The NetBEUI protocol was one of the earliest protocols available for use on networks composed of personal computers. In 1985, IBM introduced NetBEUI to provide a protocol that could be used with software programs designed around the Network Basic Input/Output System (NetBIOS) interface.
NetBEUI was designed as a small, efficient protocol for use in department-sized local area networks (LANs) of 20 to 200 computers that do not need to be routed to other subnets. Today, NetBEUI is used almost exclusively on small, non-routed networks composed of computers running under a variety of operating systems that can include Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5 and later, Windows NT Workstation version 3.5 and later, Microsoft LAN Manager, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 3.1, Windows NT version 3.1, and LAN Manager for UNIX as well as IBM PCLAN and LAN Server.
Windows NT-based NetBEUI, also referred to as NBF because it uses NetBEUI Frame (NBF), implements the IBM NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI) 3.0 specification. This protocol provides compatibility with existing LANs that use the NetBEUI protocol and is compatible with the NetBEUI protocol driver shipped with past Microsoft networking products.
This chapter describes Windows NT-based NetBEUI and how it interfaces with the architecture of Windows NT Server and Windows NT Workstation to support connection-oriented and connectionless data transfer and to support a virtually infinite number of network sessions (logical connections between networked computers).
The information presented in this chapter is intended for the network administrator and support personnel who need to understand NetBEUI and to manage computers that connect to the network by using the NetBEUI protocol. You should be familiar with the architecture of Windows NT Server and Windows NT Workstation to understand the information discussed in this chapter. For information about the architecture of Windows NT Server, refer to Chapter 1,"Windows NT Networking Architecture" in this book. For information about the architecture of Windows NT Workstation, refer to the Windows NT Workstation Resource Guide.