1999/06/10

			ComOS 4.1b23 Open Beta Release Note


_______________ Introduction

The new Lucent Technologies ComOS(R) 4.1b23 software release is now
available for open beta for the PortMaster(R) 4 Integrated Access
Server. This release note applies only to the PortMaster 4.

This open beta release is provided at no charge to all Lucent
customers.

This open beta release is recommended for any customer using a
PortMaster 4, and especially for customers who wish to test the new
functionality before the general availability (GA) release of ComOS 4.1.

This release note documents commands and features added between ComOS
4.1b15 and ComOS 4.1b23 on the PortMaster 4.  This release contains the
same modem code as ComOS 3.8.2c2 and ComOS 4.0.3c2.

Command syntax for new commands might change between this open beta
release and the GA release of ComOS 4.1.

Before upgrading, thoroughly read "Limitations" and "Upgrade
Instructions."

NOTE: If you downgrade from ComOS 4.1b23 to ComOS 4.0.3c2 or earlier,
you must do the downgrade twice because of changes in the nonvolatile
memory layout in ComOS 4.1b23.


_______________ Contents

Introduction
Bugs Fixed
	Modem Bugs Fixed
New Features 
Limitations
Troubleshooting
Upgrade Instructions
Technical Support


_______________ Bugs Fixed

The following bugs have been fixed between ComOS 4.1b15 and ComOS 4.1b23:

* IP pool use in the user table no longer causes a Quad T1 board memory
  leak.

* Duplicate IP addresses are no longer assigned for the local user
  table.  If the number of dial-in users exceeds the number of
  addresses available to be assigned, the PortMaster no longer assigns
  the same address more than once.

* Client Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) dial-in users no longer receive
  an IP Control Protocol (IPCP) address negotiation request from the
  PortMaster 4 instead of being assigned an IP address.

* A memory corruption problem that caused a crash on the system manager
  module (SMM) and Quad T1 board has been fixed.

* The 2183 controller code no longer causes a Quad T1 board to crash.  

* During LCP negotiation, client PPP dial-in users to the PortMaster 4
  no longer become stuck in a connecting state or have their
  connections fail. These problems were caused by an internal 2183
  controller code race condition.

* A problem where the Quad T1 board runs out of network buffers
  (netbufs) has been fixed.

* Dial-in users who request a filter from a ChoiceNet(R) server when
  the RADIUS accounting queue is full no longer become stuck in a
  connecting state.

* The PortMaster 4 now sends an Internet Control Message Protocol
  (ICMP) Destination Unreachable message to the source host when the
  PortMaster cannot forward a packet with the Don't Fragment (DF) bit
  set onto a interface that has a smaller maximum transmission unit (MTU).

_______ Modem Bugs Fixed

This release includes the modem code from ComOS 3.8.2c2 and 
ComOS 4.0.3c2, which fixes the following modem bugs:

* A NO EC (no error control) connection problem with Cirrus Logic
  modems is fixed.

* Performance with Cirrus Logic modems is improved.

* The number of rate renegotiations with USR/3Com and Cirrus modems has
  been reduced because ComOS now allows the client to specify spectral
  shaping.

* Rate renegotiation and retrain problems with USR/3Com and
  Rockwell HCF clients are fixed.

* Connectability with USR/3Com and Rockwell HCF modems and LT 
  Winmodems is improved.

* A downward spiraling upstream rate caused by an incorrect 
  Link Access Procedure for Modems (LAPM) error check is fixed.

* The number of disconnections due to LAPM retrains within a retrain 
  is reduced.

* Rate reduction due to LAPM errors has been made less sensitive.

* Motorola SM56 modems can now connect with V.90.

* A V.90-to-V.34 fallback problem, which can result in a disconnection,
  is fixed by earlier V.34 detection.

* A-law V.90 connectability is improved.

* K56flex connectability is improved by an increase in a K56flex
  timeout.


_______________ New Features

This ComOS release contains the same features as ComOS 4.1b15. In
addition, this ComOS release adds extended modem debugging information for
troubleshooting with the existing modem debugging commands.


_______________ Limitations

ComOS 4.1b23 has the following limitations.

_______ Quad T1 Board Reboot due to PCI Memory Problem

An unexpected halt in Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) memory
can cause a Quad T1 board to reboot without creating a crash log. A
segmentation and reassembly (SAR) problem in the PCI can cause a
hardware reset of the Quad T1 board when its PCI bus is being written
to.  Because the board's hardware is reset, the boot log shows only
"Power On" and no stack trace is recorded.

