Network library netwib

              -------------------------------------------
              |              KNOWN PROBLEMS             |
              -------------------------------------------

This file describes known problems (incompatibilities, unsupported
features, errors, etc.).
If you seek help (usage help, examples, etc.), it's better to read 
netwib-5.35.0-doc_html.tgz.

Problems described in this file are (if you encounter an unknown problem,
thanks for contacting me, as explained in ./doc/problemreport.txt):

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE SYSTEM
 1: [Windows] Display is slow.
 2: [Windows] The system crashes when netwox is run.
 3: [Windows 95] At netwib end, the modem link stops.
 4: [Solaris 2.5.1] Function netwib_priv_kbd_purge does not work.
 5: [HP-UX 10.01] The second tcsetattr reprint character so it is displayed
    several times.
 6: [SuSE 5.1] Function netwib_io_init_exec blocks during a dup2 call.
 7: [Windows XP] Converting an IP address to a hostname returns a bad value.

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY LIBPCAP OR WINPCAP
 8: [Windows] Several tools of netwox doesn't seem to work.
 9: [Windows] Sniff does not work with a modem
10: [Windows] Popup: The dynamic library wpcap.dll was not found. 
    [Note: I'am not sure about the exact error message because I do not 
    have access to an English computer]

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY NETWIB'S DESIGN
11: Network configuration is incorrect.
12: Error messages contains inaccurate hints
13: Netwib's functions behave strangely
14: Netwib's functions interfere with other functions
15: Netwib is slow.
16: Some features does not fully work.
17: Some features are not provided.



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Problem 1:
  Problem synthesis:
    Display is slow.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Windows
  What's causing the problem:
    In a msdos console, we cannot print more than 100 lines per seconds.
  Solution 1:
    Redirect output in a file:
      commandname > file
    However in this case, we do not see when data has to be entered.
  Solution 2:
    Use tools, or printprofiles, less verbose.

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Problem 2:
  Problem synthesis:
    The system crashes when netwox is run.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Windows
  What's causing the problem:
    Under Windows 95/98, when a network board is not correctly configured,
    the driver cannot be opened by WinPCAP (PacketOpenAdapter). The driver
    crashes, and also the system.
  Solution:
    We have to ensure the network card is correctly configured:
    [menu names might be incorrect, because I do not have access to
    an English localized computer]
     - Open menu Start, Parameters, Configuration, Icon System,
       Peripherals, Network Cards. You should see one line per card.
       Moreover, the icon should not have "(!)" on top of it.
     - Open menu Start, Parameters, Configuration, Icon Network.
       The network card should be here, and linked to TCP/IP. Moreover
       TCP/IP configuration should be correct.

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Problem 3:
  Problem synthesis:
    At netwib end, the modem link stops.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Windows 95 with a modem
  What's causing the problem:
    At the end of a program, references to unused object are freed.
    It's the case for the low level driver of WinPcap (packet.sys).
    Unfortunately, as explained in WinPcap FAQ, Windows also
    stops the modem connection. So, at the end of netwox, the phone
    line stops.
  Solution 1:
    Installation of:
     - Windows Sockets 2 Update, and
     - Dialup Networking 1.3 Update
    might resolv this problem. 
    Those updates are available here:
     - http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/contents/wuadmintools/s_wunetworkingtools/w95sockets2/default.asp
     - http://www.microsoft.com/Windows95/downloads/contents/WURecommended/S_WUNetworking/dun13win95/Default.asp
  Solution 2:
    You can contact WinPcap developers to help them to write a 
    driver/dll not having this problem.
    Additional note (march 2004): Windows 9x is no more supported by
    WinPcap developers.

