Windows Internet Name Service

How WINS Clients Renew Their Names

WINS clients must renew their name registrations before the renewal interval expires. The renewal interval determines how long the server stores the name registration as an active record in the WINS database.

When a WINS client renews its name registration, it sends a name refresh request to the WINS server. The name refresh request includes the IP address and the NetBIOS name that the client seeks to refresh. The WINS server responds to the name refresh request with a name refresh response that includes a new renewal interval for the name.

When a WINS client refreshes its name, it performs the following steps:

When a client has consumed 1/2 of its renewal interval, it sends a name refresh request to the primary WINS server.
If its name is not refreshed by the primary WINS server, the WINS client tries to refresh again in 10 minutes and continues to try the primary WINS server repeatedly every 10 minutes for a total of 1 hour.
The WINS client, after trying to refresh its name registration with the primary WINS server for one hour, stops trying and attempts to refresh its name with the secondary WINS server.
If it is not refreshed by the secondary WINS server, the WINS client tries to refresh its name again using the secondary WINS server in 10 minutes and continues to try every 10 minutes for a total of 1 hour.
The WINS client after trying to refresh on the secondary WINS server for one hour, stops trying and tries to refresh using the primary WINS server.
This process of trying the primary WINS server and then the secondary WINS server continues until the renewal interval is consumed or the WINS client has its name refreshed.
If the WINS client succeeds in refreshing its name, the renewal interval is reset on the WINS server.
If the WINS client fails to register during the renewal interval on either the primary or secondary WINS server the name is released.