Talk:IPX/SPX

Disputed

The article states:

Like UDP, IPX is a datagram protocol used for connectionless communications.
...
SPX is a transport layer protocol (layer 4 of the OSI Model) used in Novell Netware
networks. The SPX layer sits on top of the IPX layer (layer 3 - the network layer) and
provides connection-oriented services between two nodes on the network.
...
IPX and SPX both provide connection services similar to TCP/IP, with the IPX protocol
having similarities to IP, and SPX having similarities to TCP.

The first entry conflicts with the two latter and is probably in error. I'm assuming that it should say, "Like IP, IPX is a packet protocol..." or, "Like UDP, SPX is a datagram protocol...". I know virtually nothing about IPX/SPX, but I know that UDP is a multiplexing datagram service and that IP deals with packets. I assume from its name that SPX operates like a sequenced version of UDP instead of a streaming model like TCP. Can anyone shed some light here? --Heywood 19:30, 11 July 2006 (UTC)

However, if IPX can multiplex ports like UDP (effectively serving unsequenced datagrams by itself), the second snippet should specify this, since it would act like both a layer 3 and layer 4 protocol. --Heywood 19:40, 11 July 2006 (UTC)

Comparison =

The comparison is great lets you know what something is like but in this case it only holds back from what SPX really is. Sequenced packet Exchange (SPX) The packets are sent with a numbering system just like TCP so they can be rearranged on the receiving end Just like TCP. Making for a more reliable connection. But Once again I got my info from a book Written by J. L. Antonakos and H. C. Mansfield Jr. read my post under IPX Discussion

Change to "Split Tunnel"..... or elimitate since this is true with all other possiable protocols.

One area where IPX remains useful is to sidestep VPN (client software that does not allow Split tunnel) that force all TCP/IP traffic to traverse the VPN, preventing any access to local resources such as printers and shared disks (on the same lan while connected to the vpn).

At least one Ethernet Bypass Switch (NetOptics BP-HBCU3 10/100/1000 Bypass Switch with Heartbeat) uses IPX packets as heartbeat packets: it sends them to the in-line device, and removes them when they return. If they do not return, it knows the device is down and bypasses it. I suspect they use IPX packets because they are unlikely to be confused with actual data packets. — Preceding unsigned comment added by SXandR (talk • contribs) 18:17, 16 September 2023 (UTC)

A.hawrylyshen (talk) 01:23, 15 December 2007 (UTC) Agreed- that IPX is able to avoid forced routes with VPN software is not a feature of IPX, but a feature of a non-IP protocol. This claim in overly aggressive

Comparing protocols

IPX can be compared to UDP; SPX can be compared to TCP; neither of them can be compared to IP; SPX is implemented on top of IPX, like TCP isn't implemented on top of UDP NevemTeve (talk) 13:35, 5 April 2015 (UTC)

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Merge IPX/SPX with IPX

Disagree. IPX is a transport layer (and network layer) protocol, while IPX/SPX is a protocol family. The proposal is almost equivalent to a proposal to merge Internet protocol suite with Internet Protocol. Kolarp (talk) 12:20, 11 October 2017 (UTC)

Bypass

What is this supposed to mean?: One area where IPX remains useful is for bypassing VPN connections with security policies that prohibit communication with other LAN devices (such as printers and network attached storage) via TCP/IP.[citation needed] I vote to remove that. — Preceding unsigned comment added by B0ef (talk • contribs) 22:52, 6 March 2019 (UTC)

It sounds like it's saying "Some people still use IPX for communicating with LAN devices because their VPN clients' "leak prevention" functions install routing and/or firewall rules to ensure that all TCP/IP traffic must pass through the VPN or be blocked." (Which would make sense. Every VPN system I'm aware of modifies routing or filters traffic in ways specific to the TCP/IP stack.) --Deitarion (talk) 04:13, 6 June 2020 (UTC)

IPX/SPX packet structure

Novell still has the IPX/SPX packet structure posted online at https://www.novell.com/documentation/nw6p/pdfdoc/ipx_enu/ipx_enu.pdf. This should be written up in this article. Use IPv4#Header as inspiration

IPX header format

Bit	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29
0	Checksum		Length		TC	Type	Dest. Network				Dest. Node						Dest. Sock		Source Network				Source Node						Src. Sock

SPX header format

Bit	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
0	CC	Type	Src Conn		Dest Conn		Seq. No		Ack		Alloc