Netbeui Protocol

[Manric Hock]

NetBIOSFrames (NBF) is a non-routable network- and transport-level data protocol most commonly used as one of the layers of Microsoft Windows networking in the 1990s. NBF or NetBIOS over IEEE 802.2 LLC is used by a number of network operating systems released in the 1990s, such as LAN Manager, LAN Server, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95 and Windows NT. Other protocols, such as NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP), and NBX (NetBIOS-over-IPX/SPX) also implement the NetBIOS/NetBEUI services over other protocol suites.

The NBF protocol is broadly, but incorrectly, referred to as NetBEUI. This originates from the confusion with NetBIOS Extended User Interface, an extension to the NetBIOS API that was originally developed in conjunction with the NBF protocol; both the protocol and the NetBEUI emulator were originally developed to allow NetBIOS programs to run over IBM's new Token Ring network.[1] Microsoft caused this confusion by labelling its NBF protocol implementation NetBEUI. NBF is a protocol and the original NetBEUI was a NetBIOS application programming interface extension.[citation needed]

NBF protocol uses 802.2 type 1 mode to provide the NetBIOS/NetBEUI name service and datagram service, and 802.2 type 2 mode to provide the NetBIOS/NetBEUI session service (virtual circuit). NBF protocol makes wide use of broadcast messages, which accounts for its reputation as a chatty interface. While the protocol consumes few network resources in a very small network, broadcasts begin to adversely impact performance and speed when the number of hosts present in a network grows.

Sytek developed NetBIOS for IBM for the PC-Network program and was used by Microsoft for MS-NET in 1985. In 1987, Microsoft and Novell utilized it for their network operating systems LAN Manager and NetWare.

Because NBF protocol is unroutable it can only be used to communicate with devices in the same broadcast domain, but being bridgeable it can also be used to communicate with network segments connected to each other via bridges. The lack of support for routable networks means that NBF is only well-suited for small to medium-sized networks, where it has such an advantage over TCP/IP that requires little configuration. The NetBIOS/NetBEUI services must be implemented atop other protocols, such as IPX and TCP/IP (see above) in order to be of use in an internetwork.[2]

In order to start sessions or distribute datagrams, an application must register its NetBIOS/NetBEUI name using the name service. To do so, an "Add Name Query" or "Add Group Name Query" packet is broadcast on the network. If the NetBIOS/NetBEUI name is already in use, the name service, running on the host that owns the name, broadcasts a "Node Conflict" message on the network.

In addition, to start a session or to send a datagram to a particular host rather than to broadcast the datagram, NBF protocol has to determine the MAC address of the host with a given NetBIOS/NetBEUI name; this is done by sending a "Name Query" packet, the response to which will have the MAC address of the host sending the response, i.e. the host with that name.

Datagram mode is "connectionless". A datagram is sent with a "Datagram" packet if it is being sent to a particular NetBIOS/NetBEUI name, or a "Datagram Broadcast" packet if it is being sent to all NetBIOS/NetBEUI names on the network.

Sessions are established by exchanging packets. The computer establishing the session sends a "Name Query" request, specifying that a session should be initialized. The computer with which the session is to be established will respond with a "Name Recognized" response indicating either that no session can be established (either because that computer is not listening for sessions being established to that name or because no resources are available to establish a session to that name) or that a session can be established (in which case the response will include a local session number to be used in subsequent packets). The computer that is starting the session will then send a "Session Initialize" request which will prompt a "Session Confirm" response.

Data is transmitted during an established session by data packets. IEEE 802.2 handles flow control and retransmission of data packets. Because NetBIOS/NetBEUI allows packets to be sent that are larger than the largest packet that could be transmitted on a particular MAC layer, a NetBIOS/NetBEUI packet might have to be transmitted as a sequence of "Data First Middle" packets and a "Data Only Last" packet; packets that do not need to be segmented in that fashion will be sent as a single "Data Only Last" packet. An acknowledgment will be sent for all "Data Only Last" packets that are successfully received; this will also acknowledge all preceding "Data First Middle" packets.

Microsoft officially dropped support starting with Windows XP,[4] but it is included on the Windows XP CD-ROM and can be installed manually.[5] Windows Vista does not include NetBEUI (means NBF) support at all, but the Windows XP NetBEUI support drivers can be used.[6]

NetBEUI stands for NetBIOS Extended User Interface, is a networking protocol developed by IBM and Microsoft in 1985 that is used for workgroup-size local area networks (LANs) with up to 200 stations. NetBEUI is an extension of the NetBIOS protocol.

