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# Applications Use the MUP or the WNet API for Network Access

Article ID: 103925

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

APPLIES TO

- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1

This article was previously published under Q103925

## SUMMARY

A Multiple UNC (uniform naming convention) Provider (MUP) is a network resource locator that runs in kernel-mode memory in Windows NT. The types of resources it locates are based on UNC. Applications use either UNC names or the WNet API to access resources on the network.
UNC names are a method of identifying share names on a network. A typical UNC name begins with two backslashes followed by a server name:

       \\server\share\subdirectory\filename

WNet is a part of the Win32 API set that allows applications running on Windows NT workstations to connect to multiple networks, browse resources, and transfer data between computers on other networks. File Manager is an example of how the WNet functionality is implemented to provide network browsing and connections to other computers.
The MUP is a program unlike TDI and NDIS boundary layers. The MUP receives commands containing UNC names from applications and sends the name to each registered UNC provider, LAN Manager workstation, and any others that are installed. When a provider identifies a UNC name as it's own, the MUP automatically redirects future instances of that name to that provider.
Registry information about the MUP is in the following path:

       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Mup

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords: kbnetwork KB103925