To Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP Or Not???

[Tim Adams]

Please help me settle a debate me and my co-workers are having once
and for all. I have a Win2k3 server with all XP clients, do I need to
'enable NetBIOS over tcp/ip' or should i leave the default setting of
'Use NetBIOS setting from the DHCP server'?? I once had a MS tech
tell me that I should enable it on a 2k3 server even with all XP/2000
clients.

Thanks in Advance....Tim

 

[Richard G. Harper]

The "Use NetBIOS setting from DHCP Server" option tells the client PC to ask
the DHCP server whether or not NetBIOS should be enabled. Whether or not
this is the correct setting depends on the configuration of your network.

So ... the short answer ... based on what you told us, we have no way of
knowing if this is the right option to select or not.

 

[Steven L Umbach]

By default it is already enabled on all computers including those that use DCHP
unless you specifically disabled it in the scope in advanced/Windows 2000 options. If
you run Ipconfig /all on a W2K computer it will tell you if netbios over tcp/ip is
disabled or if our run nbtstat -n it will show no names registers. If you can see
computers in My Network Places [other than through AD] or use wins then netbios over
tcp/ip is enabled. If for some reason you actually have it disabled and everything
works fine, then by all means leave it as it is. Just keep in mind that disabling
tcp/ip in a domain means no more wins, no more use of My network Places for domain
browsing/locating [other than AD], and no use of any applications that require it as
many legacy applications still may. You can also not set up trusts between forests or
downlevel/NT domains in W2K if it is disabled. It is possible in a pure W2K/W2003/XP
Pro environment to disable it if all applications can use host name resolution and
you publish all of your shares in Active Directory and users locate shares through
AD. -- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313314
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;299977

 

[Tim Adams]

Thanks so much for your answers...Very Informative!