INTERLINK AND INTERSVR
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INTERLINK AND INTERSVR
Description
Connects two computers via their parallel or serial ports so they can share information and resources such as a printer .
Command Syntax
Comments
Interlink and Interserver are complicated commands, so this is in question
and answer format to make it easier to explain. These utilities are only
available n DOS 6 - 6.22.
What are Interlink and Interserver?
They form a set of utilities which allow you to connect two computers,
such as a laptop and a desktop machine, and share files and resources suh
as a printer on them. This is very similar to the popular Lap Link utility.
One computer is called the client and the other is called the server.
You can access all drives that appear on the server on the client, but
not the other way round.
What do I need to connect the computers together?
You need either a null-modem cable or a parallel cable. You also need a
free parallel or serial port on each computer (the type of port must match).
Parallel ports are preferred as they are faster, although they may be in
use by a printer.
What commands do I need to type to get the connection to work?
On each computer you must include the following in the CONFIG.SYS
file:
DEVICE=[path]INTERLNK.EXE [/DRIVES:n] [/NOPRINTER] [/COM[:][n|address]]
[/LPT[:][n|address]] [/AUTO] [/NOSCAN] [/LOW] [/BAUD:rate]
[/V]
-
/DRIVES:n Specifies the number of redirected
drives. By default, the number is 3. If you specify 0 as a value for n,
Interlnk redirects only printers.
-
/NOPRINTER Specifies that printers not be redirected when you install INTERLNK.EXE.
By default, Interlnk redirects all available printer ports.
-
/COM[:][n|address] Specifies a serial port to use for data
transfer. The n parameter specifies the number of the serial port. The
address parameter specifies the address of the serial port. If you omit
n or address, the Interlnk client searches all serial
ports and uses the first port that it finds connected to the server. If
you specify the /COM switch and omit the /LPT switch, the client searches
only for serial ports. By default, Interlnk scans all serial and parallel
ports.
-
/LPT[:][n|address] Specifies a parallel port to use for data
transfer. The n parameter specifies the number of the parallel port. The
address parameter specifies the address of the parallel port. If you omit
n or address, the Interlnk client uses the first parallel port that it
finds connected to the server. If you specify the /LPT switch and omit
the /COM switch, the client searches only for parallel ports. By default,
Interlnk scans all serial and parallel ports.
-
/AUTO Installs the INTERLNK.EXE device driver in memory only if the client
can establish a connection with the server when the client starts up. By
default, Interlnk is installed in memory even if the client cannot establish
a connection with the server.
-
/NOSCAN Installs the INTERLNK.EXE device driver in memory, but prevents
establishing a connection between client and server during setup. By default,
the client tries to establish a connection with the server as soon as you
install INTERLNK.EXE.
-
/LOW Loads the INTERLNK.EXE device driver into conventional memory, even
if the upper memory area is available. By default, INTERLNK.EXE is loaded
into the upper memory area if the upper memory area is available.
-
/BAUD:rate Sets a maximum baud rate for serial communication. Valid
values for rate are 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, and 115200. The default
is 115200.
-
/V Prevents conflicts with a computer's timer. Specify this switch if you
have a serial connection between computers and one of them stops running
when you use Interlnk to access a drive or printer port.
On the computer you want to use as the server, you must use the INTERSVR
command thus:
INTERSVR [drive] [/x=drive] [/lpt:[n | address]]
[/com:[n | address]] [/baud:rate] [/b] [/v]
-
drive is the drive to redirect. You may specify more than one, each
separated by spaces. If this is missed out, all drives are redirected.
-
/x=drive does not redirect drive.
-
/com[:][n|address] Specifies a serial port to use for data
transfer. The n parameter specifies the number of the serial port. The
address parameter specifies the address of the serial port. If you omit
n or address, the Interlnk client searches all serial
ports and uses the first port that it finds connected to the server. If
you specify the /COM switch and omit the /LPT switch, the client searches
only for serial ports. By default, Interlnk scans all serial and parallel
ports.
-
/lpt[:][n|address] Specifies a parallel port to use for data
transfer. The n parameter specifies the number of the parallel port. The
address parameter specifies the address of the parallel port. If you omit
n or address, the Interlnk client uses the first parallel port that it
finds connected to the server. If you specify the /LPT switch and omit
the /COM switch, the client searches only for parallel ports. By default,
Interlnk scans all serial and parallel ports.
-
/baud:rate Sets a maximum baud rate for serial communication. Valid
values for rate are 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, and 115200. The default
is 115200.
-
/b displays the Interserver screen in black and white
-
/v prevents conflicts with a computer's timer when using a serial connection
between computers, such as when one stops running when you use Interlink
to access a drive or printer port
To copy Interlink files to one computer to another when they are connected
using a serial cable:
What are the limitations of Interlink and Interserver?
The big limitation is speed; it is a slow method of transferring files.
The computer in use as a server cannot be used for any other purpose while
its drives are being used by the client computer. None of the following
commands may be used on a redirected drive:
-
CHKDSK
-
DEFRAG
-
DISKCOMP
-
DISKCOPY
-
FORMAT
-
MIRROR
-
SYS
-
UNDELETE
-
UNFORMAT
Network drives and CD ROM drives may not be redirected.
Printed from the NukeSoft MS-DOS Reference. Copyright
© 1995 - 2006 Marcus Houlden
