DS200B terminal server

[bkelly13]

We have a DS200B terminal server that recently failed. We discovered that a DS300 terminal server has the same power supply and did not need the DS300, so swapped power supplies. The DS200B is working as the connected devices are functional. When I try to connect to it to check and change port setting, there is no reply. I have done a couple of shows and believe that the name is DS200B. I start NCP with MCR NCP, then enter:
CONNECT NODE DS200B
and it does not connect. I tried this similiar command on another computer and termial server with success. Is there something else I can do to wake this guy up and connect to it? How can I verify that the name is really DS200B?

Thank you

[Robert Gezelter]

bkelly13,

I would be suspicious that the settings got reset to the factory defaults.

I do not have the manual handy at this instant, but I would try to find the manual, which will include the standard settings.

Failing that, I would try a 9600/N/1 serial connection to the console port of the terminal server.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Hoff · Accepted solution]

The CONNECT is via hardware address and MOP, which implies there's a low-level error or the box isn't set up to allow an incoming console connection, or there's some mismatch or confusion around which LAN segment and NIC is connected to the DECserver and thus the path from the host issuing the NCP to the DECserver, or there's more than the power supply that's wrong with the DECserver 200 box.

Here's how to set up a DECserver using NCP:

http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/183

Here's configuring a remote port:

http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/288

and here's the basic reset sequence for most any DECserver and resetting to factory defaults:

http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/236

And here's the DECserver 200 manual:

http://vt100.net/manx/details/1,754

(I'd have swapped in the DECserver 300 here as that box has rudimentary IP support, but that's another discussion.)

[Jess Goodman]

NCP's CONNECT NODE nodename command uses the DECnet NETNODE_REMOTE database to look up the MAC address of nodename.

It really doesn't matter to NCP if nodename is the correct name of the terminal server, what matters is if you do:

$ MCR NCP SHOW NODE nodename CHARACTERISTICS

that the Hardware address displayed is the corret Mac address. If it is not, either correct it with DEFINE and SET node commands, or use this:

$ MCR NCP CONNECT NODE nodename PHYSICAL ADDRESS xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx

where nodename here can be any remote node name in the DECnet database on the same circuit.

Which brings up the other possible gotcha with NCP CONNECT NODE. You also need to check the Service Circuit for the node. It is also displayed by the MCR NCP SHOW NODE command.

It will be in DECnet circuit format, so ethernet port EWA0: is circuit EWA-0, but port EWB0: is circuit EWA-1, etc.

If the service circuit for the terminal server node is not the correct DECnet circuit for it, either correct it with DEFINE/SET or add this to the end of the CONNECT NODE command:

VIA circuit

[bkelly13]

Thanks guys, I will use this help as soon as I get back out there again.

[Jess Goodman]

I should have added caveats about using DEFINE NODE to set the service circuit for a terminal server.

First, the Service circuit is displayed by NCP SHOW/LIST NODE CHARACTERISTICS and is not the same as the circuit displayed by NCP SHOW NODE.

Second, when NETNODE_REMOTE.DAT is a cluster-shared file there is a problem defining service circuits. The correct service circuit for one VMS node may not be the correct service circuit for another VMS node.

For example, suppose a site has only one network and all the terminal servers and VMS nodes use it. VMS node Alpha has a DE500 NIC so its DECnet circuit is EWA-0, but VMS node Beta has a DE602 so its DECnet circuit is EIA-0. Whatever service circuit you DEFINE for a terminal server in NETNODE_REMOTE will be wrong for either Alpha or Beta.

The only work-around is to use VIA EWA-0 on Alpha and/or VIA EIA-0 on BETA, or (as we did) write a boot-time command file to do NCP SET NODE nodename SERVICE CIRCUIT (this-node's-circuit) commands for all your terminal servers.