Configuring Logon for NetWare Networks

Each Windows 95 user must have an account on the NetWare server before being able to use its files, applications, or print queues. The NetWare server account contains user credentials (user names and passwords).

With Client for NetWare Networks, there is no real-mode logon before Windows 95 starts, just the single, unified logon prompt for Windows 95 that allows users to log on to the system and to all networks at the same time. The first time a user starts Windows 95, there are two separate logon prompts: one for Windows 95 and one for the NetWare preferred server. As long as the two passwords are the same, the second logon prompt for Windows 95 is not displayed again.

If the computer uses a Novell-supplied real-mode network client, network logon occurs in real mode, and uses all the NetWare configuration settings that were in place before Windows 95 was installed. There are no required changes.

To configure Client for NetWare Networks for network logon, you need to specify whether Client for NetWare Networks is the Primary Network Logon client, which means the following:

Tip

When you start Windows 95 with Client for NetWare Networks configured as the Primary Network Logon client, Windows 95 automatically prompts you to provide logon information such as your password on the NetWare server.

You should never run the Novell-supplied LOGIN.EXE utility from a batch file or at the command prompt when you are using Client for NetWare Networks.

When you designate Client for NetWare Networks as the Primary Network Logon client, you must also specify a preferred NetWare server. Windows 95 uses the preferred server to validate user logon credentials and to find user profiles and system policy files. You can change the preferred NetWare server at any time.

The following procedure describes how to configure Client for NetWare Networks to log on to a NetWare network. If you use a NETX or VLM client, you can configure the setting for the preferred server using NET.CFG or using the /ps option in STARTNET.BAT, AUTOEXEC.BAT, or wherever you start NETX or VLM. For more information, consult your Novell-supplied documentation.

To use a NetWare server for network logon

  1. In the Network option in Control Panel, select Client for NetWare Networks in the Primary Network Logon box.
  2. Double-click Client for NetWare Networks in the list of installed components.
  3. In the Client for NetWare Networks properties, set values for the configuration options, as described in the following table.

Property

Meaning

Preferred Server

Designates the name of the NetWare server that appears automatically in the network logon dialog box. Windows 95 obtains the NetWare login script from this server, unless you specify a different NetWare server in the Enter Network Password dialog box. This is also the server used to store user profiles and system policies, if these are used on your network. The Preferred Server setting is for the computer, not for individual users.

First Network Drive

Specifies the first drive letter that you want assigned to the first network connection.

Enable Logon Script Processing

Specifies that this computer will process NetWare logon scripts when a user logs on to the network.


Client for NetWare Networks attempts to connect to the preferred server rather than the first server that responds to the Get Nearest Server broadcast. Client for NetWare Networks also attempts a number of server connections in case the client computer can't establish a connection with the preferred server.

Tip for Passwords on Windows 95 and NetWare Servers

After you log on to the network and you are validated by a NetWare server, Windows 95 automatically supplies the same user name and password for logging on to Windows 95. You are asked to supply your user name and password to log on to Windows 95 only if the user name or password is different from your NetWare user account. Therefore, you might want to keep your user name and password the same for both the Windows 95 and the NetWare networks.

Maintaining the same user name and password for both networks also makes it easier for network administrators to coordinate user accounts. For more information about passwords, including brief information on changing passwords on a NetWare server, see Chapter 14, "Security."

With NETX and VLM clients, network logon occurs in real mode during system startup. Therefore, the logon prompt for Windows 95 always appears when these clients are used because the unified logon process is not available.