Configuring Support for NASI Clients to Access Network Resources

This chapter describes how to allow your router to function as a NetWare Asynchronous Support Interface (NASI) server. It includes the following main sections:

For a complete description of the commands mentioned in this chapter, see the Cisco IOS Dial Services Command Reference publication. To locate documentation of other commands that appear in this chapter, use the command reference master index or search online.

NASI Server Overview

A NASI server enables a NASI client to connect to asynchronous network resources (such as modems) without having these resources located on the desktop of the client, as shown in Figure 34.

Figure 34: NASI Setup in a NetWare Environment

You can configure the Cisco IOS software to enable NASI clients to connect to asynchronous resources attached to your router. The NASI client can connect to any port on the router other than the console port to access network resources (refer to Figure 35). The NASI clients are connected to the Ethernet interface 0 on the router. When the user on the NASI client uses the Windows or DOS application to connect to the router, a list of available terminal and virtual terminal lines appears, beginning with tty1. The user selects the desired outgoing terminal and virtual terminal port. You also can configure TACACS+ security on the router so that after the user selects a terminal and virtual terminal port, a username and password prompt appear for authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA).

Figure 35: NASI Clients Accessing Asynchronous Resources through an Access Server

Note The Cisco IOS implementation of NASI functions best with NASI client software version 2.0 and later.

The NASI client can be on a local LAN or can also be on a remote LAN. If it is on a remote LAN, the following two requirements must be met:

A router routing Internet Protocol Exchange (IPX) forwards NetWare Connect Server Service Advertising Protocol (SAP) advertisements from the remote LAN to the LAN to which the local router is connected.
The same router routing IPX spoofs Get Nearest Server (GNS) replies for the GNS requests that the client sends out.

The fact that you can connect to many different ports on the router means that you can provide access to more than one asynchronous device. When the user accesses the virtual terminal line, the user can connect to the user EXEC facility and issue a Telnet or NASI command to access a remote network (refer to Figure 36). Only the first available virtual terminal line appears in the list of available ports on the router (and it is titled RCONSOLE).

Figure 36: NASI Clients Gaining Access to IP Hosts on a Remote Network

Configuring the Router as a NASI Server

To configure your router as a NASI server, use the following commands beginning in global configuration mode:

Command Purpose

Step 1

ipx routing
Enables IPX routing on the router.

Step2

ipx internal-network
Defines an internal IPX network number.

Step3

interface type number
Enters interface configuration mode.

Step4

ipx network [network | unnumbered]
Enables IPX routing on an interface.

Step5

exit
Exits to global configuration mode.

Step6

ipx nasi-server enable
Enables NASI.

Step7

aaa authentication nasi {list-name | default} {methods list}
Configures TACACS+ security on all lines on the router (optional).

Step8

line [aux | tty | vty] line-number [ending-line-number]
Enters line configuration mode.

Step9

login authentication nasi {list-name | default}
Configures TACACS+ security on a per-line basis (optional).

	Command	Purpose
Step 1	ipx routing	Enables IPX routing on the router.
Step2	ipx internal-network	Defines an internal IPX network number.
Step3	interface type number	Enters interface configuration mode.
Step4	ipx network [network \| unnumbered]	Enables IPX routing on an interface.
Step5	exit	Exits to global configuration mode.
Step6	ipx nasi-server enable	Enables NASI.
Step7	aaa authentication nasi {list-name \| default} {methods list}	Configures TACACS+ security on all lines on the router (optional).
Step8	line [aux \| tty \| vty] line-number [ending-line-number]	Enters line configuration mode.
Step9	login authentication nasi {list-name \| default}	Configures TACACS+ security on a per-line basis (optional).

You also can configure SAP filters to filter SAP updates, and access lists to filter NASI traffic between interfaces on the router.

NoteIf a NASI server is already on the LAN segment connected to the router, the router cannot respond to GNS requests for NASI services.

If you have configured NASI on your router, you can use IPX client applications to make IPX dial-out connections to a shared pool of asynchronous devices. For example, a NASI client on the LAN can connect to a serial (synchronous or asynchronous) port on the router, which provides access to remote modems, printers, and networks. The command the user issues depends on the application being used to connect to the NASI server.

NASI relies on Sequenced Packet Exchange (SPX).

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