what does this 'IS~' prefix mean (when pinging)?

hello

i am just wondering if the experts in this group know what this 'IS~' prefix actually mean. i was trouble shooting for an issue where no client could "termainl service" to the host machine. and when I tried to ping it e.g
ping -a 127.0.0.
I got a funny machine name back e.g
Pinging IS~MACHINENAME [127.0.0.1] with 32 bytes of data

Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=12
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=12
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=12
...

* The thing is that the 'IS~' was never there before. And after I restart the machine, the 'IS~' prefix also disappeared. I am really curious to find out what that thing is. Please share your knowledg

Thanks
one

"one" <one.microsoft@online.nospam> wrote in message
news:41250422-741B-4FD7-8BD7-2A8E9926BE1A@microsoft.com...
> hello,
>
> i am just wondering if the experts in this group know what this 'IS~'
prefix actually mean. i was trouble shooting for an issue where no client
could "termainl service" to the host machine. and when I tried to ping it
e.g.
> ping -a 127.0.0.1
> I got a funny machine name back e.g.
> Pinging IS~MACHINENAME [127.0.0.1] with 32 bytes of data:
>
> Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
> Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
> Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
> ...
>
> * The thing is that the 'IS~' was never there before. And after I restart
the machine, the 'IS~' prefix also disappeared. I am really curious to find
out what that thing is. Please share your knowledge
>
> Thanks,
> one

Computer is running IIS

Thanks for your reply Netwerks

However, I am not convinced. with the experience I had, that the 'IS~' only appeared when my users couldn't logon to my terminal server machine, and not after I rebooted the system. Also, why would it show 'IS~' but not 'IIS~'??

Please help (including all the experts over there. I am sure it will benefit others in this newsgroup!

Thanks. on

----- Netwerkz wrote: ----


"one" <one.microsoft@online.nospam> wrote in messag
news:41250422-741B-4FD7-8BD7-2A8E9926BE1A@microsoft.com..
> hello
>> i am just wondering if the experts in this group know what this 'IS~
prefix actually mean. i was trouble shooting for an issue where no clien
could "termainl service" to the host machine. and when I tried to ping i
e.g
> ping -a 127.0.0.
> I got a funny machine name back e.g
> Pinging IS~MACHINENAME [127.0.0.1] with 32 bytes of data
>> Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=12
> Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=12
> Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=12
> ..
>> * The thing is that the 'IS~' was never there before. And after I restar
the machine, the 'IS~' prefix also disappeared. I am really curious to fin
out what that thing is. Please share your knowledg
>> Thanks
> on

Computer is running II

"one" <one.microsoft@online.nospam> wrote in message
news:AE88310D-0C86-4A7A-A8EA-A102039D550F@microsoft.com...
> Thanks for your reply Netwerks,
>
> However, I am not convinced. with the experience I had, that the 'IS~'
only appeared when my users couldn't logon to my terminal server machine,
and not after I rebooted the system. Also, why would it show 'IS~' but not
'IIS~'???
>
> Please help (including all the experts over there. I am sure it will
benefit others in this newsgroup!)
>
> Thanks. one
>
> ----- Netwerkz wrote: -----
>
>
> "one" <one.microsoft@online.nospam> wrote in message
> news:41250422-741B-4FD7-8BD7-2A8E9926BE1A@microsoft.com...
> > hello,
> >> i am just wondering if the experts in this group know what this
'IS~'
> prefix actually mean. i was trouble shooting for an issue where no
client
> could "termainl service" to the host machine. and when I tried to
ping it
> e.g.
> > ping -a 127.0.0.1
> > I got a funny machine name back e.g.
> > Pinging IS~MACHINENAME [127.0.0.1] with 32 bytes of data:
> >> Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
> > Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
> > Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
> > ...
> >> * The thing is that the 'IS~' was never there before. And after I
restart
> the machine, the 'IS~' prefix also disappeared. I am really curious
to find
> out what that thing is. Please share your knowledge
> >> Thanks,
> > one
>
> Computer is running IIS
>
>
>

I think the following two articles may help you understand.

NetBIOS Suffixes (16th Character of the NetBIOS Name)
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...kb;EN-US;163409

NBLookup.exe Command-Line Tool
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...kb;en-us;830578

Better yet (maybe):

NETBIOS Node Status Query Returns First Instance of Unique Name
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...kb;en-us;154608

Great

Thanks for the kb

one