When your PowerBook 200 Series (Duo) is in a Dock connected to Ethernet, the EtherTalk icon is selected in the MacTCP control panel. After you remove the PowerBook from the Dock the MacTCP control panel will show no network interface icons when it is opened.

If the PowerBook is reconnected to the same AppleTalk network with either LocalTalk, or Apple Remote Access (ARA), MacTCP will work properly. Reconfiguring MacTCP for an AppleTalk network instead of Ethernet, however, is difficult because no zones are available to select a different MacIP server.

The problem is the MacTCP control panel's inability to properly handle the disappearance of the Ethernet card. While a PowerBook 200 series computer is docked with the EtherTalk icon selected in the MacTCP control panel, TCP/IP is being encapsulated in AppleTalk through an Ethernet card. When the PowerBook is removed from the Dock, the card is no longer available.

Some software recognizes that network configurations can change when a PowerBook 200 Series is not in the Dock, and adjust accordingly. For example AppleTalk, controlled by the Network control panel, automatically changes to LocalTalk Built In. MacTCP, however, maintains its last setting and works with whatever AppleTalk interface is selected in the Network control panel. This is why the PowerBook functions properly when connected to the network with the same MacIP server through either LocalTalk, or ARA.

Ordinarily on desktop systems, when the MacTCP control panel is opened, it presents a list of icons. If AppleTalk is turned on, IP is represented by either a LocalTalk, EtherTalk, TokenTalk, or Remote Only icon -- this depends on which network interface is available. When the Ethernet card is not accessible by the PowerBook, the MacTCP control panel does not display EtherTalk. Although MacTCP may continue to work (as described above), it does not display an icon for the AppleTalk connection being used, and because the PowerBook has no Token Ring or Ethernet cards, no other icons are displayed.

If you want or need to have the correct icon displayed, go to the Network control panel, and reselect the AppleTalk connection. MacTCP will note the change in AppleTalk configuration, and refresh its icons when opened again.

[Previous] [Top] [Next]