NetBIOS Extended User Interface was the primary protocol for LAN Manager and Windows for Workgroups. It is a fast and efficient protocol with low overhead that supports both connection-oriented communication (such as communication for mapping drives using the Net Use command and starting services remotely using the Net Start command) and connectionless communication (such as communication for sending datagrams, registering NetBIOS names, and performing NetBIOS name resolution).

NetBEUI is also self-tuning and implements flow control and error detection. It defines a framing mechanism at the transport layer and implements the LLC2 protocol of the 7 layers OSI Model for networking.

NetBEUI Frame is an enhanced implementation of the NetBEUI protocol that is available on Microsoft Windows NT operating systems. Some of the enhancements and special features of NetBEUI Frame (NBF) include the following:

NetBEUI relies more heavily on broadcast packets than do the TCP/IP and NWLink IPX/SPX-Compatible Transport protocols; you should, therefore, use it only on smaller networks sized for workgroups. Because NetBIOS Extended User Interface is a single-part naming scheme, it is a nonroutable protocol and is generally unsuitable for wide area networks (WANs).

Printing with NetBEUIInstalling NetBEUI in Windows 2000

Installing NetBEUI in Windows NT 4.0

Installing NetBEUI in Windows NT 3.51

Configuring for NetBEUI using EpsonNet WinAssist

Configuring for NetBEUI using EpsonNet WebAssist

Setting up your printer

Using the NET USE command to set up the printer

To print with NetBEUI from Windows 2000, NetBEUI protocol and Client for Microsoft Networks must be installed; and to print with NetBEUI from Windows NT 4.0/3.51, NetBEUI protocol and Workstation must be installed on your computer.

Installing NetBEUI in Windows NT 3.51Note:Be sure that Workstation is in the Installed Network Software list. Double-click the Network icon in Control Panels to display the Network Settings dialog box. Make sure that the NetBEUI Protocol is in the Installed Network Software list.

Configuring for NetBEUI using EpsonNet WinAssistYou can use the Internal Print Server with the default value for NetBEUI. If you want to change the default value, use EpsonNet WinAssist or WebAssist. The default values for NetBEUI are as follows;

Note:If you have connected more than one printer with the same type of print server to the network, you can distinguish between the printers by the MAC address on the status sheet.If the IP address is set to the default IP address, the printer model may not appear.You can search printers in other segments by setting the Search Options in the Tool menu of EpsonNet WinAssist. See Optional settings for more information. Click the NetBEUI tab, and make the following settings.

NetBIOS name:

NetBIOS name is the computer name on the network. Type the NetBIOS name (up to 15 characters). Be sure to use a name that is unique on the network. The default name is "EPxxxxxx" (xxxxxx are last 6 digits of the serial number).Workgroup name:

Type the workgroup name or domain name (up to 15 characters) used for the Windows network environment.Device name:

Type the device name (up to 12 characters). LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3, or COM cannot be used. After making the settings, click OK. The Password dialog box appears. Type your password (up to 20 characters) and click OK to save settings. If you need to set a password, see About passwords.Follow the on-screen instructions. After updating is complete, refresh the configuration by selecting Refresh from the View menu.Caution:Since it takes 2 or 3 minutes to send new settings to the Internal Print Server, you must wait to turn off your printer after the on-screen message appears.

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NetBEUI:

Select Enable. If Disable is on, all NetBEUI related functions stop.NetBIOS Name:

The NetBIOS name is the computer's name on the network. Type a name (up to 15 characters). Be sure to give a name that is unique on the network. The default name is "EPxxxxxx" (xxxxxx are last 6 digits of the serial number).Workgroup Name:

Type the workgroup name or domain name (up to 15 characters) used for the Windows network environment. Device Name:

Type the device name (up to 12 characters). LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3, or COM cannot be used. Click the SUBMIT button and type the password to update the settings. The same password is required for EpsonNet WinAssist, MacAssist, and WebAssist. See Password for information on setting the password. If the message "Configuration change is complete!" appears on your screen, the update is complete. Do not exit the Web browser and do not send a job to the printer until this message appears. Then, follow the on-screen instruction to reset the printer.

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