At 09:26 09/04/01 +1000, Helen wrote:

>Peter,
>Here are some tips about connecting from Windows clients. All of this
>information comes from the Operations Guide:

Helen - thanks so much for your immediate and authoritative response

>1. You can't use logical locations to connect to the database, i.e. you
>can't connect to shares. You must connect to a physical path on the
>server machine.
>
>2. In some cases, you can connect to the server's IP address but it is
>not recommended. You need (a) a host name for the server and (b) an entry
>in each client machine's HOSTS file that links the server name with its IP
>address. If your network is running a DNS server, this should be the
>server name that DNS knows; otherwise, you can make up a name.

I take it that this is a file named simply HOSTS which resides in C:\Windows

>3. The correct connection string format for TCP/IP is
> Servername:D:\path1\path2\MyDatabase.gdb
>
>4. The correct connection string format for NETBEUI is
> \\Servername:D:\path1\path2\MyDatabase.gdb

Not \\Servername\D:\path1\path2\MyDatabase.gdb?

>5. NETBEUI is supported on NT and Win95/98 clients but only NT supports
>NETBEUI as a server.

This was the 'golden' point for me. What about Win2000?

>6. The connection may fail if a Microsoft Windows network is not the
>default network for the client machine. The client must also be logged
>into the network with a valid NT user name and password.
>
>7. Check the client's network connection stack. If you are using TCP/IP
>(desirable, as NETBEUI is too noisy for effective database access) then
>push it up to the top of the stack. Get rid of IPX/SPX altogether if the
>client does not use it for anything.
>
>At 06:12 PM 08-04-01 +0200, you wrote:
>
> >Does this have to be done before the following is possible? Sadly, when I
> >try, I get the following message:
> >
> >Unable to complete network request to host 'X'
> >Failed to establish a connection
> >Unknown WIN32 error 65
>
>If 'X' is a share, and not a recognised physical host name in the network,
>then it is not a valid connection.
>
>The Ops Guide quite distinctly states that you can't treat a share as a
>physical server.

I was using the server's name, but the server was running Win95

> >Disappointing. The reference in the manual
> >is minimal.
>
>I think you may be looking in the wrong place. There is a complete
>chapter in the Operations Guide on Network Configuration; along with
>step-by-step instructions on how to run the diagnostics.

I was referring specifically to the reference to NETBEUI. But I will now
study the Guide again.

>NetBEUI is not the recommended protocol for database connectivity. To
>clarify the assumptions made about NetBEUI, it is a low-level protocol
>that is *supported* by Windows Networking, i.e. it operates at the DOS
>level and is not dependent on Windows.
>
>Unless you have a special reason to need to use it (e.g. old networked
>apps that can't work with TCP/IP), you should avoid NETBEUI.

My first reaction was that the NT only condition could be a limitation. But
I guess if it pushes me towards a superior protocol, it will turn out to be
an advantage.

>Cheers,
>Helen

Thanks once again. I echo Dale's remarks about the huge value of this list
and its members.
Peter