JUL SEP OCT 12 2002 2003 2006 9 captures 26 Nov 02 - 14 Jan 13

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Configuring a Cayman GatorBox

NOTE: The Cayman Gatorbox is no longer supported by CCSO.
This document is for historical and informational purposes only.

Table of Contents

II. Configuring TCP/IP

III. Configuring AppleTalk Routing

IV. Restarting the GatorBox

V. GatorBox Configuration Tips

A Cayman GatorBox serves several important functions on a Macintosh network. First and foremost, it is an AppleTalk router. An AppleTalk router allows AppleTalk devices (such as Macintosh computers, LaserWriters, AppleShare File Servers, etc.) on different networks and/or in different zones to communicate with one another. AppleTalk routing services are critical on networks that have AppleTalk devices on both Ethernet and LocalTalk (or PhoneNet). The GatorBox also provides TCP/IP services to LocalTalk Macs. Additional, less commonly used GatorBox services include DECnet routing (which allows LocalTalk Macs to communicate with DECnet nodes on an Ethernet), UNIX-to-LocalTalk printing (with GatorPrint), and UNIX-based file services for Macs on LocalTalk or Ethernet (with GatorShare).

The GatorBox User's Guide and Reference Guide give detailed instructions on how to set up your GatorBox. This guide will tell you about configuration conventions at UIUC and is intended as a supplement to, not a replacement for, the GatorBox documentation. Please note also that specific instructions or menu options for your GatorBox may vary depending on the age and model of your unit.

I. Getting Started

GatorKeeper will attempt to locate all GatorBoxes in the default zone and display them in a GatorBoxes window similar to the one shown in Figure 1 below:

Figure 1: A GatorBoxes window

If a GatorBoxes window does not appear or you do not see your GatorBox icon in the window, open the Windows menu and choose the GatorBoxes... option. Then, under the View menu, choose Lookup in Zone. Select your local zone. If the icon for your GatorBox still doesn't appear, check the connections between the Mac and the GatorBox and make sure your Network Control Panel on your Mac matches your AppleTalk connection type (LocalTalk, EtherTalk, etc.).

To begin configuring your GatorBox, double click on its name or icon in the GatorBoxes window. You may be prompted for a password. If so, enter the password for the GatorBox. You should then see a Configuration Options window similar to the one in Figure 2 below:

Figure 2: Configuration Options menu

To configure a particular service, double click on its name.

II. Configuring TCP/IP

Figure 3: TCP/IP Parameters window

Fill in the information for your building network. The instructions below correspond to the numbers in Figure 3:

1. Check the Default Gateway address box and fill in the IP address of the router for your subnet.

2. Assign an IP address to your GatorBox and enter it in the IP address field. If you are configuring the box for the first time, it's a good idea to give it an address near the bottom of your range.

3. Enter the broadcast address for your network. Normally the broadcast address should be 255.255.255.255. This address is called a local wire broadcast. Older GatorBoxes may not accept a local wire broadcast address. If your box can't use a local wire broadcast, use a directed broadcast instead. The directed broadcast address is the same as the last IP address in your network range. For example, if your address range is 128.174.33.0 to 128.174.33.63, the directed broadcast address is 128.174.33.63 (not 128.174.33.255).

4. Check the Subnet mask box and enter the subnet mask for your network in the subnet mask field.

5. Double click on the "Mac IP" options button. You should see another window like the one shown in Figure 4 below:

   

   Figure 4: MacIP Options window

   The MacIP Options window configures the GatorBox for providing TCP/IP services to Macs on a LocalTalk network. The instructions below correspond to the numbers on Figure 4.

6. For MacIP support, click on the KIP Style forwarding radio button. KIP Style forwarding treats the MacIP net as part of the building subnet. All LocalTalk networks on UIUCnet use KIP style forwarding for MacIP services.

