Question : NetWare Login cannot find tree with Wireless login

My setup--> Novell Client32 4.90 w/ SP1, Cisco 350 AP, LinkSys WMP11 PCI Wireless card, Windows XP Pro (all latest patches/updates).  I have 2 different labs setup exactly like this and I'm starting to get problems logging into our network from them.  What happens is that when the proper info(login/password) is put in, you get the login hourglass for 1-2 minutes and it returns saying it cannot find the Tree or Server (which do exist and are working fine).  I can skip the network login and login to the XP Desktop and I get a connection between 89-93% and I can surf the web and all works fine except loggin into my Novell network.  This has happened on several PC's and according to LinkSys, they say after a certain MS HotFix, you must use WEP or this happens.  Well, I've changed over to using WEP and it still happens.  If I take a cable and plug into this machine, then I can login right away.  Also, I've tried waiting 5-10 minutes once the PC boots to make sure all the background processes are loaded, and still the wireless login won't work.  Have tried re-installing the wireless card & the novell client, still nothing.   I've rebooted and triple-checked the settings on the AP but nothing works.  Machines right next to it work great.  Any ideas on why the Novell login isn't working?

Answer : NetWare Login cannot find tree with Wireless login

You don't go into details about which version of NetWare you are using and how it is configured, but my first guess would be that you are using a mixed IP/IPX environment and the wireless is using solely TCP/IP and you the workstation cannot perform server discovery.

IPX allows for autmomatic discovery of devices through service advertising. This means that the devices themselves constanatly announce where they are and what services they can provide. TCP/IP does not provide this without the configuration of an additional advertiser named Service Location Protocol.

You should follow the published Novell guidelines if you wish to setup SLP, but you can most likely get around your lookup failures by placing the tree and servers in your workstation host file. The hosts file is located in \\DRIVE\WINDOWS PATH\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC. Open it in a text editor and add the following lines beneath

127.0.0.1       localhost
       
                 
                     

Example:

127.0.0.1         localhost
192.168.1.3     MYTREE
192.168.1.21   ACCOUNTINGSERVER
192.168.1.23   ENGINEERINGSERVER
192.168.1.35   BACKUPSERVER

This will allow your client to connect to your Novell server without having to rely upon IPX or setup SLP. In the long run SLP is your better option, but this should get you working.

Also make sure that you do not perform a default installation of the 4.90 Novell client, it will install NMAS by default which will greatly increase your login times.

Hope this helps.
-Mojo