_______ Faulty Session ID from SNMP Query

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) query on a session ID
displays the first five characters as "0".

_______ Modem Problems

Lucent Remote Access is still fixing some problems with Rockwell HCF
and Cirrus Logic modems. If you experience any difficulties with
modems, verify that the client modem is running the latest firmware,
and then refer to
http://www.livingston.com/tech/bulletin/comos-modem.html.
If these instructions do not help, contact Lucent Remote Access
Technical Support.

_______ Authentication Method Required for L2TP

Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) on the PortMaster 4 supports only
Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) and Challenge Handshake
Authentication Protocol (CHAP) for PPP authentication. It does not
support login scripts.

Users normally dial in and authenticate with either PAP or CHAP.
However, if a user's Microsoft Windows dial-up networking preferences
are configured to display a terminal window, then a chat login script
sends the username and password and no PAP or CHAP authentication is
done. As a result, an L2TP tunnel cannot be generated for this type of
connection and the connection fails.

To prevent this problem, use PAP or CHAP for authentication when using
LT2P.


_______________ Troubleshooting

As part of modem troubleshooting, confirm that the client modem is
running the latest firmware before submitting a modem trouble report.

When reporting a new modem problem, send the following information to
technical support:

* ComOS version
* Client modem manufacturer
* Client modem model
* Results on the client modem of commands ATI0 through ATI11
* Whether the problem is reproducible

Lucent Remote Access might want to monitor your PortMaster while the
client modem reproduces the problem.


_______________ Upgrade Instructions

You can upgrade your PortMaster 4 using PMVision 1.5, or pmupgrade 4.2
from PMTools. Alternatively, you can upgrade using the older programs
pminstall 3.5.3, PMconsole 3.5.3, or PMconsole for Windows 3.5.1.4, or
later releases. You can also upgrade using TFTP with the "tftp get
comos" command from the PortMaster command line interface.

See ftp://ftp.livingston.com/pub/le/software/java/pmvision15.txt for
installation instructions for PMVision 1.5.

*** CAUTION!  If the upgrade fails, do NOT reboot!  Contact
*** Lucent Remote Access Technical Support without rebooting.

The upgrade process on the PortMaster 4 erases the configuration area
from nonvolatile memory and saves the current configuration into
nonvolatile memory. Never interrupt the upgrade process, or loss of
configuration information can result. This upgrade does not otherwise
affect your stored configuration in the PortMaster 4.

If you are downgrading from ComOS 4.1b23 to ComOS 4.0.3c2 or earlier,
you must do the downgrade twice because of changes in the nonvolatile
memory layout in ComOS 4.1b23.

The installation software can be retrieved by FTP from
ftp://ftp.livingston.com/pub/le/software/, and the upgrade image can be
found at ftp://ftp.livingston.com/pub/le/upgrades:

ComOS           Upgrade Image   Product
_________       _____________   _____________________________________
4.1b23          pm4_4.1b23      PortMaster 4

________________________________________________________________________

        Copyright and Trademarks

Copyright 1999 Lucent Technologies. All rights reserved.

PortMaster, ComOS, and ChoiceNet are registered trademarks of Lucent
Technologies, Inc. PMVision, IRX, and PortAuthority are trademarks of
Lucent Technologies Inc. PolicyFlow is a service mark of Lucent
Technologies Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective
owners.

        Notices

Lucent Technologies Inc. makes no representations or warranties with
respect to the contents or use of this publication, and specifically
disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability or
fitness for any particular purpose. Further, Lucent Technologies Inc.
reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes to
its content, any time, without obligation to notify any person or
entity of such revisions or changes.

	Contacting Lucent Remote Access Technical Support

Lucent Technologies Remote Access Business Unit (previously Livingston
Enterprises) provides technical support via voice, fax, electronic
mail, or through the World Wide Web at http://www.livingston.com/.
Specify that you are running ComOS 4.1b23 when reporting problems with
this release.

Internet service providers (ISPs) and other end users in Europe, the
Middle East, Africa, India, and Pakistan should contact their
authorized Lucent Remote Access sales channel partner for technical
support; see http://www.livingston.com/International/EMEA/distributors.html.

For North and South America and Asia Pacific customers, technical
support is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. U.S.
Pacific Time (GMT -8). Dial 1-800-458-9966 within the United States
(including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, and the Caribbean, or
1-925-737-2100 from elsewhere, for voice support. Otherwise, fax to
1-925-737-2110, or send email to support@livingston.com
(asia-support@livingston.com for Asia Pacific customers).

