Networking two computers using Netbeui

Factual Questions
1

I have my laptop and home computers networked using a crossover cable (no hub or anything, just the cable). When I set it up I tried to use Netbeui protocol but could not figure it out so I tried TCP/IP and it worked so I let it like that.

I understand TCP/IP is intended for the Internet but for LANs it is not the most efficient. I was told Netbeui is better for this and has the added advantage of further isolating the computer that is not connected to the Net.

So, is Netbeui really better? And what do I need to do to get it to work?

2

Well, NetBEUI is an old protocol and Microsoft no longer supports it (not available w/ WinXP). I’d recommend using NetBIOS.

3

NetBEUI is more efficient on very small networks and easier to configure. However, if you already have TCP/IP set up and working then there is no compelling reason to switch. Any machine that connects to the Internet must have TCP/IP installed, and using more than one protocol increases overhead on your LAN.

You’ll need to give more information if you want help on setting it up. What operating systems are on the machines? What is the network being used for? Are you sharing a dialup Internet connection or just files and printers? What problems did you encounter when you tried it the first time?

NetBEUI is available on XP, but you have to jump through a few hoops to install it.

4

Ok, so the first impression I get is that using TCP/IP is not half as bad as I thought and maybe it is not bad at all. I am using WIN98SE on both computers.

I just use the connection to transfer files, and share resources but not really to share the Internet connection.

So if Netbeui is no longer supported I might as well forget about it. How about Netbios? Would it make sense to try to set that up? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

5

Don’t bother with NetBEUI. I doubt there will be any significant performance benefit in using it rather than TCP/IP, which is better supported by software.

NetBIOS isn’t really an alternative to either of those protocols but something you use in addition to them (NetBEUI actually stands for “NetBIOS Extended User Interface”, by the way). If you have a small Windows-based LAN you are probably already using NetBIOS, it’s used for file and printer sharing among other things.