Windows for Workgroups Protocol Limits

This article was previously published under Q107597

3.10 3.11
WINDOWS
kbnetwork

Windows for Workgroups 3.1 and 3.11 have a limit of four protocols per network card and a maximum of eight protocols that can be installed at any given time.

If you are using NDIS 2.0 drivers and the NetBEUI protocol in Windows for Workgroups 3.11, you can add only two additional protocols. This differs from version 3.1, in which you can load up to four protocols, including NetBEUI. If you are using all NDIS 3.0 drivers in Windows for Workgroups 3.11, you can use four protocols per card.

This limitation exists because the Windows for Workgroups 3.11 NetBEUI protocol requires two bindings to the protocol manager: one binding for real mode (NDISHLP.SYS) and one for protected mode (NETBEUI.386). If the NetBEUI protocol is removed, up to four other protocols can be used.