MC32 Adapter - IBM Auto LANStreamer(**) MC32 Adapter - IBM Dual LANStreamer MC32 Adapter - IBM Dual EtherStreamer MC32 Adapter Note that previous versions of this device driver may not support all of the adapters listed here, so you should reinstall with the latest version. ------------------------------ General Information ----------------------------- When configuring multiple IBM Streamer Family adapters using the system Reference Diskette, you must set each of these adapters to the *SAME* System Interrupt Level in order to operate with this NDIS MAC Device Driver. The message files for the IBM Streamer Family NDIS MAC Driver are LTC.MSG and LTCH.MSG. The messages and their associated help text refer in general to the adapter name as IBM Streamer Family adapter. ------------------------- Additions to the Publication ------------------------- Support for OS/2 Computers with more than 16 Megabytes of Memory: The IBM Streamer Family adapters use bus mastering to transfer data between the computer and the adapter. For 16-bit adapters, or if an adapter is placed in a 16-bit system slot, the adapter can only address system memory up to 16 megabytes (MB). For this reason, the IBMMPC.OS2 device driver will automatically configure and use local buffers allocated below this 16 MB addressing limit. Frame data located above 16 MB will be copied into local buffers for frame transmission so that it can be accessed by the adapter. The following three messages were added to the device driver: LTC0040 -- Slot nn: Using local transmit buffers to access data above 16 megabytes. Explanation: The device driver has detected more than 16 megabytes of RAM in the computer, and the adapter is either a 16-bit adapter or is located in a 16-bit system slot. The device driver will copy any frame data located above the 16 MB address limit to local transmit buffers. NOTE TO OS/2 2.0 USERS: Early versions of OS/2 2.0 will only indicate that at least 16 MB of RAM exist in the computer. If your computer has exactly 16 MB of RAM, you will see this message. However, there will never be any data above the 16 MB addressing limit to copy into local buffers. User Action: This is an informational message only. No action is necessary. LTC0041 -- Slot nn: Overriding MAXTRANSMITS in PROTOCOL.INI with a value of xx. Explanation: The amount of local memory needed to hold all possible queued transmit frames, MAXTRANSMITS * MAXTXFRAMESIZE, is greater than 128 kilobytes. The device driver has reduced the MAXTRANSMITS value to allow the maximum number of transmit frames to fit within the default 128 kilobytes of local buffer space. User Action: Ensure that the values specified for MAXTRANSMITS and MAXTXFRAMESIZE are accurately specified in PROTOCOL.INI. If not specified, they should both be added with appropriate values. The default values for these parameters in OS/2 are MAXTRANSMITS = 31 and MAXTXFRAMESIZE = 18000, which exceeds the 128 kilobytes allocated by the device driver for the local transmit buffer space. These local transmit buffers are needed when more than 16 megabytes of system memory is detected, and this IBM Streamer Family adapter is unable to access above 16 megabytes. A new PROTOCOL.INI parameter, LOCALBUFFSEGCNT, can be used to change the amount of storage used for the local transmit buffers. It can be set from 1 to 16, and defaults to 2 if not specified. Note that 64 kilobytes of system memory are used for each local buffer segment configured with this parameter. Example: LOCALBUFFSEGCNT = 2 LTC0042 -- OEMHLP could not be accessed. Explanation: The IBM Streamer Family adapter device driver was unable to determine the amount of system RAM in the computer. User Action: Contact your customer service center. ---------------------------- Additional Information ---------------------------- The Network Information File (NIF) to be used with the IBM Streamer Family NDIS MAC Driver is IBMMPC.NIF, which contains configuration and tuning parameters that can be adjusted by the user. Look at the NIF file for Help text available on each parameter. Additional information on some parameters is provided here. LoopBack -- will default to OFF for an adapter that is either a 16 bit card or in a 16 bit system bus slot, AND is used for Ethernet or 16 Mbps Token Ring operation. For all other cases, loopback defaults to ON. Enet20UTP -- enables 20 Mbps Ethernet operation in an IBM Streamer Family adapter that supports Ethernet. The adapter must be attached with a UTP cable to a switched Ethernet concentrator that supports full duplex operation for this function to be activated. When this function is activated, the adapter loopback mode will always be forced off, regardless of the setting of the LoopBack parameter. UseVDS -- allows the device driver to build the necessary data structures for use with Virtual DMA Services (VDS). Setting this parameter to "YES" is a requirement when using the IBM Streamer Family NDIS MAC driver with either Microsoft Windows(**) or Microsoft Windows For Workgroups(**) in enhanced mode. It may also need to be set to "YES" when using some memory managers that support VDS. Maximum Frame Size Supported: the maximum frame size supported by the NDIS MAC driver is determined by the SMALLEST of the following values: - MaxTxFrameSize setting in PROTOCOL.INI - (MinRcvBuffs x SizWorkBuf) PROTOCOL.INI parameters, less 4 bytes - (10 x SizWorkBuf) PROTOCOL.INI parameter - Largest frame permitted by the physical LAN medium (approximately 4500 bytes for 4 Mbps and 18000 bytes for 16 Mbps token rings, and 1514 bytes for Ethernet) Microsoft Windows For Workgroups(**) Users: when entering or changing the value of the Network Adapter Address parameter for the IBM Streamer Family adapter, you must enclose the address string in double quotes. Example: "xxxxxxxxxxxx" (**) Trademarks --------------- IBM is a trademark of International Business Machines, Inc. Streamer is a trademark of International Business Machines, Inc. LANStreamer is a trademark of International Business Machines, Inc. EtherStreamer is a trademark of International Business Machines, Inc. Microsoft Windows is a trademark of Microsoft, Inc. Microsoft Windows For Workgroups is a trademark of Microsoft, Inc.