I haven't been active up until this post, but I have been reading the boards for information for the past few weeks. While reading, I came across a post that explained the dos command "net send." After doing some more research, I have found that the net send command should send it to anyone on the web, but for me, this does not happen. I have gotten a friends IP address, and I tried sending him a message and got the following error "the message alias could not be found on the network." I have read some more posts, but no one has answered this question yet. If anyone knows what is wrong, or possible causes for this let me know.

Update: Bah found the answer, I truly am an ubernewb :p , you need to be logged on to messagenger to recieve messages on XP it seems. Now what I need to know, is will this command work if sent to macs? is there a way to send one if not logged on to messanger or to a computer without messanger?

I also have one other question, this one conerning IP-Tools. I downloaded the program, but for some reason I can't use the NetBIOS command. No matter what address I type in, it comes back saying "cb_lana_num field invalid." Again, any information is appreciated.

In the netbios lookup you supply 2 things. You supply first, the name or IP for a computer. The name could be a domain name or the name of the computer on your local network. The other thing you supply is a range of Interface numbers that you are to query. The reason is cause the remote computer may have more than one ethernet card, or may have both a network card and a dialup connection. Interface 0 will most probably return, and Interfacee will usually result in a "ncb_lana_num field invalid" which means that Interface doesn't exist - they DON'T have a second ethernet card or additional adapter in use for dialup etc...

Try entering the name or IP of another computer on your network - or enter in the name of your own computer. You'll definately get a response. As for entering remote people's IP's... here's some possible reasons you don't get a response (command timed out):

They are behind a router
They are using a software firewall
They don't have "Client for Microsoft Networks" installed
They aren't running windows

"Now what I need to know, is will this command work if sent to macs? is there a way to send one if not logged on to messanger or to a computer without messanger?"

There is a software package that will allow mac's to communicate on a Microsoft Network. However I do not know if it comes with Messenger. It probably does. Usually however, it is not installed.

Thanks for all the info gonna try it out later... off to work now.

I tried using the NetBIOS on myself, but I got back the following error "Error: ú( I have gotten this before, but I have never known what it means... anyone know? (For this experiment I had my firewall turned off, and I am not behind a router either.... also I have Client for Microsoft Networks installed and I run XP) "

for linux its samba, not sure about macs though.

you're gonna have to show us HOW you tried querying yourself. However, a garbage response is not good. Could mean corruption someplace, or a bug in the program.

yeh, if you have netbios open you should be able to connect to yourself just fine. I have a home network (all internal ip's are trusted) and you should just be able to open \\[computername]\ and have it drop you to a list of what is shared. If not you'll have to re-install client for microshaft nutworks...

Ok, heres what I did: In IP-Tools I went to NetBIOS, typed in my IP address, and for the network interface range I had it set from 0-3, I still got back "Result : ncb_lana_num field invalid."

The above garbage response was from my own stupidity, I was doing all this without my contacts in this morning, and instead of going to NetBIOS, I went to the NBScanner, and that is what I got the garbage response for (on my own IP address.) Is this normal? Or could this still mean corruption? Anyhow, off to go reinstall the client.

Humor me. Don't type in your IP address. Type in the name of your computer.

I also think you misunderstood what I tried to tell you earlier. You put in 0-3 interfaces?!?! What the hell man. Do you have 4 ethernet cards in your computer? Do you have 4 dialup modems in your computer? If you don't understand what I'm talking about then ask darnit. Keep interfaces at 0 or 0-1. It is rather common for people to have 2 interfaces if they have both a ethernet card and a dialup adapter installed.

Ok, I gotcha, I reinstalled the client, dropped the interface down to 0-1 (and yes, I now understand what you said, thanks) and it works now. I am actually getting back results. Out of curiousity though, what do you guys usually set the timeout to?

Thanks a lot, you guys have explained a lot of information to me that before I was a little confused on. Well, off to try and learn some more

Sorry stupid question.......but what is NetBIOS??

It's a protocol suite that is used in microsoft networks. In other words how the computers communicate with each other so that you can share printers and files between computers among other things.

Thanx