Copyright: Copyright © 1996-98 Olicom A/S


Adapter Diagnostics Program

Use the diagnostics program to check the adapter and network cables if you suspect a problem.

From the main window you can select between the three types of tests to perform:

*	Run Diag: Runs the internal tests on the adapter.

*	Network Test: Runs the physical connection tests between the adapter and the network.

*	Be Responder: Sets up an adapter as a network responder.

The main window also shows the basic configuration of the Olicom Token-Ring adapters in the computer. If more than one Olicom Token-Ring adapter is found, a list is shown from which you can select the adapters to test.


Adapter Diagnostics Tests

The internal adapter diagnostics tests are selected by pressing the "Run Diag" button in the main window. If the Adapter Diagnostics program locates more than one Olicom Token-Ring adapter in the computer, you can select one or more adapters to test before pressing the "Run Diag" button.

If all tests are successful, a message saying that the tested adapters are functional in the current configuration is displayed.

If a test fails, the tests stops and a message describing the error is displayed.

The "Adapter Diagnostics Test" window has 5 buttons:

*	Start/Stop. Pressing this button will either start or stop testing the selected adapters.

*	View Log. Select this option to view the result of the tests.

*	Save Log. Use this option if you want to save the log file to a diskette. Make sure you have inserted a write-enabled diskette before selecting this option.

*	Help. Shows this help file.

*	Close. Returns to previous screen.


Contents of help file

  Olicom Token-Ring Adapter Diagnostics Help

This file contains information on the Olicom Token-Ring Adapter Diagnostics program which is used to test your Olicom Token-Ring Adapter.

Use the diagnostics program to check the adapter and cables if you suspect a problem. The adapter has undergone stringent quality control tests before being released but damage may have occurred during transportation.

Select a topic for more information:

Adapter Diagnostics Program

Adapter Diagnostics Tests

Network Tests

Network Responder

If the text display appears garbled, run the Diagnostics program with the /altfont option.


In case of garbled displays

On a few systems, the display of numbers and punctuation marks is garbled, resulting in program output that is difficult or impossible to read. If this is the case, running the program with the "/altfont" option should solve the problem by using a different font.


Log File

During the internal adapter diagnostics tests the Adapter Diagnostics program records test messages. The messages are recorded in the following format:

Test started MM-DD-YY, HH:MM:SS

Adapter 1: <Identification for first adapter>

Adapter 2: <Identification for second adapter>

Adapter X: <Identification for X'th adapter>

N: <Test name> <result>	One line for each test

Test stopped MM-DD-YY, HH:MM:SS

where

MM-DD-YY,HH:MM:SS is current date and time

N is the Number of the adapter being tested.

<result> is either "passed" or an error message.


Network Tests

Tests the physical connection between the adapter and the network. Before selecting this test set up another computer with an Olicom Token-Ring adapter as a network responder. The two stations must be on the same ring on the network.

If no network responder is found, you can do either an External or Internal loopback test. An External loopback test will transmit frames to itself through the network. Internal loopback test will do a loopback in the adapter/cable without transmitting frames to the network.

Counters will be shown during testing for packets sent and received together with counters for transmit and receive errors.

Note:

Remember always to run the internal tests on the adapter before running the network tests.

Notes about searching for responder:

If the adapter is connected to a shared media (CAU, MAU etc.), a few seconds is sufficient to find the responder. If the responder isn't found within 5 seconds after the ‘Searching for responder’ message is shown, you can abort the search.

If, on the other hand, the adapter is connected to a dedicated media such as a switch, a few seconds may not be sufficient. If Spanning Tree is enabled on the switch, the search must run for at least 2 times the ‘Forward Delay Time’ configured for the Spanning Tree protocol. On some switches the default ‘Forward Delay Time’ is 15 seconds. For this reason the search time has been set to 40 seconds. If ‘Forward Delay Time’ is set to a higher value than approx. 20 seconds, the diagnostics program will not be able to find the responder. If this is the case you must test on another media or ask your network administrator to reconfigure the switch.

If Spanning Tree isn't enabled/used on the switch a few seconds should be sufficient to find the responder.


Responder

Sets up an adapter as a network responder. The adapter will then echo packets transmitted from another station running network tests.

The two stations must be on the same ring on the network.

Counters will be shown during testing for packets sent and received together with counters for transmit and receive errors.

Note:

The packet counters on the responder may be higher than the counters on the network test station, as the responder counters also includes the initial responder-discovery packets and other broadcast packets.