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4/8/2010

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is used for NetBIOS name resolution through unicast to a NetBIOS name server or subnet broadcasts, and for Domain Name System (DNS) host name to IPv4 address resolution. NetBIOS name resolution is accomplished over UDP port 137. DNS queries use UDP port 53. Because UDP itself does not guarantee delivery of datagrams, both of these services use their own retransmission schemes if they receive no answer to queries. Broadcast UDP datagrams are not usually forwarded over IP routers, so NetBIOS name resolution in a routed environment requires a name server of some type, or the use of static database files.

For information about host name resolution for IPv6, see Host Name Resolution for Dual Stack (IPv4/IPv6).

See Also