DosBox virtual IPX network to real win98 IPX? \ VOGONS

DosBox virtual IPX network to real win98 IPX?

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First post, by s997863

Posted on 2013-06-08, 21:33

s997863 Offline

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Posts: 21
Joined: 2013-06-08, 15:34

There's already a thread about connecting DOSBOX IPX to a real DOS PC, using Hal9000 dosbox build or NE2000 patch. There's also another talking about win98 but I couldn't find an answer there.

Is Hal9000's MegaBuild also applicable for connecting dosbox IPX to an old PC running DOS games on win98?

I've got DOS games running IPX LAN ok from the DOS prompts of 2 old win98 PCs (Doom, C&C, Mech2 Mercs ... etc). The 2 old PCs are connected via a switch. Neither PC is running real DOS mode, nor having any DOS drivers loaded (mouse, CD, IPX & sound all work ok from dos prompt nonetheless. None of these work if I "restart in MSDOS mode").

I want to add a new win7 PC to this network. I followed Hal's instructions for a new Win7 PC:
-megabuild 6 installed, IPX enabled & NE2000 set as instructed (all as per instructions except that I set frame to 802.3 because my real NIC cards work with this setting in win98 IPX protocol in the 2 old PCs)
-PCAP installed in Win7
-TCP/IP LAN is working ok between win7 and the old PCs (all connected on the switch. no firewalls, routers, or wireless)
-virtual NE2000 card configured in MB6 Dosbox & mapped to my Win7 PC's real ethernet card.
-IPX patch files mounted & loaded in MB6 Dosbox.
-I skipped Hal's win95 instructions. I don't have win95 installed in Dosbox and am just trying for LAN games, not for file/printer/internet sharing.
-Anyone know what steps to do next? What commands to connect the new (dosbox) & old win98 PCs? IPXNET startserver? Don't I also need to set some network address in Dosbox to match the other PCs' IPX network address in win98?

Reply 1 of 3, by leileilol

Posted on 2013-06-08, 21:55

leileilol Offline

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Posts: 11772
Joined: 2006-12-16, 18:03

Yes, but you don't use IPXNET. You load up the TSR drivers (LSL, IPXODI, etc.)

long live PCem

Reply 2 of 3, by s997863

Posted on 2013-06-09, 09:35

s997863 Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 21
Joined: 2013-06-08, 15:34

thanls for the quick reply.

ok, the following files are already batch loaded when starting MB6 dosbox on the win7 PC, without any error messages in DOSbox status or console windows (though I hear a PC speaker beep once. is that normal?):
lsl
ne2000
ipxodi
netbios

what is the next step?
- any more commands that I have to enter before starting a game?
- are there any commands or tools that I can use to check whether my setup is ok and the real & virtual IPX are connected? I don't even know what address either PC is using. (I've set IP addresses for each PC for the normal TCP/IP network 192.168.1.1 & 192.168.1.2 ... etc, but that's not relevant to IPX, right?)

When loading the above drivers and running doom's ipxsetup.exe under Dosbox, I get this message: "looking for a node.sendpacket: 0xff"

so it seems that my Dosbox setup is not ok. because when I try the standard method by running "ipxnet startserver" it causes win7 firewall to alert me about Dosbox, which at least indicates that external communication is being attempted, and running doom's ipxsetup.exe after that at least takes me to the point where it keeps on searching/waiting for the other player.

In win98, I only had to do the following on both old PCs to get IPX games running:
-install the network card's win98 drivers
-install the IPX protocol from win98 setup CD
-set the same frame & the same arbitrary network address -any number like "0" or "10"- and check all tickboxes in "bindings" tab.

Reply 3 of 3, by s997863

Posted on 2013-06-16, 17:43

s997863 Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 21
Joined: 2013-06-08, 15:34

I got it working. My mistakes in Dosbox MB6 config:
-IPX should be "false" in dosbox config. I wasn't getting the proper "bound to logical board ..." status when loading ipxodi, and instead getting an error beep with message saying that IPX protocol is already loaded.
-IPX network address of win98 PCs set to "0". I was randomly using adress "10" on both win98 PCs.

2 player IPX is working fine between new/old PCs for doom, but 3 player IPX (old/old/new PCs) always freezes all 3 PCs. (I tried launching doom through setup.exe for all 3 PCs with matching multiplayer settings).

I don't think the network is a problem anymore since Mech2-Mercs is working fine with 3 player lan IPX. I'm probably not launching doom properly. Any ideas?

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