Knowledge Base |

# Do Not Use MAC Address as NetBIOS Name with RAS

Article ID: 112548

Article Last Modified on 10/31/2006

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 Q112548

## SUMMARY

Do not use your physical node address as a NetBIOS name with Remote Access Service (RAS). Use the workstation name instead.

## MORE INFORMATION

The Remote Access server is a NetBIOS-level gateway. It maintains two or more NetBIOS stacks (network transport protocols). It communicates with the Remote Access client through an asynchronous stack over the telephone line and it communicates with Local Area Network (LAN) servers through the other NetBIOS stacks. To connect the remote client with the LAN, the RAS server acts as the remote client to the LAN and acts as a LAN server to the remote client.
To do this, the RAS server must replicate (that is, add) the NetBIOS names used by the remote client to its LAN stack(s) and add the NetBIOS names used by a LAN server to its asynchronous stack.
If either the remote client or the LAN server has a NetBIOS application that uses its physical node address as its NetBIOS name, the RAS server cannot add that NetBIOS name to the other stack because the NetBIOS add name query (command) returns with a duplicate name on the network and does not allow it.
Use the workstation name instead.

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords: kbnetwork KB112548