NetBIOS and TCP/IP

[Will Fleenor]

OS: Windows XP Pro with SP2 on all machines

Issue: Making the Windows XP peer-to-peer LAN work so that the machines in
my small office can talk to each other and share files.

Questions: Do in need to run the NetBIOS protocol for the machines in my
office to see each other? If so which one do I run: "NWLink NetBIOS" or
"NwLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Campatible Transport Protocol"?

Discussion: I am running TCP/IP on all machines to facilitate Internet
access. I have been told that NetBIOS will create huge amounts of
additional network traffic and clog up my network. I have a gigabit switch
and CAT 6e wiring with only 7 computers on my network.

Thanks you for your help. If you can just point me to a good Web page with
a discussion of this topic I would certainly appreciate it.

Will Fleenor

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Will Fleenor" <[email protected]>

| OS: Windows XP Pro with SP2 on all machines
|
| Issue: Making the Windows XP peer-to-peer LAN work so that the machines in
| my small office can talk to each other and share files.
|
| Questions: Do in need to run the NetBIOS protocol for the machines in my
| office to see each other? If so which one do I run: "NWLink NetBIOS" or
| "NwLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Campatible Transport Protocol"?
|
| Discussion: I am running TCP/IP on all machines to facilitate Internet
| access. I have been told that NetBIOS will create huge amounts of
| additional network traffic and clog up my network. I have a gigabit switch
| and CAT 6e wiring with only 7 computers on my network.
|
| Thanks you for your help. If you can just point me to a good Web page with
| a discussion of this topic I would certainly appreciate it.
|
| Will Fleenor
|

You don't need either "NWLink NetBIOS" or "NwLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Campatible Transport
Protocol" as they are for NetBIOS over IPX/SPX.

The only protocol you want is TCP/IP and just make sure you don't disable NetBIOS over IP.

 

[HeyBub]

OS: Windows XP Pro with SP2 on all machines

Issue: Making the Windows XP peer-to-peer LAN work so that the
machines in my small office can talk to each other and share files.

Questions: Do in need to run the NetBIOS protocol for the machines in
my office to see each other? If so which one do I run: "NWLink
NetBIOS" or "NwLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Campatible Transport Protocol"?

Discussion: I am running TCP/IP on all machines to facilitate
Internet access. I have been told that NetBIOS will create huge
amounts of additional network traffic and clog up my network. I have
a gigabit switch and CAT 6e wiring with only 7 computers on my
network.
Thanks you for your help. If you can just point me to a good Web
page with a discussion of this topic I would certainly appreciate it.

NetBIOS is an ancient protocol. It is hacked to hell and back. Every hacker
worth his salt will attempt to access everything you've got via NetBIOS
because it is so primitive. Disable it. You need only TCP/IP. Nothing else.

 

[NoStop]

NetBIOS is an ancient protocol. It is hacked to hell and back. Every
hacker worth his salt will attempt to access everything you've got via
NetBIOS because it is so primitive. Disable it. You need only TCP/IP.
Nothing else.

Funny you should be such a proponent of a *NIX network protocol over a
Windoze one. I kinda remember someone calling UNIX old and outdated
technology.


--
The ULTIMATE Windoze Fanboy:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2370205018226686613

View Some Common Linux Desktops ...
http://linclips.crocusplains.com/index.php

 

[q_q_anonymous]

NetBIOS is an ancient protocol. It is hacked to hell and back. Every hacker
worth his salt will attempt to access everything you've got via NetBIOS
because it is so primitive. Disable it. You need only TCP/IP. Nothing else.

you can do it without netbios or netBT, but then AFAIK, you can't
Browse through the computer in 'my network places'. You can only do
\\whateverip

 

[frodo]

you can do it without netbios or netBT, but then AFAIK, you can't
Browse through the computer in 'my network places'. You can only do
\\whateverip

that's true; by enabling netbios you will have much better luck browsing
for other machines thru network neiborhood. without it other machines can
take MINUTES to show up, a real pain. I wouldn't worry about it using
excessive resources, but the hack potential is higher. If you're isolated
from the internet behind a router/gateway I wouldn't worry about that
either, the netbios traffic will stay on the local subnet and the router
shd protect you from netbios fishing from outside.

