Automatically Changing the Node Type of a WinNT Wkst

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51 and 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51 and 4.0

SUMMARY

In network installations, where IP addresses are assigned statically (DHCP is not used), it is often desirable to change the NetBIOS name resolution node type of a computer. This is time consuming when large numbers of computers are involved because an administrator must edit the registry of each computer where the node type is to be changed.

This article describes one possible method of automating the change.

MORE INFORMATION

1. Create the following two-line text file and save it in ANSI (Windows) or DOS text format. It will not work if saved as a Unicode file.

   \Registry\Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetBT\Parameters NodeType = REG_DWORD 0x00000004

   NOTE: Use 0x00000008 for hybrid node or h-node

            Use 0x00000004 for mixed node or m-node
            Use 0x00000002 for point-to-point WINS or p-node
            Use 0x00000001 for broadcast node or b-node
   
      For additional information with descriptions of the various settings for
      this key, please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:
   
         ARTICLE-ID: Q160177
         TITLE     : Default Node Type For Microsoft Clients
   
   
         ARTICLE-ID: Q120642
         TITLE     : TCP/IP & NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows NT
   
   

2. Save the file as M-NODE.INI (change the first letter for node types

       other than mixed).
   

3. Copy this file and the file Regini.exe from the Windows NT "Resource Kit" to either a floppy drive or a network share.

4. The following command, executed at a workstation from the path where Regini.exe and M-NODE.INI are stored, will change the node type to mixed. Changing to other node types is done in the same fashion.

         REGINI M-NODE.INI
   

5. This could be automated further by enclosing it in a batch file, or a logon script:

         @ECHO OFF
         REM NODE.BAT
         IF /I "%1" == "h" REGINI H-NODE.INI & GOTO END
         IF /I "%1" == "m" REGINI M-NODE.INI & GOTO END
         IF /I "%1" == "p" REGINI P-NODE.INI & GOTO END
         IF /I "%1" == "b" REGINI B-NODE.INI & GOTO END
         ECHO USAGE: NODE X where X is the desired node type (H, M, P, OR B).
         :END