7. The GatorBox can reserve up to 64 IP addresses for Macs on your LocalTalk. These addresses must be contiguous, and, since MacIP networks usually grow upwards, it's best to reserve addresses in the lower part of your range. Identify an unused address range large enough to accommodate the largest number of Macs that will be on your LocalTalk net at one time. Enter the lowest number in the range in the First IP address in range field.

   Static (Manual) versus Dynamic (Server) Addressing for MacIP

   A GatorBox uses two different methods to reserve/allocate IP addresses for LocalTalk Macs: static addressing and dynamic addressing. With static addressing, the GatorBox merely reserves one or more IP addresses for LocalTalk Macs. Static addresses are actually assigned or allocated by configuring MacTCP on each machine. Dynamic addressing, on the other hand, both reserves and allocates addresses. Each method has its pros and cons, and it is possible to configure the GatorBox to offer both static and dynamic addressing.
   • Static (Manual) Addressing Pros and Cons. With static addressing, a specific address is associated with a specific machine. If your network management or diagnostic software reports a problem with a particular IP node, knowing which computer is using that address can make it much easier to isolate and correct the problem. Also, with static addressing, it becomes feasible for users to leave their machines in ftp server mode and access them from an ftp client anywhere on the Internet. The down side of static addressing is that MacTCP must be custom configured for each machine, It's also possible to accidentally configure two Macs with the same number. Power users generally prefer their machine to be configured for static (manual) addressing.

   • Dynamic (server) Addressing Pro and Cons. The biggest advantage to dynamic addressing is that you can use identical MacTCP configurations on every machine. This can be especially useful in labs, where it is often desirable for every machine to be configured in the same way. Dynamic addressing can also help you conserve IP address space. It's possible, for example, to reserve 20 dynamic addresses for a LocalTalk network with 25 Macs. Macs configured for dynamic addressing do not actually claim an address until a TCP/IP application is invoked. Thus, the 20 IP addresses will be sufficient for 25 or even a larger number of Macs as long as no more than 20 machines try to use MacIP services simultaneously. However, dynamic addressing makes it nearly impossible to access a machine remotely via ftp and complicates network troubleshooting.

   • MacTCP and Static (Manual) vs. Dynamic (Server) addressing. When later configuring MacTCP for static or dynamic addressing, it's important to note that MacTCP's terminology is slightly different than that used for the GatorBox. In MacTCP, static addressing is called manual and dynamic addressing is called server. MacTCP also has a dynamic option, which applies only to Ethernets and is NOT the same as dynamic addressing as described in the GatorBox and FastPath documentation. See the handout Installing MacTCP for more information..

8. Enter the number of static addresses in the static address field. Note that the static addresses are at the bottom of the GatorBox range. This allows you to grow the range upwards without reconfiguring static machines.

9. Enter the number of dynamic addresses that the GatorBox can allocate in the dynamic address field. Note that the actual IP range for both static and dynamic addresses appears automatically.

10. Click on the More... button and you will see a window like the one in Figure 5 below:

    

    Figure 5: Additional TCP/IP MacIP Parameters window

11. Enter the IP address for the primary Nameserver on the campus net (128.174.5.58)

12. Turn on NBP (KIP) Style ARP if it is not already turned on.

13. If you have more than one MacIP server (GatorBox or FastPath) in the zone assigned to your LocalTalk network, click on the checkbox to turn on Restrict MacIP service to LocalTalk.

14. Once you are satisfied with the configuration, click on OK.

III. Configuring AppleTalk Routing

About AppleTalk Network Numbers. Each LocalTalk, EtherTalk Phase 1, and EtherTalk Phase 2 network connected to your GatorBox must be assigned a unique number from 1 to 65279. If your network will be part of the campus-wide AppleTalk, the network numbers you use must be unique for the entire campus. In order to ensure unique network numbers across the campus, a range of numbers has been allocated to you based on the range of the IP addresses allocated to your subnet. The algorithm that is used to calculate your network numbers varies depending on whether the IP addresses for your building network begin with the numbers 128.174 or the numbers 130.126. The paragraphs below describe the how to calculate your network numbers under both conditions:

Calculating Your Network Numbers if Your IP Addresses Begin 128.174

1. Write down the first IP address in the range allocated to your subnet. This is the IP address assigned to the network itself and should not be assigned to any node on your net; for example, 128.174.33.0 .

