Windows NT supports several different name resolution services to locate, communicate with, and connect to resources on the network. For example, a command to connect to an application server by using the server name must be resolved to an IP address in TCP/IP networks before the command can be successfully completed. This is referred to as name resolution.
If WINS servers are available on the network, the LMHOSTS file can be used to support the subnets that do not have a WINS server, and to provide a backup name resolution service in case the WINS server is not available. The LMHOSTS file provides a NetBIOS name resolution method that can be used for small networks that do not use a WINS server.
This chapter provides information about the following topics: