TITLE: Netbooting a PortMaster from a PC running MS-Windows 3.1x's Terminal program. FOR THE FOLLOWING MODELS: PM2, PM2e, PM25, PM2r, PM2er, IRX111, IRX112, IRX114, IRX211 SUMMARY: If a the operating system of the ComOS becomes corrupt it may be necessary to boot the PortMaster from an image file external to the PortMaster in order to get the PortMaster running. Download netbootable image to pc's hard drive from Lucent Remote Access FTP site. Set dip switches 1 and 2 up on the PortMaster. Connect the PC's COM port to the S0 port on the PortMaster with a NULL modem cable. Start Windows and the run Terminal program configured for 9600,8,N,1 and then start the PortMaster. After seeing RARP press the 'ESC' key and then do a 'set address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx' with the x's being the ip address of the PortMaster. Transfer the image file to the PortMaster as a text file with the Strip LF box unchecked. BEFORE YOU START: A PC with a free external COM port with Microsoft's Terminal program that comes with Windows 3.x. This version of Terminal can be found under the "Accessories" group in Windows 3.1x. Can also be found on some versions of NT and MS-Windows 95 upgrades. An IP address to assigne to the PortMaster. This will normally be the IP address assigned to the ethernet port of the PortMaster. Null Modem Cable or a straight thru serial cable and a Null modem adapter. NOTE: The DB25 connector on the Portmaster is female. If you're not exactly sure what a null modem cable is the pin-out is below. Pin out for a full Null modem cable pin 1 (GND) goes to pin 1 (GND) pin 2 (TD) goes to pin 3 (RD) pin 3 (RD) goes to pin 2 (TD) pin 4 (RTS) goes to pin 5 (CTS) pin 5 (CTS) goes to pin 4 (RTS) pin 6 (DSR) goes to pin 6 (DSR) pin 7 (GND) goes to pin 7 (GND) pin 8 (DCD) goes to pin 20 (DTR) pin 20 (DTR) goes to pin 8 (DCD) If you're not sure which cable to use from the pin-out take the pin-out to Radio-Shack or any computer store and show them. NETBOOTING FROM THE PC: With the LIVINGSTON unit powered off, set dip switches 1 and 2 up/on. The dip switches are found on the back panel of the PortMaster located next to the single green diagnostic LED. Dip switch 1 forces port S0 into 9600,8,N,1 mode. Dip switch 2 causes the PortMaster to issue RARP's (Reverse ARP's) that will cause the PortMaster to boot ready for a netboot. Connect a Null modem cable to port S0 on the PortMaster. Next, plug the other end of the null cable to an external COM port on their PC. Boot up the PC and start MS-Windows. In Windows 3.1x (or a Windows 3.x machine upgraded to Windows 95) go to the Accessories group, double-click on Terminal. If this machine was upgraded to Windows 95 then run the "terminal.exe" program in the windows directory. Configure Terminal as follows: Select "Settings" from the menu-bar and then "Communications" from the sub-menu. Then set the configuration to the following: Select com port (1 or 2) 9600 baud, 8, None, 1 xon/xoff flow control No. Parity Check No. Carrier Detect. Power on the PortMaster and you should see the unit booting. Locate the image file on disk and note the exact size of the file in bytes. When the RARPS begin press the 'ESC' key and type the following with x being the size of the GENERIC image file they downloaded in bytes. NOTE: At this poing you may want to also set other settings of the PortMaster if your next step is an upgrade. set address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx # The ip address of ether0 set netmask 255.255.255.0 # The ethernet netmask set gateway yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy # The gateway address download x This will put the Portmaster unit into a download mode. From the Windows Terminal program select "Transfers" from the menu-bar and then "Send Text File" from the sub-menu. Un-Check the "Strip LF" option and have the user find the file in the browse box. Press the "OK" button when ready. The process takes 5-6 minutes and the PortMaster unit will automatically reboot when done. TROUBLESHOOTING: AFTER TRANSFERING THE FILE THE LIVINGSTON DOES NOT REBOOT - Make sure you downloaded the correct image file. - Download the image again, making sure you download it as a binary file. - Verify the byte count of the image you downloaded with the byte count of the image file on the ftp site. They MUST macth. - Try, Try, Try again - Call Tech support. NOTHING SEEN ON THE CONSOLE - Make sure the PortMaster is on, plugged in with the Null modem firmly attached to S0 and the other end of the cable firmly connected to the terminal. - Make sure dip switch 1 is On/Up. Try turning off the PortMaster and flipping dip 1 up and down a few times and then reboot with dip 1 On/Up. - Make sure you have the right COM port selected on your PC. - Make sure the single green LED next to the dip switches flashes off once every 5 seconds. - Swap the Null modem cable. - Swap the COM port on the terminal. - Try another terminal program. - Try another hardware device as your console. - Program a modem for 9600,8,N,1 and for auto-answer and try dialing into the port. - If you have other Lucent Remote Access products try connecting your terminal to those devices and then swing the console over to the terminal. If it works on another Lucent Remote Access product but not this one, call Technical Support. * CAN SEE THE LIVINGSTON BOOT AND THE PROMPT BUT CAN'T TYPE - Swap the NULL modem it is probably bad - It is possible that the serial port or COM port is bad, but chances are its the cable. GETTING GARBAGE ON THE CONSOLE - DTE speed mismatch. Make sure that your terminal is set to 9600 baud. - IRQ mismatch. If you have another device that is using the IRQ of your COM port you'll see garbadge from the other device. - Use a different COM port. - Swap NULL modem cable. - Try another hardware device for your terminal. ERROR MESSAGE ON BOOT UP, "PANIC WATCHDOG ERROR" - Call Lucent Remote Access Technical Support. Have your console ready on S0. This may be a problem with the NVRAM.