Order of Resolution

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Order of Resolution

As you have just seen, there are six ways that Windows NT can resolve a NetBIOS name to an IP address. As discussed, each way works although some have limitations that make them impractical for a large-scale WAN. Thankfully, this does not matter because the methods of resolution back each other up and enable whichever method that can resolve the name to resolve it.

A problem could arise, though, if you are not careful. For instance, it makes sense for you to first read the HOSTS file, then broadcast the NetBIOS Name Query to the local subnet. Perhaps checking with the DNS server should be next. The point is, that the order in which you use the methods of resolution is more important than the resolution. You are fairly well-assured the name will be resolved (if you spelled it right); however, going through the resolution methods in the wrong order could slow down the process.

Remember that this is the resolution order for NetBIOS names only. Resolving host names uses a different method. Chapter 11, “Host Name Resolution,” discusses that topic. For now, though, bear in mind that this is NetBIOS name resolution, which occurs when you use the NetBIOS interface instead of the Winsock interface. All the standard Microsoft products—Windows NT Explorer, User Manager, net.exe—use this method of resolution.

The NetBIOS node type sets the order of resolution. This can be set either by editing the registry, or by using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, if you are using DHCP to allocate IP addresses and services. You should note that the default is b-node (Broadcast)—unless a WINS server address is entered—in which case, it defaults to h-node (Hybrid). The node types that can be set are as follows:

b-node (broadcast node)
p-node (peer-to-peer node)—Uses an NBNS
m-node (mixed node)—First tries b-node, then p-node
-node (hybrid node)—First tries p-node, then b-node

Microsoft’s version of b-node is an enhanced form of the b-node standard. Because Microsoft already had an LMHOSTS file that had been used successfully with LAN Manager, Microsoft included searching this file in the b-node form of resolution.

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