Set netbios to "auto" if that choice is available (it's xp's default).

 

[q_q_anonymous]

that's true; by enabling netbios you will have much better luck browsing
for other machines thru network neiborhood. without it other machines can
take MINUTES to show up, a real pain. I wouldn't worry about it using
excessive resources, but the hack potential is higher. If you're isolated
from the internet behind a router/gateway I wouldn't worry about that
either, the netbios traffic will stay on the local subnet and the router
shd protect you from netbios fishing from outside.

also, would be protected by windows firewall / PFW(personal firewall)
as well as , as you say , 'home router''s NATing.

Set netbios to "auto" if that choice is available (it's xp's default).

I guess you mean enable

there are 3 settings.
default, enable, disable

default usually leads to enable. 'cos it takes whatever value (enable
or disable) the DHCP server tells it (I think). suprises me 'cos i
didn't realise DHCP servers have info in there specific to windows
machines.

apparently "default" leads to disable if there's no DHCP server or the
comp uses a static ip. (seems like perhaps when a static ip is used, no
DHCP server is accessed, not even to retrieve DNS settings).

I do recall somebody posting claiming that he had a static ip and
wanted to retrieve DNS servers through DHCP but couldn't. He seems
right. Looking at windows, if you tell it to "use the following
ip"(static), then it won't let you "obtain DNS server address
automatically", it forces you to enter those manually.

 

[frodo]

I guess you mean enable

there are 3 settings.
default, enable, disable

default usually leads to enable. 'cos it takes whatever value (enable
or disable) the DHCP server tells it (I think). suprises me 'cos i
didn't realise DHCP servers have info in there specific to windows
machines.

yes, I meant "default", not "auto"

 

[Rod Carty]

OS: Windows XP Pro with SP2 on all machines

Issue: Making the Windows XP peer-to-peer LAN work so that the machines in
my small office can talk to each other and share files.

Questions: Do in need to run the NetBIOS protocol for the machines in my
office to see each other? If so which one do I run: "NWLink NetBIOS" or
"NwLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Campatible Transport Protocol"?

Discussion: I am running TCP/IP on all machines to facilitate Internet
access. I have been told that NetBIOS will create huge amounts of
additional network traffic and clog up my network. I have a gigabit switch
and CAT 6e wiring with only 7 computers on my network.

Thanks you for your help. If you can just point me to a good Web page with
a discussion of this topic I would certainly appreciate it.

Will Fleenor

You can either use NetBEUI or you can use NetBIOS over TCP/IP. NetBEUI
is the older, no longer supported, Microsoft-created protocol that
people refer to when they are talking about an outdated, unsafe
protocol. (Usually they say NetBIOS but they mean NetBEUI.) It's less
secure within your local area network and it does throw out a fair
amount of (small) packets (but so does NetBIOS) but it cannot pass to
the Internet so it's actually in some ways more secure than firewalls,
etc and TCP/IP. NetBIOS over TCP/IP on the other hand is the current
Microsoft choice and makes some things simpler on your config. It does
make it possible to get to shared folders and printers on your computer
from the Internet though, if you do not have any firewall
software/hardware protection. (A really bad idea on several counts.) I
have actually seen files and folders on other computers across Internet
connections. Those computer users probably had no idea.

Whatever way you choose, you just need to use the same on all computers
that you want to share files and/or printers with.

To enable NetBEUI you have to get a couple driver files off your Windows
XP CD; search the MS KB for NetBEUI and you should be able to find
instructions.

To enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP if it's not working (I assume this is the
case since you're asking for help) go into the properties for your
network adapter, then properties for your TCP/IP, Advanced, WINS tab,
and click the Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP. The default usually works but
if your DHCP server doesn't do it you can explicitly enable it here.
--
Rod C--
http://www.en-consult.ca
http://www.ciay.cayou from enjoying it. <<
The preceding humor inserted by QuipSig
http://www.en-consult.ca/quipsig/