|
|
NDIS Intermediate (IM) Driver
|
 | Microsoft Windows 98 | ||
| Windows Millennium | ||
| Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
| ||
| Microsoft Windows NT 5.0/2000 | ||
| Microsoft NT 5.1/XP | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 |
Be sure that you are actually testing on a platform that has NDIS 4.0 or higher support. Some developers have gotten stuck testing on NT 4.0 without SP3 or SP4.
NDIS IM support on Windows 98 and Windows Me is "spotty". Not all NDIS IM functionality is properly exported across these platforms. In addition, Microsoft has never documented how to install NDIS IM drivers on these platforms. However, some developers have has some success in adapting the ATMLANE .INF to install their NDIS IM drivers.
Microsoft has provided two different NDIS Intermediate driver samples, including:
| ImSamp Sample - The Microsoft Windows NT DDK team has a sample NDIS Intermediate (IM) Driver named "ImSamp" on their website at: |
http://support.microsoft.com/support/ddk_hardware/ntddk/NTsamples/#Network Device Driver Samples
| PassThru Sample - The Microsoft Windows 2000 and higher DDKs include a different NDIS IM Driver sample "PassThru" under the directory: |
\DDK\Src\Network\NDIS\passthru
| Extended PassThru Sample - The Windows Driver Developer's Digest includes a sample that extends the Microsoft PassThru sample. See:: |
Windows Driver Developer's Digest (Be sure to look in the Archives...).
Unfortunately, there are problems. Although initial installation of a NDIS IM driver can be successful, there are subsequent problems when a new adapter is added to the system. or when it becomes necessary to update the NDIS IM driver. On some platforms the defective behavior can be improved at the expense of digitally signing the driver.
PCAUSA: It is clear, however, that NDIS IM driver installation functional behavior should not actually be influenced by the presence or absence of a digital signature. The driver should be allowed to be installed or should be prohibited from being installed (by authority of the administrator and system policy).
For more information about these known
problems see
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 323458.
PCAUSA offers NDIS Intermediate (IM) driver samples for the Windows NT 4.0 platform.
PCAUSA offers samples of an alternate technology called NDIS Pseudo-Intermediate (PIM) driver that provides the same logical functionality as NDIS IM drivers, but is easier to install and supports all Windows 9X and Windows Millennium platforms.
Working with NDISWAN/RAS and NDIS IM drivers has proven to be a difficult task. Here are some notes from developers that have worked on this problem and have decided to share their findings.
May 17, 1999 - Scott Meeuwsen has contributed a paper that describes changes you can make to a working Ethernet IM driver that will allow it to function with NDISWAN adapters over TCP/IP. Click the link below to view Mr. Meeuwsen's paper.
How to make an IM driver that works with NDISWAN over TCP/IP
Note: The approach described below by Andrew Zabolotny didn't work for Scott...
January 6, 1999 - Andrew Zabolotny <bit@eltech.ru> has contributed a paper that includes his instructions on how to adapt a intermediate driver that works with network cards to make it work with RAS. Click the link below to view Mr. Zabolotny's paper.
Implementing An IM Driver That Works With RAS Under NT
December 17, 1999 - Robert Schlabbach <robert@powerstation.isdn.cs.TU-Berlin.DE> has taken the time to compile information concerning several Windows 2000 NDIS Intermediate driver issues. This information should help struggling Windows 2000 NDIS IM driver developers tremendously.
Q&A on Windows 2000 NDISWAN and NDIS Intermediate Drivers
September 1, 2000 - Microsoft has introduced a new WHQL NDIS Intermediate Driver Full-Test Program for Windows 2000.
You can now obtain a digital signature for your NDIS intermediate drivers (IM) submitted for Windows® 2000 Service Pack 1, NDIS 5.0 drivers only. This full-test program applies to software-only NDIS intermediate drivers that are not tied to a hardware-oriented mini port. The test procedures and test tools are available on the Windows Hardware and Driver Central (WHDC)
page.
February 1, 1999 - At it's upper edge an NDIS Intermediate Driver should function like an ordinary NDIS Miniport driver. This means that the Hardware Compatibility Test (HCT) tools used to test ordinary NDIS Miniport drivers can be used to test NDIS Intermediate Drivers.
NDIS Miniport drivers can be tested with the NDIS Tester, which is available from the Microsoft Windows Hardware and Driver Central (WHDC) The general WHDC web site (for all kinds of devices) is:
|
PCAUSA Home ·
Privacy Statement ·
Products ·
Ordering ·
Support ·
Utilities ·
Resources
|
This FAQ, like
most others, is always under construction...
