Microsoft NetBEUI Protocol

Windows 98 provides the NetBIOS extended user interface (NetBEUI) protocol for compatibility with existing networks that use NetBEUI. Because NetBEUI is nonroutable and was designed for smaller LANs, you should use the TCP/IP or IPX/SPX-compatible protocol for enterprise-wide networks that require a routable protocol.

NetBEUI in Windows 98 provides two types of traffic:

1. Unreliable connectionless traffic, in which the sender sends packets to the receiver without setting up a connection and with no guarantee that the packets will arrive. NetBEUI connectionless traffic are used for name resolution, datagrams, and miscellaneous traffic.
2. Reliable connection-oriented traffic, in which the sender and receiver establish a reliable connection before sending data. NetBEUI connection oriented traffic is used for commands such as net use, net view, and net start.

NetBEUI in Windows 98 supports a NetBIOS programming interface that conforms to the IBM NetBEUI specifications and includes several performance enhancements. The NetBEUI module, Netbeui.vxd, is accessible through the NetBIOS interface.

If Windows 98 Setup detects NetBEUI during installation, it installs support for Microsoft NetBEUI automatically. If you are upgrading from a computer that did not have NetBEUI, Windows 98 does not automatically install it; however, you can add it at any time.

To install NetBEUI

1. In Control Panel, double-click Network.
2. On the Configuration tab, click Add.
3. In the Select Network Component Type dialog box, click Protocol, and then click the Add button.
4. In Manufacturers, click Microsoft, and then in Network Protocols, click NetBEUI, and then click OK.
5. Click OK. Setup copies files from your original installation media and prompts you to restart your computer.

The Advanced properties for NetBEUI affect only real-mode NetBEUI. These values are set dynamically for protected-mode NetBEUI.

To configure real-mode NetBEUI manually

1. In Control Panel, double-click Network.
2. On the Configuration tab, double-click the instance of NetBEUI that is bound to your network adapter.

   Note

   If your computer has multiple network adapters, an instance of NetBEUI appears for each network adapter. You must configure each adapter with its own settings.

   The Bindings tab shows which clients and services are currently using the NetBEUI protocol. For information about configuring bindings, see "Configuring Network Adapters" later in this chapter.

3. Click the Advanced tab to modify settings for Maximum Sessions and NCBs for the real-mode NetBEUI. The following list outlines the options in NetBEUI advanced configuration.

4. Click OK. Then shut down and restart the computer.