FireNet 1.0 for Mac OS X Installation and User Guide

unibrain

e-mail: ubinfo@unibrain.com web-site: http://www.unibrain.com

April 2002

Dear FireNet Customer, Thank you for purchasing Unibrains FireNet software for Mac OS X. FireNet is THE FIRST AND ONLY FireWire Networking Solution for Windows and Mac. A system independent software product that gives you full Ethernet compatibility at 400 Mbps speeds. The following are some features and characteristics of the Mac OS X Version: Supports TCP/IP and AppleTalk. Superior performance compared with Ethernet 100baseT. The FireWire Bus can be used simultaneously for other purposes (e.g. DV Camera, FireWire Hard Disk etc.). No hubs, no routers, no complicated cabling, no complex installations. Slows down, but does not collapse (like Ethernet) when overloaded. 100% Compatible with any Mac equipped with build-in FireWire support. Fast and Easy installation Requires Mac OS X 10.1.2 or later.
The FireNet documentation includes the following main topics: Technical Support Information. FireNet Installation. FireNet User Guide. FireNet Benchmark

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS....2 TECHNICAL SUPPORT INFORMATION...3 INTRODUCTION.....4 SETUP CHECKLIST....5 FIRENET INSTALLATION....6 Installation of the unauthorized version...6 Authorization procedure....10 FIRENET USERS GUIDE...11 Configuration.....11 FIRENET PERFORMANCE INFORMATION...13
Technical Support Information
Technical Support is available by phone or email. Email: Direct all technical support questions to support@unibrain.com.
Phone: North & South America (USA) +1-925-866-3000 Europe & Asia (GREECE) +30-106640580

Introduction

The purpose of this document is to explain you in detail the required procedure in order to setup and operate the FireNet product on a Macintosh Computer. It is required to have a FireWire Network, consisted of a set (at least two) of Macintosh computers equipped with build-in FireWire support. The FireNet software you are about to install is a complete, fully functional, unauthorized version of FireNet software. As such, it will operate with all its features for 30 minutes between reboots. It is important to note that when a version of FireNet stops working after its time limit, it does not affect the rest of the users computer operations in any way. The user is required to reboot if he wishes to re-enable FireNet for another 30 minutes.
To enable unrestricted use of the FireNet software, a "Name" and Product Key per station is required. You can purchase product keys online at 1394store.com in order to enable FireNet to run continuously.

Setup Checklist

Before continuing with the FireNet installation please verify that:
Description Your Macintosh operating system is Mac OS X 10.1.2 or later with the most critical system updates installed. 1. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120103 You are advised to run the System Update before installing Firenet. If you are planning to connect to Mac OS 9.x or Windows systems, please make sure you upgrade ALL of your computers to Firenet 2.5 or later (both Windows & Mac OS 9.x versions). All latest versions can be obtained from: http://www.unibrain.com/downloads/

Check? ()

Now you can proceed with the setup of the FireNet application

FireNet Installation

Installation of the unauthorized version
As is already mentioned the FireNet software that you are about to install and use is a complete, fully functional, unauthorized version. As such, it will operate with all its features for 30 minutes between reboots. To enable an unrestricted use of the FireNet software in your Macintosh you need to enter a "Name" and Product Key per station as described in the next section entitled "Authorization procedure". In order to make a fully authorized FireNet installation you first install this complete, fully functional but unauthorized version (time limited usage for 30 minutes) and then you authorize the application by getting from Unibrain the respective Product Keys. The procedure to install the unauthorized version is simple and straightforward as described in the next steps: 1. Double click the file "FireNet.dmg.bin" and the FireNet disk image will be mounted on your desktop. If the FireNet disk image is not automatically mounted on your desktop, please double click the extracted file FireNet.dmg in order to mount the FireNet disk image.