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Problem 4:
  Problem synthesis:
    Function netwib_priv_kbd_purge does not work.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Keyboard under Solaris
  What's causing the problem:
    Function netwib_priv_kbd_purge does not work.
  Solution:
    I don't know.
    I've already spent a lot of time trying to spot this bug.
    This system is quite old, and this bug seems to be
    in the system itself. I do not plan to look at it anymore.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Problem 5:
  Problem synthesis:
    The second tcsetattr reprint character so it is displayed
    several times.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Keyboard under HP-UX
  What's causing the problem:
    Function netwib_priv_kbd_wait display char twice.
  Solution:
    I don't know.
    I've already spent a lot of time trying to spot this bug.
    This system is quite old, and this bug seems to be
    in the system itself. I do not plan to look at it anymore.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Problem 6:
  Problem synthesis:
    Function netwib_io_init_exec blocks during a dup2 call.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Function netwib_io_init_exec blocks
  What's causing the problem:
    Function netwib_io_init_exec blocks.
  Solution:
    I don't know.
    I've already spent a lot of time trying to spot this bug.
    This system is quite old, and this bug seems to be
    in the system itself. I do not plan to look at it anymore.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Problem 7:
  Problem synthesis:
    Converting an IP address to a hostname returns a bad value.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Windows XP
  What's causing the problem:
    Functions netwib_ip_init_buf(...NETWIB_IP_DECODETYPE_HN...) use
    gethostbyaddr(). However, there is a bug in WindowsXP's
    implementation of gethostbyaddr, as described in Knowledge Base
    Q317936 of Microsoft.
    This bug appears when DNSorWINS and NetBIOSoverTCPIP are activated.
  Solution:
    Patch Q317936 corrects this problem.

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Problem 8:
  Problem synthesis:
    Several tools of netwox doesn't seem to work.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Windows
  What's causing the problem:
    Netwib depends on WinPcap. If WinPcap does not work, several
    features of netwib/netwox will not work.
    So, we have to ensure WinPcap works correctly.
  Solution:
    Install and test windump as described in INSTALL_FR.TXT.

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Problem 9:
  Problem synthesis:
    Sniff does not work with a modem
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Windows
  What's causing the problem:
    WinPCAP is not designed to work with a modem.
    File netwox-5.35.0-doc-html.tgz/en/examples.html lists systems where
    modems are supported.
  Solution:
    If your system does not support modems, try to apply WinPCAP solution:
      http://winpcap.polito.it/misc/dialup.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Problem 10:
  Problem synthesis:
    Popup: The dynamic library wpcap.dll was not found. 
    [Note: I'am not sure about the exact error message because I do not 
    have access to an English computer]
  Environment affected by the problem:
    Windows
  What's causing the problem:
    WinPCAP is not installed.
  Solution:
    Download and install WinPCAP as described in INSTALL.TXT
    or INSTALLWINDOWS.TXT.

