Disabling NetBIOS and LMHOSTS Lookup

[John Corliss]

I'm running a one-user, non-networked computer which is using XP Home
SP2 with all updates. I also have dotnet 1.1 and 2 installed. Can
anybody tell me if it's going to cause any problems if I disable NetBIOS
and LMHOSTS Lookup by doing to following:

1. Double Click on 'Network Connections'.

2. Under 'LAN or High Speed Internet' of the 'Network Connections'
window, click once (highlight) the item that is associated with your
network card.

3. Right click on that item and select 'Properties'.

4. Under 'Local Area Connection Properties', uncheck 'Client for Microft
Networks' and 'File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks'. If you
intend to use these either of these with NetBEUI or IPX, then leave them
checked.

5. Under the 'General' tab of the 'Local Area Connection Properties'
window click once on 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)'.

6. Under the 'General' tab of the 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Settings'
window, click on 'Advanced'.

7. In the 'Advanced TCP/IP Settings' window click on WINS.

8. Select 'Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP'.

9. Remove the check next to 'Enable LMHOSTS lookup'.

10. Click OK on the 'Advanced TCP/IP Settings' window.

11. Click OK in the 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Settings' window

12. Click Close on the 'Local Area Connection Properties' window.

13. Close the 'Network Connections' window using the using the 'X'
button in the upper right corner or File -> Close.

14. Reboot.

TIA

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

I'm running a one-user, non-networked computer which is using XP Home
SP2 with all updates. I also have dotnet 1.1 and 2 installed. Can
anybody tell me if it's going to cause any problems if I disable
NetBIOS and LMHOSTS Lookup by doing to following:

<snip>

If you aren't on a network, it won't hurt you at all to disable NetBIOS.
However, I have to wonder why you'd bother.

 

[John Corliss]

<snip>

If you aren't on a network, it won't hurt you at all to disable NetBIOS.
However, I have to wonder why you'd bother.

Just closing some more listening ports for security's sake. I like to
shut off anything that I don't use.

 

[q_q_anonymous]

I'm running a one-user, non-networked computer which is using XP Home
SP2 with all updates. I also have dotnet 1.1 and 2 installed. Can
anybody tell me if it's going to cause any problems if I disable NetBIOS
and LMHOSTS Lookup by doing to following:

1. Double Click on 'Network Connections'.

2. Under 'LAN or High Speed Internet' of the 'Network Connections'
window, click once (highlight) the item that is associated with your
network card.

3. Right click on that item and select 'Properties'.

4. Under 'Local Area Connection Properties', uncheck 'Client for Microft
Networks' and 'File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks'. If you
intend to use these either of these with NetBEUI or IPX, then leave them
checked.

5. Under the 'General' tab of the 'Local Area Connection Properties'
window click once on 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)'.

6. Under the 'General' tab of the 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Settings'
window, click on 'Advanced'.

7. In the 'Advanced TCP/IP Settings' window click on WINS.

8. Select 'Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP'.

9. Remove the check next to 'Enable LMHOSTS lookup'.

10. Click OK on the 'Advanced TCP/IP Settings' window.

11. Click OK in the 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Settings' window

12. Click Close on the 'Local Area Connection Properties' window.

13. Close the 'Network Connections' window using the using the 'X'
button in the upper right corner or File -> Close.

14. Reboot.

TIA

I hate steps like that..
you should write a version like that for morons. And a one for people
that aren't computer illiterate.

Instructions to disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP a.k.a. NetBT
ctrl panel....NW connection...right click the LAN
connection..properties..select tcp/ip Now cilck
properties..advanced..WINS..properties.. Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP
a.k.a. NetBT

Anyhow. To your question.
If not using file and printer sharing, then i guess it won't cause
problems.
If using file and printer sharing, then you might want not want it
disabled. Because if disabled, then when you go to "my network places"
and get a list of all comps on the workgroup, i've heard that it'll be
very very slow in listing them . You can still quickly do start..run
\\compname or \\ip though


setting NetBT offers 3 options Default,Enabled,Disabled.
"default" chooses whether to enable or disable it depending on what the
DHCP server tells it. Usualy "home router" doubles up as a DHCP server.
I think maybe it's pointless to do default, why let your "home router"
decide. It's just your individual computer, not an instruction to the
whole network to enable or disable it. So just do it manually by
choosing enable or disable, rather than 'default'.

 

[q_q_anonymous]

I hate steps like that..
you should write a version like that for morons. And a one for people
that aren't computer illiterate.

Instructions to disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP a.k.a. NetBT
ctrl panel....NW connection...right click the LAN
connection..properties..select tcp/ip Now cilck
properties..advanced..WINS..properties.. Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP
a.k.a. NetBT

Anyhow. To your question.
If not using file and printer sharing, then i guess it won't cause
problems.
If using file and printer sharing, then you might want not want it
disabled. Because if disabled, then when you go to "my network places"
and get a list of all comps on the workgroup, i've heard that it'll be
very very slow in listing them . You can still quickly do start..run
\\compname or \\ip though


setting NetBT offers 3 options Default,Enabled,Disabled.
"default" chooses whether to enable or disable it depending on what the
DHCP server tells it. Usualy "home router" doubles up as a DHCP server.
I think maybe it's pointless to do default, why let your "home router"
decide. It's just your individual computer, not an instruction to the
whole network to enable or disable it. So just do it manually by
choosing enable or disable, rather than 'default'.

and of course Do not use file and printer sharing over teh internet.
Only over a LAN. And since you don't have LAN, you don't want it.

(Fortuantely, I think, at least in win xp sp2, it's not possible to use
it over the internet. It's a funny one. F n P sharing uses ports 445
and/or 139 (petri ex[plains in more detail). Doing netstat -an/-aon
shows 192.168.0.2:139 and 0.0.0.0:445)

off hand, i cant' remember the dif ebtween unchecking and uninstalling.
hopefully unchecking means disabling and not choosing it to be
uninstalled!