How to Troubleshoot Network Connections with Nbtstat Command
Windows peer-to-peer networks use the NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System) applications programming interface for File and Printer Sharing. NetBIOS names identify computers on the network. NetBIOS broadcasts locate computers and shared disks and folders on the network and allow them to appear in My Network Places and Network Neighborhood.
Nbtstat.exe is a Windows command-line program that displays information about the NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT) connections that Windows uses when communicating with other computers running Windows on a TCP/IP network. Nbtstat.exe utility displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP), which allow the user to troubleshoot NetBIOS name resolution issues. The syntax for Nbtstat.exe is as follows.
nbtstat [-a name] [-A ipaddress] [-c] [-n] [-r] [-R] [-s] [-S] [-RR]
-a name Displays the NetBIOS names registered on the computer identified by the name variable
-A ipaddress Displays the NetBIOS names registered on the computer identified by the ipaddress variable
-c Displays the contents of the local computer’s NetBIOS name cache
-n Displays the NetBIOS names registered on the local computer
-r Displays the number of NetBIOS names registered and resolved by the local computer, using both broadcasts and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS)
-R Purges the local computer’s NetBIOS name cache of all entries and reloads the Lmhosts file
-s Displays a list of the computer’s currently active NetBIOS settings (identifying remote computers by name), their current status, and the amount of data transmitted to and received from each system
-S Displays a list of the computer’s currently active NetBIOS settings (identifying remote computers by IP address), their current status, and the amount of data transmitted to and received from each system
-RR Sends name release requests to WINS, then starts refresh
/? Displays help at the command prompt.
To display the NetBIOS name table of the remote computer with the NetBIOS computer name of Casper, type:
To display the NetBIOS name table of the remote computer assigned the IP address of 10.0.0.99, type:
To display the NetBIOS name table of the local computer, type:
To display the contents of the local computer NetBIOS name cache, type:
To purge the NetBIOS name cache and reload the #PRE-tagged entries in the local Lmhosts file, type:
To release the NetBIOS names registered with the WINS server and re-register them, type:
To display NetBIOS session statistics by IP address every five seconds, type:
Nbtstat.exe is a Windows command-line program that displays information about the NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT) connections that Windows uses when communicating with other computers running Windows on a TCP/IP network. Nbtstat.exe utility displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP), which allow the user to troubleshoot NetBIOS name resolution issues. The syntax for Nbtstat.exe is as follows.
nbtstat [-a name] [-A ipaddress] [-c] [-n] [-r] [-R] [-s] [-S] [-RR]
-a name Displays the NetBIOS names registered on the computer identified by the name variable
-A ipaddress Displays the NetBIOS names registered on the computer identified by the ipaddress variable
-c Displays the contents of the local computer’s NetBIOS name cache
-n Displays the NetBIOS names registered on the local computer
-r Displays the number of NetBIOS names registered and resolved by the local computer, using both broadcasts and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS)
-R Purges the local computer’s NetBIOS name cache of all entries and reloads the Lmhosts file
-s Displays a list of the computer’s currently active NetBIOS settings (identifying remote computers by name), their current status, and the amount of data transmitted to and received from each system
-S Displays a list of the computer’s currently active NetBIOS settings (identifying remote computers by IP address), their current status, and the amount of data transmitted to and received from each system
-RR Sends name release requests to WINS, then starts refresh
/? Displays help at the command prompt.
To display the NetBIOS name table of the remote computer with the NetBIOS computer name of Casper, type:
Code:
nbtstat -a Casper To display the NetBIOS name table of the remote computer assigned the IP address of 10.0.0.99, type:
Code:
nbtstat -A 10.0.0.99 To display the NetBIOS name table of the local computer, type:
Code:
nbtstat -n To display the contents of the local computer NetBIOS name cache, type:
Code:
nbtstat -c To purge the NetBIOS name cache and reload the #PRE-tagged entries in the local Lmhosts file, type:
Code:
nbtstat -RTo release the NetBIOS names registered with the WINS server and re-register them, type:
Code:
nbtstat -RR To display NetBIOS session statistics by IP address every five seconds, type:
Code:
nbtstat -S 5