Q97873: LAN Man NetBEUI Cannot Accommodate More than 256 Sessions

Article: Q97873
Product(s): Microsoft LAN Manager
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 30-JUL-2001

SUMMARY
=======

You cannot configure a LAN Manager server running NetBEUI (even with multiple
net cards) to overcome the 256-session limit.

MORE INFORMATION
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LAN Manager NetBEUI cannot accommodate more than 256 sessions. That is an
absolute limit. NetBEUI can distribute up to 256 sessions across multiple
network adapters, but the total on the network still cannot exceed 256.

LAN Manager can deal with more than 256 sessions if you install multiple protocol
drivers, each of which can accommodate up to 256 sessions. This requires
different protocols, however, because NetBEUI will not tolerate multiple
instances of itself loaded on the same station.


If a station is configured with two (or more) net cards, each card must be
attached to a physically separate network. If there is a path for NetBEUI
packets between Adapter A and Adapter B, you will receive "Error 52: Duplicate
Name on Network."

So that means you can do this:

                 __________
                |  Server  |
                |__|____|__|

--------------------|    |----------------------

But not this:

                 __________
                |  Server  |
                |__|____|__|

--------------------|----|

Nor this:

                 ___________
                |  Server  |
                |__|____|__|

------|-------------|    |----------------|-----
 /---|--\                            /---|--\ 
 |Bridge|                            |Bridge|
 \---|--/                            \---|--/ 
------|-----------------------------------|-----

Additional query words: 2.00 2.10 2.10a 2.20

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