11-2 User’s Reference Guide
IPX address
An IPX address consists of a network number, a node number, and a socket number. An IPX network number is composed of eight hexadecimal digits. The network number must be the same for all nodes on a particular physical network segment. The node number is composed of twelve hexadecimal digits and is usually the hardware address of the interface card. The node number must be unique inside the particular IPX network. Socket numbers correspond to the particular service being accessed.
Socket
A socket in IPX is the equivalent of a port in TCP/IP. Sockets route packets to different processes within a single node. Novell has reserved several sockets for use in the NetWare environment:
Field Value | Packet Type | Description |
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00h | Unknown Packet Type | Used for all packets not clas- |
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01h | Routing Information Packet | Unused for RIP packets |
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04h | Service Advertising Packet | Used for SAP packets |
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05h | Sequenced Packet | Used for SPX packets |
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11h | NetWare Core Protocol Packet | Used for NCP packets |
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14h | Propagated Packet | Used for Novell NetBIOS |
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Routing Information Protocol (RIP)
RIP, which was also derived from XNS, is a protocol that allows for the bidirectional transfer of routing tables and provides timing information (ticks), so that the fastest route to a destination can be determined. IPX routers use RIP to create and dynamically maintain databases of internetwork routing information. See the last section in this chapter for more information on routing tables.
Service Advertising Protocol (SAP)
SAP is a protocol that provides servers and routers with a method to exchange service information. Using SAP, servers advertise their services and addresses. Routers collect this information to dynamically update their routing tables and share it with other routers. These broadcasts keep all routers on the internetwork synchronized and provide
