Dnet2 User Guide for Windows 64bit

Release 1.0.1, 6-Mars-2015

Introduction
Dnet2 is the mechanism Kongsberg Maritime systems use to achieve dual network redundancy. This
document concerns dnet2 for 64 bits Windows systems (Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008
and Windows Server 2012). In this document we shortly denote such systems with the term “Windows
64”.

The use of dnet2 for Windows 64 is similar to dnet2 on Windows XP. However internally there are
significant differences. This document describes the installation of dnet2 and how dnet2 appear in the
control panel.

The first version of this document was written for Windows 7. Hence most of the illustrations are
snapshots from for Windows 7. It may look different for later versions of Windows.

Strictly speaking, the _64 notation is not adequate. The current DNet2 version is NDIS 6.0 compliant,
build for 64 bits target from Win 7 and onward. It has been tested briefly on a prerelease of Windows
10.

Prerequisite
In order to install dnet2 on a Windows 64 computer, a physical adapter with the name matching “net_a”
or “net a” (not case sensitive). An eventual optional second adapter should have the name matching
“net_b” or “net b” (not case sensitive).

If the existing adapters have ip-addresses matching 172.21.x.y and 172.22.x.y, the new adapter will
automatically be configured with the ip-address 172.23.x.y. If not it will be configured with the default
address 172.23.101.1.

A typical installation will be on a Windows 64 computer with two network adapters with the names
Net_A and Net_B and where these has ip-addresses 172.21.101.n and 172.22.101.n.

Dnet2 installation on Windows 64

Dnet2 is easily and automatically installed by executing the file Setup_Dnet2_64_w.x.y.z.exe, where
w.x.y.z is the version number. (If this dnet2 is already installed, the existing version must first be
uninstalled.)

The following dialog may then appear. (That depends the User Account Control setting.)

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Just click “Yes”.

You will then see:

Be aware of the version number presented. Then click “Next”. Then this will appear:

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Then click ”Next” and then you will see this:

Click ”Install”.

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Then this dialog may appear, but not if you have before once clicked “Always trust software from
“Kongsberg Gruppen ASA””

It is recommended to check “Always trust software from “Kongsberg Gruppen ASA””.

Click “Install”.

Then the installation will take place. You will see that something is happening and you will end up with:

Click “Finish”.

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This installation result in the following:

1. The dnet2 driver is installed.

2. The network adapter1 “Kongsberg Dnet Virtual Miniport” is automatically configured:
a. It is given the name Net_AB2.
b. It is given an IP-address similar to the ones found on Net_A and Net_B3.
3. In C:\Program Files\Kongsberg Maritime\Dnet2\bin you will find:
a. Dn2Usr.dll – An API that is used to start and stop dnet2 and to retrieve statistics.
b. Dnet2Loader.exe – A program for start, stop and network statistics.
4. In C:\Program Files x86\Common Files\Deterministic Network\Dnet2\bin you will find backward
compatible 32-bits versions of Dn2Usr.dll and Dnet2Loader.exe. OSK is using this Dn2Usr.dll.
5. On the desktop you will find a shortcut to Dnet2Loader.exe.
6. In “Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features” there is an entry for
“Kongsberg Maritime Dnet2”. This can be used for uninstallation.

How to start dnet2

The dnet2 driver needs to be started:

 If it is an operator station with OSK, the startup is done by OSK (by dnserv).
 If it is a Window 64 computer without OSK, the dnet2 driver will be started, when the
Dnet2loader is started. It is recommended to start Dnet2Loader from a script or shortcut with
the option “-hide”.

Administrator rights are required to start dnet2. The easiest is that the logged on user has administrator
rights and that the “User Account Control Settings” is set to “Never notify”.

Automatic start-up can be achieved by adding this to the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\
REG_SZ Dnet2= "C:\Program Files\Kongsberg Maritime\Dnet2\bin\Dnet2Loader.exe" –hide

This is easily done by executing the file:

C:\Program Files\Kongsberg Maritime\Dnet2\Automatic Dnet2 start.reg

How to start On Server 2012, additional step

The “User Account Control Settings” must also be disabled in the registry.
This is easily done by executing the file:

C:\Program Files\Kongsberg Maritime\Dnet2\ Disable-uac.reg

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Network Connection
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The name prefix “Net_” is taken from the A or B adapter. The name will always end with “AB”.
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This requires that the A and be addresses have ip-address 172.21.xxx.yyy and 172.22.xxx.yyy. Net_AB will get ip-
address 172.23.xxx.yyy.

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How to check the Dnet2 installation.
When dnet2 is installed, you can check that in the control panel. You will then find the virtual miniport
among the network adapters in the control panel:

When you check the properties of Net_A and Net_B, you will see that they both are using “Kongsberg
Dnet2 Protocol”:

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When you check the properties of Net_AB you will see it is not using “Kongsberg Dnet2 Protocol”. The
same you shall see on other adapters (for example Net_C):

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In the properties of Net_AB you may click “Configure…”. In the dialog that appear,you can find a little
more information. On the driver tab you can get the version and date (mm/dd/yyyy):

Uninstallation
Dnet2 can be uninstalled via the control panel:

To fulfill the un-installation the computer must be restarted.

It can also be uninstalled by execution the unis000.exe in C:\Program Files\Kongsberg Maritime\Dnet2.

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Dnet2Show
Dnet2show.exe is a simple command line tool for dnet2. It is found at C:\Program
Files\Kongsberg Maritime\Dnet2\bin.

Run dnet2Show.exe from the command line and it will print out the actual dnet2 version, configuration
and setting:

If IP addresses and Ethernet addresses are all zeroes that means that dnet2 is not yet configured. Run
dnet2Loader.exe to configure and start dnet2.

