Product

Platform

Server: Dell and Data General all; Client: Macintosh

Operating system

Server: Windows NT or 2000; Client: Mac OS 9.x; Mac OS X

Error

Symptoms

The Services for Macintosh (SFM) server is not displayed in Macintosh Chooser, or it appears only sporadically. However, you are still able to connect to the Windows server using an IP address.

Cause

A. There are multi-seed routers on the local network. As well, two physical AppleTalk networks may have been given the same network numbers.

B. There are too many Macintosh nodes (more than 253 Appletalk hosts or servers) on one Appletalk network segment.

C. Appletalk routing is turned on.

Solution

Solution A:

1. Check the network numbers used for each physical network, then look for duplicates.

2. If there are duplicates, change one number so that all physical networks use unique network numbers.

Solution B:

If no duplicates are found, check whether the network has a bridge/switch that is filtering packets. It may be filtering out the Appletalk broadcasts, thus preventing proper communication.

Solution C:

Disable AppleTalk routing.

Solution D:

Regardless of the cause, you can connect to the server via TCP/IP with the server's IP address using AppleshareIP.

Permanent fix:

See also

Keywords

Macintosh, networking

Technical contact(s)

Simon Chen

Submitted by

Sinisa Nojkovic

Date submitted

11 Apr 2002