Solved NetBIOS: when we share printers, files or map drives on a network, do we still use NetBIOS or is it called differently today on modern Windows systems?

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When Wes talks about troubleshooting printers on a network in the A+ series, he mentions NetBIOS as a way to discover printers. I thought this API was now only used on older applications pre-Windows 2000. Which API do we use today inside a Network to share resources on Windows computers?

Hey @Thomas-Pondant great question, yes NetBIOS was an older name resolution protocol. The protocol for connecting to shared resources is SMB or server message block. Under the hood though when you click the plus button to "Add a Printer" this will kick off a couple of underlying protocols:
1- Multicast DNS (for locating services, devices on small local networks without a name server)
2- SSDP or Simple Service Discovery Protocol (advertise and locating services on a local network)

But you are right NetBIOS was for name resolution via broadcast communications on older networks but is still used in Windows today. As for connecting to shared resources that will be SMB.

I hope this helps

I wanted to add a little on the SMB protocol for clarification, while I am not sure that this will help on the exam, it might help for understanding the SMB protocol packet exchange:

Keep in mind that SMB allows you to print to share printers as well

Step 1

• The client and server establish a NetBIOS session. (This is the NetBIOS part see the packet capture below)

Step 2

• The client and server negotiate the Microsoft SMB Protocol dialect.

Step 3

• The client logs on to the server.

Step 4

• The client connects to a share on the server.

Step 5

• The client opens a file on the share.

Step 6

• The client reads from the file.

Here is a Windows 10 Workstation below using NETBIOS: