TITLE
    MacX: MacTCP Configuration Problem
Article ID:
Created:
Modified:
6218
10/31/90
4/20/93

TOPIC




    Article Change History
    ----------------------
    04/20/93 - REVIEWED
    * For technical accuracy.



    I'm having a problem setting up MacTCP (to use MacX). I'm trying to run MacX
    from the Macintosh OS (as opposed to A/UX). I have an Ethernet connection
    between my Macintosh IIx and a RISC UNIX box running X/MOTIF over TCP/IP. The
    entire Ethernet consists of the UNIX box, two TCP/IP X-stations, and three
    Macintoshes. There are no routers, gateways, Domain name servers, RARP, or
    BootP servers on the Ethernet. The Macintoshes can talk to each other via
    EtherTalk just fine. Also, I can see the UNIX box and X-stations communicate
    by running EtherPeek on one of the Macintoshes.

    I installed the Communications Toolbox, moved the MacTCP Tool (that came with
    MacX) into the "System Folder:Communications Folder", and moved the MacTCP CDEV
    files into the System Folder. I also followed the advice in the "MacTCP Setup
    Tips".

    I configured MacTCP (the CDEV) by bringing it up in the Control Panel. I
    selected:

    - Ethernet (as opposed to LocalTalk)
    - Address "Manual" (and entered 192.0.0.4)
    - No Routing
    - No Domain Name information

    I restarted. (The AppleTalk connection is set to LocalTalk.)

    When launched, MacX displays an alert with the message: "None of the connection
    tools are working at the moment--check that they are properly installed and
    restart MacX. Until this is done, no incoming X-client connections can be
    accepted."

    I tried this with both the MacTCP files that came with MacX and those I got
    separately from APDA, and had the same results.

    Specific Questions
    ------------------
    1) How do I tell MacX what the address of the UNIX box is, or if MacX is really
    a network "server" on Ethernet, how do I tell it what its name is?

    2) Is the MacTCP host file needed?

    3) Does the Communications Toolbox tool MacTCP expect anything special of the
    MacTCP CDEV?

    Additional Information
    ----------------------
    I have a copy of NCSA Telnet (for MacTCP) that will not run on the Macintosh
    IIx described above. Unfortunately, it doesn't display an error message; it

    just displays its initial banner and quits after about 5 seconds.

    Can you help?


DISCUSSION

    According to the information that you provided, the MacX and MacTCP
    installation procedure seems to be correct. One thing that should be made more
    clear is the "MacTCP Tool" must be put in the "System Folder:Communications
    Folder" folder.

    We found that there is a problem using the IP address 192.0.0.4 in the MacTCP
    configuration, which we think is not a valid class C network number. In a
    class C network, 192.0.0 is a reserved network number, and it should not be
    used by any MacTCP configuration. This might be the reason that MacX is
    displaying the warning message. IP address 192.0.1.4, for instance, can be
    used as a valid IP number.

    Make sure that the network number specified in the MacTCP IP address is valid
    and is the same network number as the other UNIX machine on the Ethernet.

    If MacX and the UNIX box are configured correctly and connected on the network,
    their IP addresses should be known to each other. Also, on a UNIX box, you can
    issue the "ping" utility to send an ICMP packet to a MacX server to see if it
    is up or not. On the MacX server side, you can run the "MacTCP Spy" to see if
    the MacTCP is up running.

    MacX is just a network "display" server, not a network server, in general, like
    an NFS. If your MacTCP is configured with a Domain name server, all name
    inquiries can be via the Domain name server. The host file is not necessarily
    needed. The "MacTCP Tool" does not need a "special" version of the MacTCP
    CDEV.



Document Information
Product Area: Apple Software; Communications-Networking
Category: MacX
Sub Category: General Topics

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