Home Netoworking:Netbios over TCP/IP question

[Guest]

Hi
I have Windows 2000 and a Windows XP connected thro a Linksys router/DSL model t
the internet. My PCs talk independently. I would like to network the PCs.

Are these step correct for networking the

1) Name computers 2) Use same workgroup names for both PCs 3) Enable "netbios over TCP/IP
after clicking LAN "TCP/IP", "Properties", "Advanced", and under "wins" tab "enable netbios over TCP/IP". 4) Make only certain directories "shared

Is it necessary to "enable netbios over TCP/IP" for the computers to see each other. I read somewhere that this is not a safe and is prone to hacking

Any reply will be appreciated
Ganesh

 

[Ron Lowe]

Hi,
I have Windows 2000 and a Windows XP connected thro a Linksys router/DSL model to
the internet. My PCs talk independently. I would like to network the PCs.

Are these step correct for networking them

1) Name computers 2) Use same workgroup names for both PCs 3) Enable "netbios over TCP/IP"
after clicking LAN "TCP/IP", "Properties", "Advanced", and under "wins"

tab "enable netbios over TCP/IP". 4) Make only certain directories
"shared"

Is it necessary to "enable netbios over TCP/IP" for the computers to see

each other. I read somewhere that this is not a safe and is prone to
hacking.

Any reply will be appreciated.
Ganesh

Your gereral steps are OK.
As regards NetBIOS-over-TCP/IP ( NBT )...

NBT is used for ( amongst other things ):
-File and print sharing amongst pre-win2k machines;
-The browser system ( to see computers in My Network Places. )

IF you have all win2k+ machines, then you can do F+P sharing without NBT.
But browsing will not work.

NBT is not regarded as secure, and should never be exposed to the Internet.
A firewall or similar should always block the NBT ports from the Internet.
Your router will do this for you, assuming it is using NAT.
( NAT means sharing one public IP address from your ISP amongst
multiple internal machnes using private addresses like 192.168.x.x )

So if your router is doing NAT ( VVV Likely ) then you are secure
from Internet hacks on your NetBIOS ports.

Bottom line:
-Leave NBT enabled IF you are secured from the internet.
-Yor NAT router provides this security.

 

[Guest]

Ron
Appreciate your reply! My router does behave like a NAT bit I wanted to be sure. I have retained the "Use NetBios setting from the DHCP server" in imy Win2k and XP machine. I have a McCafee firewall which allows me to enable "netbios over TCP/IP". So I enabled that, as it probably does include additional protection. Now I am able to see the computers in my LAN

Ganesh