MacTCP 1.1: Communicating with SGI Indigo UNIX Computer



I'm having problems communicating with an SGI Indigo UNIX computer using
a Macintosh with MacTCP 1.1

Here's the scenario:

I'm connected to an Ethernet network with two Indigo boxes. We've isolated
this segment; only our three computers are on it.

- Indigo #1 - 192.100.2.2
- Indigo #2 - 192.100.2.4
- Mac IIfx - 192.100.2.43 (MacTCP, version 1.1)

The Indigos "ping" each other successfully.

I boot a computer with system 7.0.1, but I don't respond to an Indigo's
attempt to "ping" me.

I use Etherpeek on the same Macintosh IIfx, and I see their "ping" request
packets on the network (even the one addressed to me). Etherpeek gets
information, and confirms that I have configured the proper MacTCP address.

I open MacTCP SPY, and I suddenly begin to respond to the "pings." I can
then use VersaTerm Pro with the Telnet Comm Tool drivers to log on to the
Indigo with no problems. By the way, I continue to respond to the "ping,"
even when I close MacTCP SPY.

Rebooting with System 6.0.7 on the hard drive, I still don't respond to a
"ping," even when I use MacTCP SPY to "kick start."

In short, I need to enable the 6.0.7 Macintosh IIfx to communicate,
preferably without a MacTCP Spy "kick start." If the solution is to
upgrade to System 7, then I need to have this same capability on this
platform as well.

The actions you describe are exactly the way MacTCP was designed to
operate. The driver isn't loaded until the first TCP/IP application is
launched. This is true for both 6.0.7 and 7.0, or we should say MacTCP
1.0 and 1.1.

You shouldn't have to kick-start MacTCP unless you want it to respond to
ICMP messages before you run a MacTCP application. If this is the
functionality you desire, just set MacTCP Spy as a startup application.
This will work under both System 6.x and System 7.x.



Published Date: Feb 18, 2012