Filter
Top Products
Network Considerations
Notes to Network Administrators
I
I-13
matching network ID. This process is generally referred to as routing the packet,
and devices that do this are also referred to as Routers or Gateways.
In many modern networks, the use of subnet masking and the default gateway is
not necessary. These networks contain routers and gateways that support the
Proxy ARP protocol. In this protocol, the routing path between any two hosts is
automatically established by the routers during the ARP process. As a result, the
user doesn’t need to manually enter the subnet mask and default gateway
information.
When the TCP/IP protocol stack software starts operation, it communicates with
an NDIS or ODI driver in a process called Binding. During this process, the stack
tells the driver which protocol it is handling. In this way, a driver can direct
packets to more than one protocol stack. For example, it is quite common to have
the Novell IPX/SPX protocol stack and the TCP/IP protocol stack operating over
the same ODI multi-protocol driver.
The protocol.ini file, associated with the NDIS driver and the net.cfg
file, associated with the ODI driver, contain driver characteristics and information
about each protocol that is operating over the driver.
WINSOCK DLL and Application Programming Interface I-12.
The NetDAQ Logger software uses the TCP/IP protocol via a set of resources
contained in a winsock.dll. This DLL contains a set of functions that support
two-way communication between two hosts on the network. Of course, both hosts
must support the TCP/IP protocol for a WINSOCK connection to be successful.
WINSOCK isolates the NetDAQ application software from the specific
implementation of TCP/IP operating in the PC. WINSOCK's interface to
applications has been standardized by a committee of many different PC hardware
and software vendors. This makes it possible to operate NetDAQ software over
WINSOCK's from several different software vendors.
Windows 95 and Windows NT provide a WINSOCK. You can obtain a Winsock
for Windows for Workgroups from Microsoft. On Windows 3.1, you may need to
install Newt or Trumpet to get a WINSOCK.
Notes to Network Administrators I-13.
The NetDAQ product line consists of two instruments, the PC software, and some
options. The instruments communicate with the PC using the TCP/IP protocol and
the Ethernet physical network. Using proper Gateway devices, the PC could be on
almost any physical network that is capable of carrying or tunneling TCP/IP
packets and can gate to an Ethernet.
NetDAQ instruments support user entry of the subnet mask and the default
gateway. On networks that contain routers and gateways and support the Proxy