Meaning – The term NetBIOS, refers to a standard interface to networks, IBM personal computers (PCs), and compatible PCs, that is used on LANs to provide a message, print-server, and file-server functions. Application programs that use NetBIOS do not need to handle the details of LAN data link control (DLC) protocols. 2. See Basic Input/Output System.
The BIOS provides an interface between the computer’s operating system and the hardware. As the name implies, NetBIOS adds support for networking, including the ability to recognize other devices connected to the network.
The NetBIOS API includes network-related functions and commands, which can be incorporated into software programs.
NetBIOS was introduced in 1983 by IBM as an improvement to the standard BIOS used by Windows-based computers.
Example of usage – “A programmer can use a prewritten NetBIOS function to enable a software program to access other devices on a network. This is much easier than writing the networking code from scratch.”