2. The address you wrote down should be made up of four numbers separated by decimal points. Assign a different letter to each of the four numbers, beginning with the letter A. For example:

   
   		 128   174   33    0
   		  A     B     C    D
   
   

3. To determine the first and lowest AppleTalk network number in the range available to you, use the formula: (256 x C) + D. For example:

   
   		(256 x 33) + 0 = 8448	
   

   The resulting number (8448 in the above example) should be used as the first or start number of your EtherTalk Phase 2 range. The other network numbers used for your subnet should progress upwards from this number.

   Usually, even if the EtherTalk Phase 2 range uses only one network number (e.g., 8448-8448) the next number up (e.g., [8448 + 1] or 8449) is reserved for possible expansion of the EtherTalk Phase 2 net. If there are additional AppleTalk networks on the subnet (e.g., a LocalTalk network; an IPTalk network, etc.), each would be assigned a unique number beginning with end number of the Ethernet Phase 2 range plus 2. So, for example, if the Ethernet Phase 2 range were 8448-8448, the next available network number would be (8448 + 2) or 8450. If the Phase 2 range were 8448-8449, the next available network number would be (8449 + 2) or 8451.

Calculating Your Network Numbers if Your IP Addresses Begin 130.126

1. Write down the last IP address in the range allocated to your subnet. This is the address reserved for directed broadcasts; for example, on subnet 130.126.33.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.224, the last IP address would be 120.126.33.31.

2. The address you wrote down should be made up of four numbers separated by decimal points. Assign a different letter to each of the four numbers, beginning with the letter A. For example:

   
   		130   126   33    31
   		 A     B    C     D
   
   

3. To determine the last and highest AppleTalk network number in the range available to you, use the formula: (256 x C) + D. For example:

   		(256 x 33) + 31 = 8479	
   

   The resulting number (8479 in the above example) should be used as the last or end number of your EtherTalk Phase 2 range. The other network numbers used on your subnet should progress downwards from this number.

   Usually, even of the EtherTalk Phase 2 range uses only one network number (e.g., 8479-8479) the next number down (e.g., [8479 - 1] or 8478) is reserved for possible expansion of the EtherTalk Phase 2 net. If there are additional AppleTalk networks on the subnet (e.g., a LocalTalk network; IPTalk network, etc.), each would be assigned a unique number beginning with first number of the Ethernet Phase 2 range minus 2. So for example, if the Ethernet Phase 2 range were 8479-8479, the next available network number would be (8479 -2) or 8477 . If the Phase 2 range were 8478-8479, the next available network number would be (8478 - 2) or 8476. Etc.

   Note: Any additions or changes in network numbers or zones names that you make on your local network must be recorded in the configuration of the router that connects your network to the campus backbone. Whenever you make such changes, please notify the CCSO AppleTalk coordinator by sending the details in an e-mail message to appletalk@uiuc.edu.

   For More About Network Numbers. For a more technical discussion of AppleTalk numbers and their derivation from IP address and subnet mask assignments, see Appendix A of the document AppleTalk on the UIUC Campus.

• Keep things simple. Use as few zone names as possible.

• Use zone names that are as intuitive and self-explanatory as possible.

• Avoid generic, technical zones names like: EtherTalk Phase 1, EtherTalk Phase 2, etc.

• Multiple zones associated with the same departmental or administrative entity should begin with the same prefix. Examples: CCSO-NDO, CCSO-Staff, CCSO-Resource, Life) Burrill East, Life) Burrill West, Life) Davenport, etc. This way, they will be grouped together in the Chooser.

About Routing Types. The AppleTalk routing type determines whether the router gets its zone and network number information from its own internal configuration or from another router on the same network. There are three routing types:

• seed - router gets its network information by reading its own internal configuration file.

