WAC104 Access Point - how to change Netbios group

Question

I have a WAC104 Wireless Access point. Firmware 1.0.4.21. Is there a way to change the Netbios group? It shows up as "Workgroup" by default and I'd like to change it to the name I use on my network. I don't see anywhere in the interface to change it.

schumaku · Answer

The claim this is supposed to be a NetBIOS name is at least misleading, but more likely simply wrong.
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None of the WAC5xx or WAX6xx does neither broadcast an NDNS registration on changing the name nor are there the mandatory NDNS refresh cycles broadcasted. Examples attached.
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Leaving alone that the modern Windows does no longer have the legacy Computer Browser Service enabled, even if the CIFS and SMB 1.0 "feature" is enabled...
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MikeD1234 · Answer

Hi&nbsp;RAlfes62,
This option is not present on the WAC104.
You could request a feature, in the feature requests:&nbsp;https://community.netgear.com/t5/Idea-Exchange-For-Business/idb-p/idea-exchange-for-business
Or, speak to support, and have them raise a feature request for this.
The higher end APs, do have the option to have the&nbsp;Netbios&nbsp;name configured.
Mike

schumaku · Answer

Five-by-one.&nbsp;
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MikeD1234&nbsp;wrote:
The higher end APs, do have the option to have the&nbsp;Netbios&nbsp;name configured.

No way my friend. Even if trying hard, I can't see any NetBIOS host announcements from any Netgear WAC5xx, WAX2xx, or WAX6xx. Nothing to reconfigure as not NetBIOS host announcements.&nbsp; Wild guess, you talk about the SSDP&nbsp;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Service_Discovery_Protocol&nbsp;- which does not have any workgroup reference.
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Needless to say, what the historic NetBIOS does show, is purely informative or organizational. It has no security relevance. Obsolete to think about a feature change IMHO.&nbsp;
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Have located a WAC104 on an auction platform, ... when I make the highest bid (not willing to spend a lot of money on such old ***), I should have one at hand by tomorrow afternoon.
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MikeD1234 · Answer

schumaku,
The WAXx00 series, support&nbsp;NetBIOS name:

So, in the WAX units, we can change this:

Furthermore, there is an option to enable/disable LLDP, that transmits some additional information, for switches to show. Which also uses the system name etc.
Mike

MikeD1234 · Answer

Yes, I should have tested it. Just did it now 😁.
Just tested requesting netBIOS details from my WAX630 and several other WAX APs:

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WiFi:
Node IpAddress: [10.250.0.125] Scope Id: []

Host not found.
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However, if I request this from my NAS, I do get a response:
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WiFi:
Node IpAddress: [10.250.0.125] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Remote Machine Name Table

Name               Type         Status
    ---------------------------------------------
    STORAGE2       &lt;00&gt;  UNIQUE      Registered
    STORAGE2       &lt;03&gt;  UNIQUE      Registered
    STORAGE2       &lt;20&gt;  UNIQUE      Registered
    WORKGROUP      &lt;00&gt;  GROUP       Registered
    WORKGROUP      &lt;1E&gt;  GROUP       Registered
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I just further checked it, and it seems that it's SSDP (Simple Service Discovery Protocol) that displays the name, and transmits it across, together with LLDP when it's requested by a neighboring device (i.e., switch that powers it).
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Blurred out some details here 😊.

RAlfes62&nbsp;maybe this will help you, if you do decide to change it to a higher-end AP, that allows you to view it on the network itself.
I will discuss this with the engineering team, why it's named netBIOS, and/or, if there is confusion here, why the reference is done as it is done.
Mike

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WAC104 Access Point - how to change Netbios group

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