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    NetPort(R) I & II Print Servers: Flash Memory Update via the Serial Port

    
    

    UPDATING THE NETPORT(R) THROUGH THE SERIAL PORT

    
       To complete the Netport(R) upgrade, you will update the NetPort's Flash
    
       memory (the non-volatile, read-only memory that stores the NetPort's
    
       internal operating instructions).  Usually this is done by uploading the
    
       software to the NetPort over the network, however, there are some
    
       situations where uploading through the serial port is preferred.  You'll
    
       need three things before you can upload through the serial port:
    
    
    
         1. The new .UPD files and the update utilities. Get the most current
    
            utilities from Intel's online services. The files you would need
    
            depending on the version of Netport server that you have are:
    
    
    
            Netport II Ethernet server              NPE434.EXE
    
            Netport II Token Ring server            NPT534.EXE
    
            Original Ethernet Netport server        NP1EUP.EXE
    
            Original Token Ring Netport server      NP1TUP.EXE
    
    
    
         2. A DOS workstation with a serial port (you must use COM1).
    
    
    
         3. A custom null modem type serial cable to connect the workstation's
    
            COM1 port to the NetPort. The instructions for building your serial
    
            cable are found at the end of this document.
    
    
    
       About the workstation
    
    
    
       The workstation can be any PC running DOS and having a COM1 port.  It
    
       can be running Ethernet Type II, or IEEE 802.3.  After you identified
    
       the workstation you want to use for the uploading, make sure its COM1
    
       port matches the connector on your serial cable.  (Refer to the figures
    
       at the end of this document.)  If it doesn't, you'll need a different
    
       workstation or a different serial cable.
    
    
    
       Uploading the firmware
    
    
    
       Read all the following steps before starting the procedure.  (Pay
    
       special attention to the speed needed in step 8.)  After you've read
    
       them, follow these steps carefully:
    
    
    
         1. Disconnect the NetPort first from the power cord, the printer(s)
    
            and the network cable.
    
    
    
         2. Turn off the power on the workstation.  Then attach the serial
    
            cable to the workstation's COM1 port and to the NetPort's serial
    
            port.
    
    
    
         3.   Turn on the workstation, and go to the DOS prompt.
    
    
    
         4.   Login as supervisor. (You must be Supervisor or equivalent.)
    
    
    
         5. Plug the NetPort power supply into the wall first and then into
    
            NetPort.
    
    
    
         6. Go to the directory where the latest NetPort utilities reside.
    
    
    
       Note: Don't run the update utilities from a floppy disk or from a
    
       Windows shell.  The update utilities must be run in DOS from either a
    
       network or local hard disk.
    
    
    
         7. Execute the appropriate command to update your NetPort's Flash
    
            memory:
    
    
    
            ORIGINAL ETHERNET NETPORT
    
    
    
           *   Update NetPort from v2.10 or below, to v2.57:
    
    
    
                 CONVERT NPxxxxxx ECONVERT.UPD SERIAL
    
    
    
                 CONVERT NPxxxxxx ECNVRTEN.UPD SERIAL (Ethernet Type II)
    
    
    
           *   Update from v2.53 to v2.57 or above:
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx NP257.UPD SERIAL
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx NP257EN2.UPD SERIAL (Ethernet Type II)
    
    
    
           *   Update back to v2.10 from v2.53 or above:
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx NP210.UPD SERIAL
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx NP210EN2.UPD SERIAL  (Ethernet Type II)
    
    
    
            ORIGINAL TOKEN RING NETPORT
    
    
    
           *   Update from v3.08 to v3.45 or above:
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx TCONVERT.UPD SERIAL
    
    
    
           *   Update from v3.40 or 3.43 to v3.45 or above:
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx NP345.UPD SERIAL
    
    
    
           *   Update back tov3.08 from d3.40 or above:
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx NP308.UPD SERIAL
    
    
    
            NETPORT II ETHERNET AND TOKEN RING
    
    
    
           *   The following syntax works for all NetPort II whether going up
    
              to a new version or back down to an existing version:
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx NP4xx.UPD SERIAL (Ethernet)
    
    
    
                 NP2UPDAT NPxxxxxx NP5xx.UPD SERIAL (Token Ring)
    
    
    
         8. When the screen asks you to reboot the NetPort, move quickly. 
    
            Unplug the power cord from the NetPort for no more than 5 seconds
    
            and then plug it in again. If you leave it unplugged for too long,
    
            or if you don't unplug it soon enough, your screen will display a
    
            time-out message.  If this happens, just go back to step 7.  Keep
    
            an eye on the screen.  The update utility will tell you what it's
    
    
    
            doing as it uploads the firmware.  When it says the update is
    
            successful, it's ready to install.
    
    
    
         9. Re-install the NetPort on your network as described in the NetPort
    
            Installation Guide.  NPLIST VER, NPSTAT or NPAdmin will display the
    
            new version number of the Flash firmware.
    
    
    
       Making your own null-moden type serial update cable
    
       If you have the means to make your own serial cable, below are the
    
       pin-out diagrams and specifications for an  AT cable (Figure 1) and a
    
       PS/2 cable (Figure 2).
    
    
    
          NetPort                 IBM AT or compatible
    
          serial                         serial
    
           port                           port
    
        -----------                   -----------
    
       | o o o o o |                 | o o o o o |
    
        | o o o o |                   | o o o o |
    
         ---------                     ---------
    
    
    
       RXD    2 ----------------------------- 3 TXD
    
       TXD    3 ----------------------------- 2 RXD
    
       GND    5 ----------------------------- 5 GND
    
       RTS    7 ----------------------------- 8 CTS
    
       CTS    8 ----------------------------- 7 RTS
    
    
    
       Figure 1 - Serial cable pin-out for IBM AT and compatible computers.
    
    
    
          NetPort                  IBM PS/2 or compatible
    
          serial                            serial
    
           port                              port
    
        -----------               ---------------------------
    
       | o o o o o |             | o o o o o o o o o o o o o |
    
        | o o o o |               | o o o o o o o o o o o o |
    
         ---------                 -------------------------
    
    
    
       RXD   2 ----------------------------- 2 TXD
    
       TXD   3 ----------------------------- 3 RXD
    
       GND   5 ----------------------------- 7 GND
    
       RTS   7 ----------------------------- 5 CTS
    
       CTS   8 ----------------------------- 4 RTS
    
    
    
       Figure 2 - Serial cable pin-out for IBM PS/2 and compatible computers.
    
    

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