• soft seed - router waits a specified period of time to get its zone and network number information from another router. If information is not available from another router, a soft seed router then uses its own internal configuration, like a seed router.

• non seed - router gets its zone and network number information from another router. If information is not available from another router, a non seed router will not route through the non seed port.

When there are two or more routers attached to the same LocalTalk or Ethernet segment, the routers must agree on zone and network number information. In such cases, typically one router is configured as a seed router and the remaining routers are configured as soft seed or non seed. If your network is on the campus-wide AppleTalk, your building router is also an EtherTalk Phase 2 seed router.

Get to the Configuration Options window. Double click on the AppleTalk Routing box. If AppleTalk Routing services are turned off, turn them on. Once AppleTalk services are turned on, you should see a window similar to the one in Figure 6 below:

Figure 6: AppleTalk Router parameters window

1. If Phase 2 EtherTalk routing is not turned on, turn it on by clicking on the check box.

2. Enter the range of network numbers for your Phase 2 EtherTalk network. The first number should be the first number in your AppleTalk network number range (see page 6 for details). You will need one number for every 253 nodes. If one network number is sufficient, enter the same number for the beginning and end of the range. If not, enter the end of the Phase 2 range in the To: field.

3. Select the routing type for your Phase 2 EtherTalk net. If you're not on the campus AppleTalk and this is the only router on your net, choose seed. If there are multiple AppleTalk routers on your Ethernet, at least one should be a seed router and the others should be soft seed or non seed. If you are on the campus-wide AppleTalk, your building Proteon router is a Phase 2 seed router, In this case, your GatorBox should be configured as soft seed and its routing information should be identical to the Proteon.

4. Click on the Zone List... button and enter the name of one or more zones for your Phase 2 net. See page 6 for more information.

5. Enter a network number for your LocalTalk network. Pick a number immediately adjacent or close to the last number in your EtherTalk Phase 2 range.

6. Select the routing type for your LocalTalk net. If this is the only router on your LocalTalk net, select Seed port. If there is more than one router attached to your LocalTalk network, one should be a seed router and the others should be soft seed or non seed.

7. Enter the zone name for the LocalTalk network. This can and usually should be the same as the name for the EtherTalk net.

8. The Filtering menu allows you to restrict access to laser printers and other devices to users on the LocalTalk network or to users in the same zone. A description of each filtering option is given in the GatorBox User's Guide and the Reference manual. The options Listen Only to/Ignore These Remote Networks are generally not used at UIUC because AppleTalk is routed, not tunneled, across the backbone.

9. The KIP Options... menu lets you configure the GatorBox so that your can share files and printers with UNIX hosts running the Columbia AppleTalk Package (CAP). Refer to your GatorBox documentation for more information.

10. AppleTalk Tunneling allows AppleTalk to be routed over an IP internet by encapsulating AppleTalk packets inside IP packets. Since UIUCnet routers can route pure AppleTalk protocols, tunneling is no longer necessary (nor is it permitted on the campus-wide AppleTalk).

IV. Restarting the GatorBox

V. GatorBox Configuration Tips

1. Set a password for your GatorBox. If you neglect to do so, anyone with the GatorKeeper software or plain old telnet can access the box and change its configuration or restart it. Take actions to remember your password. If you forget it, the only way you can change your configuration is to call Cayman Systems. They can give you a password based on your serial number.

2. If your box is already configured, copy its configuration to the GatorDefaults file before making major changes. This way you can restore the original configuration very easily. To copy the current settings of your GatorBox to the GatorDefaults file, drag the icon for the GatorBox onto the GatorDefaults icon. If you need to restore your previous settings, drag the GatorDefaults icon onto the GatorBox icon.

3. Once your GatorBox is configured and working, save a copy of the new configuration to the GatorDefaults file. To do so, drag the icon for the GatorBox onto the GatorDefaults icon.

4. Print out a copy of your GatorBox configuration and file it with other network data.

5. These and other tips are found in the GatorBox Administration chapter of your User's Guide.

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