Add the switch “-s” to also show statistic for all known hosts (The list of known host will typically be
much longer than on this sample):

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If you want to send the result from a site to Kongsberg please pipe the result to a file and send that one:

Known Issues
 Dnet2 cannot be installed, if there is not a physical adapter with name “net_a” or “net a”.
 Disabling and removing adapters: If the A- adapter is disabled then dnet2 will not work even if
the B-adapter is enabled. If the A-adapter is removed, then dnet2 must first be uninstalled!
(The B-adapter may be disabled or removed.)
 User rights: It is recommended that the logged on user has administrator rights and that the
“User Access Control Settings” is set to “Never Notify”. If not, there may be difficulties with
starting dnet2 and retrieving statistics.
 Statistics: Output statistics on A and B is not working. (In practice that means there are no
output statistics for 172.21.*.* and 172.22.*.*)
 A and B is not working fully towards a PS, if AK administration address is a multicast address
then a PS will not answer an ARP request. The A and B addresses of the PS (172.21.*.* and
172.22.*.*) may work a period after restart, but when the ARP entries in Windows has timed
out, they do not work anymore.
 Virtual machines: Dnet2 works well on both on virtual machines and real machines. However,
be aware of that there may be some performance differences
 USB network adapter: We have seen that some USB adapters work well, if you do all things
correct. However, we are in general quite skeptical to USB adapters. It is not sufficient tested.
See own chapter.
 The computer may freeze, if someone accidently for Net_AB checks the checkbox “Kongsberg
Dnet2 Protocol”.
 The link speed in task manager is not correct, if the network cable of either A or B is
disconnected.

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Dnet2 on laptop
Since there are various types of laptops and with various types of network adapters, we expect some
challenges to appear, when we want to have dnet2 running on it.

If you want to use your main adapter as A-adapter, it will work fine: Rename your main adapter to
Net_A and install dnet2.

You can now start your system (DP, AIM etc. which is using dnserv). Dnserv will now start because it
finds the adapter with the name Net_A. (It works even if it is set to DHCP and not to a 21-address.)(If
you set it to a 21-address also booting will work and you can communicate with other computers in the
process network not running dnet2.)

This means that when the main adapter is set to DHCP, you may disconnect from the process network to
the house network (or the other way around) without doing any changes in SW and it will work.

NB. If you are running a system (e.g. DP-OS or AIM-OS) on your computer, while your computer is
connected to the house network, then messages are sent out on that network. There is a risk that you
will communicate with computers, which you do not want to communicate with.

USB Network Adapters

We have on a laptop tried USB Network Adapters that appear with Device Name:

“ASIX AX88772 USB2.0 to Fast Ethernet”

Adapters of this type are commonly used by DP engineers (in 2013).

Testing shows that various uses of these can easily cause bluescreen or changes in registry that require
to use a disk backup or recover from a saved system restore point. Hence we cannot now
recommend using these adapters together with dnet2.

Here is some more detailed info:

We have seen that the USB adapters are well working as long as both adapters are present. You may
disconnect the network cables, but one has to be careful when removing the adapters.

Probably the following rules of thumb must be followed:

 Insert the adapters before you install dnet2

 Do not remove the adapters while the computer is running.
 Insert the adapters again before you restart the computer.
 If you do not want to use the adapters any more, uninstall dnet2.

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Maintenance

How to remove or replace an adapter

If for some reason you have removed or replaced one of the physical adapters Net_A or Net_B. Then
there are some various things that must be done in SW afterwards.

Uninstall dnet2, if dnet2 is installed. (That will prepare for a later reinstallation of dnet2.)

Clean up in registry after the removal of the physical adapter4. Use the procedure described in the
trouble shooting chapter.

Give an eventually new adapter a proper name: Net_A or Net_B. (Must be done before dnet2 installed
again.)

Install dnet2 again. (If the adapter is just removed, then Net_B will be the main adapter. If it is replaced,
we cannot predict, which of Net_A or Net_B that becomes the new main adapter.) Check the installation
as described in a previous section.

Trouble shooting
As you may have read in previous chapter the names of the adapters is essential. The names are used by
the installation

The name “Net_A” already exist

You may try to rename the A-adapter to “Net_A”, but it fails. It says that this name is already in use, but
you cannot see any network connection with this name. Then try one of these hints:

1. Use the Device Manager to uninstall not present devices. Use the procedure described in
another section.
2. Rename the hidden network device. Use the procedure described in another section.

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We need to remove the information in registry for 2 reasons:
1. To avoid that a reinstallation of dnet2 finds information about the old adapter and reuse that.
2. To make it possible to give the new adapter the name Net_A.

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The name “Net_AB” already exist
When Dnet2 is installed successfully, a new network connection will appear with the name “Net_AB”. If
this name already exists, a warning is given. Probably you can do nothing. However, you may try to:

1. Uninstall dnet2 (preparation for new installation).

2. Rename the existing network device which has the name “Net_AB”. If this is difficult, try some
other hints in this chapter.

How to remove not present network devices properly

When a network device is removed, there are remnants in registry left. If you want to remove this, you
can do the following:

Open a command line window and type the following two lines:

set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
start devmgmt.msc

In this Special Device Manager Window; on the menu, click View then Show Hidden Devices

The unwanted devices will appear dimmed. The removed adapter is such a one. If you know,
which one it is, then right-click it and uninstall it.

You may have experienced that a network device cannot be renamed, because the name is already in
use. However, you cannot see any device (network connection) with this name. Then you can search in
registry for the problematic name and rename it there:

Go to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Network\{4D36E972-E325-

11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}. Search here for “Name” values:

Alternatively search for a specific adapter name. E.g.:

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When you have found the name you want to rename, just rename name it.

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