Name Registration

Name registration ensures that the NetBIOS computer name and IP address are unique for each device.

• If WINS is enabled on the client - The name registration request is sent directly to the WINS server to be added to the database. A WINS server accepts or rejects a computer name registration depending on the current contents of its database, as follows:

  • If the database contains a different address for that name, WINS challenges the current entry to determine whether that device still claims the name.

  • If another device is using that name, WINS rejects the new name registration request.

  • Otherwise, WINS accepts the entry and adds it to its local database together with a time stamp, an incremental unique version number, and other information.

• If WINS is not enabled on the client - For a non-WINS computer to register its name, a name registration request packet is broadcast to the local network stating its NetBIOS computer name and IP address. Any device on the network that previously claimed that name challenges the name registration (with a negative name registration response), resulting in an error for the computer attempting to register the duplicate name. If the name registration request remains unchallenged for a specific time period, the requesting computer adopts that name and address.

After a non-WINS computer claims a name, it must challenge duplicate name registration attempts (with a negative name registration response) and respond positively to name queries issued on its registered name (with a positive name query response). The positive name query response contains the IP address of the computer so that the two systems can establish a session.