2. Open the FireNet disk image and then double click the file FireNet.pkg that it contains.
3. The first dialog box that appears during the installation is a notification that it is required an Administrator password in order to install the software. Click the lock icon and enter an Administrator password as required.
4. As soon as you enter a valid Administrator password, the Welcome dialog box appears. Press Continue to proceed.
5. The next dialog box displays a brief information text about FireNet software. Press Continue to proceed.
6. The next dialog box displays the License Agreement text. Press Continue to continue the installation. 7. Then you have to select the hard disk partition where the software should be installed. Please select the partition where your Mac OS X is installed and press the Continue button.
8. After that, the Installer will display the last dialog box before the copying of FireNet software on the selected partition begins. Select Install to proceed. 9. A notification that the FireNet software installation requires you to restart your computer when the installation is done will be displayed. If you have already saved all your open documents and have closed any other running applications press the Continue Installation button, as the picture below shows.
10. As soon as the copying of FireNet software is completed successfully, the Authorization application starts automatically. If you already own a Product Key number, enter the Name and Product Key in the appropriate fields and press OK, otherwise press the Cancel button in order to use the unauthorized version of FireNet. The application will display a message indicating if the operation was successful or not.
11. After the installation is completed successfully, a dialog box appears that informs you that the computer will restart. Press the Restart button to restart your computer immediately or wait till your computer automatically restarts.
Note: If you didnt enter a Product Key in Authorization Application as described in Step 10, youll be able to practice and evaluate the complete, fully functional but unauthorized version of FireNet application for 30 minutes. After this period, you will be informed for the inability of network communication via FireNet and you will have to reboot your Mac for another 30 minutes of usage etc. In order to authorize your FireNet application and have unlimited usage, please follow the next simple authorization procedure described in the next section.

Authorization procedure

To enable an unrestricted use of the FireNet software, a unique "Name" and Product Key combination per station is required. You can purchase Product Keys online or at any local distributor, in order to enable FireNet to run continuously. Please notice that you need a unique Product Key for each Macintosh, member of your FireNet network! In case that you have accidentally two or more Macs with the same Product Key the FireNet application will not function. After having purchased the Product Key per station you must: 1. Open the FireNet folder in the Applications folder: 2. Run the FireNet Authorization application:
3. Enter the Name and Product Key in the appropriate fields and press OK. The application will display a message indicating if the operation was successful or not. If the operation was completed successfully, then you must reboot before using the FireNet application. Please note that after you have restarted your Macintosh you have to configure your FireNet adapter again as it is described at page 11.

FireNet Users Guide

After successfully installing the FireNet for Macintosh, you are ready to use its powerful features over TCP/IP or AppleTalk: Important: Please give special attention to your Macintosh FireWire network topology. In case that you have more than two Macs please use tree topology avoiding any closed-loop connection. IF ANY CLOSED-LOOP CONNECTION IS CREATED INTO YOUR NETWORK, THE FIREWIRE PROTOCOL (AND CONSEQUENTLY FIRENET) WILL FAIL!

Configuration

Please note that in case you have authorized your FireNet after a trial period, you have to configure your FireNet adapter again as it is described in the next paragraphs. In order to configure and use FireNet please follow the next simple steps: 1. Open System Preferences and click the Network icon. If its the first time that you open Network after you installed FireNet software, a dialog box will appear that informs you that a new network port has been detected. The new network port is your FireNet adapter despite of the name1 assigned by your system. Please notice that your Macintosh system follows a naming convention in order to enumerate the network adapters that can be en1, en2, en3, etc. depending of the number of those adapters. Press the OK button to close the dialog box.
2. Select the new FireNet adapter according to the name assigned to it by the Mac OS X and configure it as you wish. For example you can assign an IP address, define a router, enable/disable AppleTalk etc. As soon as you have properly configured your FireNet adapter press the Apply Now button to apply your settings.
in our example it is: Ethernet Adaptor (en1) 11
3. Run any application that requires TCP/IP or AppleTalk protocol. Please note that TCP/IP is much faster compared to AppleTalk.

FireNet Performance Information
Firenet has an outstanding performance, superior than Ethernet 100baseT and can be compared with the speed of Gigabit Ethernet. For latest benchmarks please check the following link: http://www.unibrain.com/products/ieee-1394/fw_vs_gbit.htm