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Problem 11:
  Problem synthesis:
    Network configuration is incorrect.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    All
  What's causing the problem:
    Obtaining the configuration (device, arp cache, routes) of the 
    local computer is an important step of netwib. Several tools need
    this configuration to be accurate.
    Different kinds of network cards, modems, operating systems, etc.
    exist. So, it's possible that your computer contains unrecognized
    hardware. In this case, several netwox tools would be 
    unusable.
    For these reasons, the first tool to use is 'netwox 1' to
    ensure correct configuration setting.
    Here is a correct example (taken on Linux):
    ################################### Devices ################################
    nu dev   ethernet_hwtype   mtu   real_device_name
    1  Lo0   loopback          3924  lo
    2  Eth0  aa:aa:aa:aa:aa:aa 1500  eth0
    3  Eth1  bb:bb:bb:bb:bb:bb 1500  eth1
    ##################################### IP ###################################
    nu ip             /netmask                    ppp point_to_point_with
    1  127.0.0.1      /255.0.0.0                  0
    2  192.168.1.1    /255.255.255.0              0
    3  192.168.2.1    /255.255.255.0              0
    3  192.168.3.1    /255.255.255.0              0
    ############################## ArpCache/Neighbor ###########################
    nu ethernet          ip
    2  aa:aa:aa:aa:aa:aa 192.168.1.1
    3  bb:bb:bb:bb:bb:bb 192.168.2.1
    3  bb:bb:bb:bb:bb:bb 192.168.3.1
    2  cc:cc:cc:cc:cc:cc 192.168.1.254
    #################################### Routes ################################
    nu destination    /netmask         source              gateway        metric
    1  127.0.0.1      /255.255.255.255 local                                   0
    2  192.168.1.1    /255.255.255.255 local                                   0
    3  192.168.2.1    /255.255.255.255 local                                   0
    3  192.168.3.1    /255.255.255.255 local                                   0
    2  192.168.10.0   /255.255.255.0   192.168.1.1                             0
    3  192.168.21.0   /255.255.255.0   192.168.2.1                             0
    3  192.168.31.0   /255.255.255.0   192.168.1.1                             0
    1  127.0.0.0      /255.0.0.0       127.0.0.1                               0
    2  0.0.0.0        /0.0.0.0         192.168.1.1        192.168.1.254        0
    In this example, we see the loopback device (lo, or Lo0, number 1), and
    two network cards (eth0 and eth1, respectively number 2 and 3).
    Network card 2 has IP address 192.168.1.1, and network card 3 has two
    IP addresses (192.168.2.1 and 192.168.3.1).
    The arp table contains permanent entries, and the dynamic entry for
    the router 192.168.1.254.
    The routing table first contains entries to access local devices, then
    network connected to the local devices, and finally the default router
    192.168.1.254.
  Solution:
    As I cannot have access to your hardware, you have to send me information
    about your configuration in order to help netwib's improvements.
    Run:
      netwox 2 > resultfile
    Then, send me the file 'resultfile', along with configuration information
    (ifconfig, ipconfig /all, arp -a, route print, netstat -rn, 
    winipcfg /all /batch file.out, winipcfg, network card type, modem type,
    etc.). Thanks.

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Problem 12:
  Problem synthesis:
    Error messages contains inaccurate hints
  Environment affected by the problem:
    All
  What's causing the problem:
    Implementing a cross platform compatible error handling is almost
    impossible (errno, h_errno, GetLatError, WSAGetLastError). The
    solution chosen in netwib is to leave those error codes untouched.
    So, if they were previously set by another error, this error
    will still be present. For example:
     Error 1099: error in foobar()
      hint: errno = 19 = No such device
      hint: h_errno = 2 = Host name lookup failure
    If function foobar sets errno read errno, else read h_errno.
  Solution:
    Just ignore the hint which seems inaccurate.

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Problem 13:
  Problem synthesis:
    Netwib's functions behave strangely
  Environment affected by the problem:
    All
  What's causing the problem:
    There might exist conflicts between netwib and your program.
  Solution:
    Read integration.txt.

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Problem 14:
  Problem synthesis:
    Netwib's functions interfere with other functions
  Environment affected by the problem:
    All
  What's causing the problem:
    There might exist conflicts between netwib and your program.
  Solution:
    Read integration.txt.

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Problem 15:
  Problem synthesis:
    Netwib is slow.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    All
  What's causing the problem:
    I choose to create a modular library, easy to use.
    One of the consequence is the high level structuration of netwib.
    So, it is slower than a low level programming interface.
  Solution 1:
    Using records (netwib_io_init_record_xyz), you can construct your packets,
    save them, and then send them.
  Solution 2:
    You can also use only low level functions of netwib, and create
    your specific code around.
    If its still too slow, you should not use netwib and use directly
    system's functions, or buy a new computer ;)

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Problem 16:
  Problem synthesis:
    Some features does not fully work.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    All
  What's causing the problem:
    Netwib's development contains several branches, each one having its 
    own priority. I cannot develop everything in one day :). So, my 
    priorities might not be the same as yours.
  Solution 1:
    Read todo.txt to obtain list of action to be done.
  Solution 2:
    Contact-me to explain your needs.

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Problem 17:
  Problem synthesis:
    Some features are not provided.
  Environment affected by the problem:
    All
  What's causing the problem:
    Netwib's development contains several branches, each one having its 
    own priority. I cannot develop everything in one day :). So, my 
    priorities might not be the same as yours.
  Solution 1:
    Read todo.txt to obtain list of action to be done.
  Solution 2:
    Contact-me to explain your needs.