Configuring TCP/IP and LAN Adapter for an IBM System i

This technical note explains how to verify configuration of an Ethernet or Token Ring LAN adapter for an IBM System i host.

Verify That TCP/IP Configured Properly on the System i

TCP/IP is configured properly on the System i when TCP/IP is enabled and that you can ping the host. Verify your system as follows:

Netstat

To ensure that TCP/IP is enabled, enter the following command at the i5/OS command line:

NETSTAT

• If NETSTAT reports that "TCP/IP is not started," refer to the section below on Installing and Configuring TCP/IP on the System i.
• If TCP/IP is configured, you may be prompted to verify the settings.

Ping

To check whether you can ping the System i, enter the PING command at the i5/OS command line. An example:

PING '192.168.1.1'

The above command would have the System i ping a system with an IP address of 192.168.1.1.

Configuring TCP/IP on the System i

To install and configure TCP/IP on the System i, enter the following command at the i5/OS command line:

CFGTCP

When you enter CFGTCP you will see up to twenty-two different configuration options. Verify and configure the required settings below.

• TCP/IP Interfaces.

• Line Description: ETHERNET
• Line Type: ELAN
• TCP/IP Routes.

• DFROUTE indicates the router IP address.
• Set route's MTU size to *IFC (recommended).
• TCP/IP Attributes.

The administrator must start the TCP/IP transport once configuration is complete.

Verify That the LAN Adapter is Installed and Functional

To check whether the LAN adapter is installed and functioning, follow these steps:

1. Enter the following command at the i5/OS command line:

DSPHDWRSC *CMN

2. Find Ethernet Port Tokenring Port in the listing. If there is no value for Ethernet Port or Tokenring Port, then i5/OS is not automatically reporting the existence of an Ethernet adapter. This indicates either a hardware failure or that no LAN adapter is installed on the system.
3. You will need to know the value of the Resource Line Description entry. Note the Resource Line Description value: L_____. This typically corresponds to LAN adapter (Ethernet or Token-Ring) and is directly above the Port resource line.
4. Select option 5 to display configuration descriptions.
5. Enter 8 to work with Configuration Status.
6. Verify that the status is Active.
7. Option 1-Vary On may be entered for an inactive device.

Checking the LAN Interface (LINE) Configuration

The way you check a LAN interface configuration depends on whether you have an Ethernet or Token-Ring adapter. You will need to know the Resource Line Description value that you got in step three of the Verify the LAN Adapter is Installed and Functional section above. Steps are included in separate sections below.

Ethernet

If you have an Ethernet adapter follow these steps:

1. Enter the following command at the i5/OS command line:

CRTLINETH

Press F4 any you will be prompted for configuration entries. Do not press Enter. In the Line Description field the recommended entry is ETHERNET.

2. In the Resource name field, enter the i5/OS value for the "LAN Adapter." This value was returned by the System i in the third step of the Verify the LAN Adapter is Installed and Functional section above.
3. Press Enter to accept these changes.

Token Ring

If you have a Token-Ring adapter follow these steps:

1. Enter the following command at the i5/OS command line:

2. In the Line Description field, the recommended entry is TOKENRING.
3. In the Resource name field, enter the i5/OS value for the "LAN Adapter." This value was returned by the System i in the third step of the Verify the LAN Adapter is Installed and Functional section above.
4. Press Enter to accept these changes.

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