Should the NetbiosSmb work without a domain controller?

After following this advise I can see that all 135, 137~139 ports are closed now.
Only 445th is LISTENING.

I can ping a host either by it's hostname or by it's IP, but I can access it's shares only if I use it's IP like this:
\\192.168.1.2\Documents

The attempt to reach the
\\workplace2\Documents
always fails.

Does this name resolution depend on a domain controller?

I have tried to change the HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetBT\Parameters "NameServerPort" key from it's default "137" value to the "445" but no avail.
My network sniffer does not see even an attempt to try resolving a hostname - not a single packet appears, neither DNS, nor a broadcast...
If I use the IP-address - I can see the whole SMB session going on.

 

NetBIOS does not require a server. It will quite happily work on a peer to peer network. IT works via broadcast. However, if you disable NetBIOS broadcasts as you have NetBIOS name resolution will not work!

The main point is that there are two network naming systems on Windows networks: DNS and NetBIOS. NetBIOS names are single names such as COMPUTER1 or JOHNSPC. DNS names include the domain name, and is of a hierarchical form.

So workplace2 is a NetBIOS name and will not resolve.

The DNS name would be something like workplace2.domainname.local. So if DNS is working this should work:

\\workplace2.domainname.local\Documents

If you need \\workplace2\Documents to work, you need to enable NetBIOS.

How many PC do you have? If it is less that 50, NetBIOS broadcasts shouldn't be a problem.

 

I'm able to ping workplace2, ping workplace2.domainname.local normally.

This does not work either...

Some more info:

Code:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\>net config server
Server Name                           \\WORKPLACE2
Server Comment                        customer

Software version                      Windows 2002
Server is active on
        NetbiosSmb (000000000000)


Server hidden                         No
Maximum Logged On Users               10
Maximum open files per session        16384

Idle session time (min)               15
The command completed successfully.


C:\>net config redirector
Computer name                        \\WORKPLACE2
Full Computer name                   workplace2
User name                            Anthony

Workstation active on
        NetbiosSmb (000000000000)

Software version                     Windows 2002

Workstation domain                   WORKGROUP
Workstation Domain DNS Name          (null)
Logon domain                         WORKPLACE2

COM Open Timeout (sec)               0
COM Send Count (byte)                16
COM Send Timeout (msec)              250
The command completed successfully.


C:\>

I suspect that the Workstation Domain DNS Name (null) is the culprit...
I'm sure that the ICMP is allowed on the LAN connection.
But still - my sniffer sees no ICMP packets either (when I try to reach the workplace2's shares or discover it via the "Search for computer" tool.)!

 

Any ideas?