Loading...
WINS
WINS (Windows Internet Name Service) is a Microsoft NetBIOS Name Server legacy service used primarily for name resolution on Windows networks. It enables clients to register and resolve NetBIOS names to IP addresses, facilitating easier communication in older Windows domain environments..
Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) is a Microsoft-developed protocol designed for NetBIOS name resolution across IP networks. WINS maps NetBIOS names to dynamic IP addresses, allowing seamless connectivity between devices that rely on NetBIOS. It supports registering client names dynamically, querying name-to-IP mappings, and managing replication between WINS servers to maintain accuracy.
WINS operates over both TCP and UDP on port 42. UDP is commonly used for query and response messages due to its lower overhead, while TCP is leveraged for replication traffic and certain control messages to ensure reliability. The service maintains a database that dynamically updates as clients join or leave the network, helping reduce conflicts and stale records.
With the advent of modern DNS and Active Directory-integrated DNS, the reliance on WINS has diminished sharply. However, in legacy or mixed environments with older Windows systems, WINS might still exist to maintain compatibility with NetBIOS-dependent communications and applications.