DOCUMENT:Q103470 27-AUG-1993 [W_NT] TITLE :NetBIOS Name Conflicts When NetBEUI Used on Multiple NICs PRODUCT :Windows NT PROD/VER:3.10 OPER/SYS:WINDOWS KEYWORDS: -------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1 - Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1 -------------------------------------------------------------- You can configure multiple network interface cards (NICs, also called network adapters) in a PC for use on the same network segment, but no two NICs in the PC can use the same protocol. Installing NetBEUI violates this restriction because NetBEUI binds to all available adapters in the machine regardless of whether they are on the same physical network segment. If a PC containing two or more NICs uses the same protocol on more than one NIC in a given network segment, the system sees duplicate machine names due to the resulting NetBIOS name conflict, generates an error, and fails to start system services correctly. This problem does not affect routable protocols (TCP/IP, AppleTalk and NWLink) because when you install or reconfigure them you have to choose an NIC in Control Panel's Network configuration window, and this automatically disables the protocol's bindings to other adapters. When installing TCP/IP, for instance, you are forced to provide unique IP addresses to each system NIC, then choose one NIC as the "Windows Networking Adapter" in the "Windows Networking on TCP/IP (NetBIOS)" box of the TCP/IP Configuration window. You can manually configure multiple NICs in a PC by disabling NetBEUI bindings to network adapters other than the one you want to use for the NetBEUI protocol. Disable the following bindings: - Server to NetBEUI protocol to to - Workstation to NetBEUI protocol to to - NetBEUI protocol to to - NetBIOS Interface to NetBEUI protocol to to When you have disabled all of these bindings, network operations can proceed. Additional reference words: 3.10 network tshoot KBCategory: KBSubCategory: prot ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.