ipx network

To enable IPX routing on a particular interface and to optionally select the type of encapsulation (framing), use the ipx network command in interface configuration mode. To disable IPX routing, use the no form of this command.

ipx network network [encapsulation encapsulation-type [secondary]]

no ipx network network [encapsulation encapsulation-type]

Syntax Description

network

Network number. This is an eight-digit hexadecimal number that uniquely identifies a network cable segment. It can be a number in the range 1 to FFFFFFFD.

You do not need to specify leading zeros in the network number. For example, for the network number 000000AA you can enter AA.

encapsulation encapsulation-type

(Optional) Type of encapsulation (framing).

secondary

(Optional) Indicates an additional (secondary) network configured after the first (primary) network.


Table 48: Encapsulation Types
Encapsulation Type Description

arpa

For Ethernet interfaces only---Use Novell's Ethernet_II encapsulation. This encapsulation is recommended for networks that handle both TCP/IP and IPX traffic.

hdlc

For Serial interfaces only---Use HDLC encapsulation.

novell-ether

For Ethernet interfaces only---Use Novell's "Ethernet_802.3" encapsulation. This encapsulation consists of a standard 802.3 Media Access Control (MAC) header followed directly by the IPX header with a checksum of FFFF. It is the default encapsulation used by all versions of NetWare up to and including Version 3.11.

novell-fddi

For FDDI interfaces only---Use Novell's "FDDI_RAW" encapsulation. This encapsulation consists of a standard FDDI MAC header followed directly by the IPX header with a checksum of 0xFFFF.

sap

  • For Ethernet interfaces---Use Novell's Ethernet_802.2 encapsulation.This encapsulation consists of a standard 802.3 MAC header followed by an 802.2 LLC header. This is the default encapsulation used by NetWare Version 3.12 and 4.0.

  • For Token Ring interfaces---This encapsulation consists of a standard 802.5 MAC header followed by an 802.2 LLC header.

  • For FDDI interfaces---This encapsulation consists of a standard FDDI MAC header followed by an 802.2 LLC header.

snap

  • For Ethernet interfaces---Use Novell Ethernet_Snap encapsulation. This encapsulation consists of a standard 802.3 MAC header followed by an 802.2 SNAP LLC header.

  • For Token Ring and FDDI interfaces---This encapsulation consists of a standard 802.5 or FDDI MAC header followed by an 802.2 SNAP LLC header.

Defaults

IPX routing is disabled.

Encapsulation types:
   For Ethernet: novell-ether
   For Token Ring: sap
   For FDDI: snap
   For Serial: hdlc

If you use NetWare Version 4.0 and Ethernet, you must change the default encapsulation type from novell-ether to sap.

Command Modes

Interface configuration

Command History
Release Modification

10.0

This command was introduced.

12.0(1)T

This command was modified to support the FDDI interface.

Usage Guidelines

The ipx network command allows you to configure a single logical network on a physical network or more than one logical network on the same physical network (network cable segment). Each network on a given interface must have a different encapsulation type.

The first network you configure on an interface is considered to be the primary network. Any additional networks are considered to be secondary networks; these must include the secondary keyword.


  Note In future Cisco IOS software releases, primary and secondary networks may not be supported.

NLSP does not support secondary networks. You must use subinterfaces in order to use multiple encapsulations with NLSP.


  Note When enabling NLSP and configuring multiple encapsulations on the same physical LAN interface, you must use subinterfaces. You cannot use secondary networks.

You can configure an IPX network on any supported interface as long as all the networks on the same physical interface use a distinct encapsulation type. For example, you can configure up to four IPX networks on a single Ethernet cable because Ethernet supports four encapsulation types.

The interface processes only packets with the correct encapsulation and the correct network number. IPX networks using other encapsulations can be present on the physical network. The only effect on the router is that it uses some processing time to examine packets to determine whether they have the correct encapsulation.

All logical networks on an interface share the same set of configuration parameters. For example, if you change the IPX RIP update time on an interface, you change it for all networks on that interface.

When you define multiple logical networks on the same physical network, IPX treats each encapsulation as if it were a separate physical network. This means, for example, that IPX sends RIP updates and SAP updates for each logical network.

The ipx network command is useful when migrating from one type of encapsulation to another. If you are using it for this purpose, you should define the new encapsulation on the primary network.

To delete all networks on an interface, use the following command:

no ipx network

Deleting the primary network with the following command also deletes all networks on that interface. The argument number is the number of the primary network.

no ipx network number

To delete a secondary network on an interface, use one of the following commands. The argument number is the number of a secondary network.

no ipx network number

no ipx network number encapsulation encapsulation-type

Novell's FDDI_RAW encapsulation is common in bridged or switched environments that connect Ethernet-based Novell end hosts via a FDDI backbone. Packets with FDDI_RAW encapsulation are classified as Novell packets, and are not automatically bridged when you enable both bridging and IPX routing. Additionally, you cannot configure FDDI_RAW encapsulation on an interface configured for IPX autonomous or SSE switching. Similarly, you cannot enable IPX autonomous or SSE switching on an interface configured with FDDI_RAW encapsulation.

With FDDI_RAW encapsulation, platforms that do not use CBUS architecture support fast switching. Platforms using CBUS architecture support only process switching of novell-fddi packets received on an FDDI interface.

Examples

The following example uses subinterfaces to create four logical networks on Ethernet interface 0. Each subinterface has a different encapsulation. Any interface configuration parameters that you specify on an individual subinterface are applied to that subinterface only.

ipx routing
interface ethernet 0
 ipx network 1 encapsulation novell-ether
 
interface ethernet 0.1
 ipx network 2 encapsulation snap
 
interface ethernet 0.2
 ipx network 3 encapsulation arpa 
 
interface ethernet 0
 ipx network 4 encapsulation sap 
 

The following example uses primary and secondary networks to create the same four logical networks as shown previously in this section. Any interface configuration parameters that you specify on this interface are applied to all the logical networks. For example, if you set the routing update timer to 120 seconds, this value is used on all four networks.

ipx routing
ipx network 1 encapsulation novell-ether
ipx network 2 encapsulation snap secondary
ipx network 3 encapsulation arpa secondary
ipx network 4 encapsulation sap secondary
 

The following example enables IPX routing on FDDI interfaces 0.2 and 0.3. On FDDI interface 0.2, the encapsulation type is SNAP. On FDDI interface 0.3, the encapsulation type is Novell's FDDI_RAW.

ipx routing
 
interface fddi 0.2 enc sde 2
 ipx network f02 encapsulation snap
 
interface fddi 0.3 enc sde 3
 ipx network f03 encapsulation novell-fddi

Related Commands
Command Description

ipx routing

Enables IPX routing.