LPIC-2 File Sharing and Samba Practice Question
A Linux server provides file sharing to Windows clients via Samba. The administrator notices that Windows clients are unable to resolve the NetBIOS name of the server. Which two services are essential for NetBIOS name resolution? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse smbd (the file sharing daemon) with nmbd (the name resolution daemon), assuming smbd alone is sufficient for NetBIOS name resolution, or they incorrectly think DNS or DHCP are involved in NetBIOS name resolution.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
nmbd
NetBIOS name resolution is handled by the nmbd daemon, which listens for and responds to NetBIOS name queries on UDP ports 137 and 138. Without nmbd, Windows clients cannot resolve the server's NetBIOS name. The smbd daemon provides file sharing services but does not participate in NetBIOS name resolution.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
DNS
Why it's wrong here
DNS is used for hostname resolution on IP networks, not for NetBIOS name resolution. NetBIOS uses a separate naming service.
- ✓
nmbd
Why this is correct
nmbd is the NetBIOS name server daemon in Samba, essential for resolving NetBIOS names to IP addresses.
- ✗
DHCP
Why it's wrong here
DHCP assigns IP addresses but does not handle NetBIOS name resolution.
- ✗
winbindd
Why it's wrong here
winbindd is used for integrating with Windows domain authentication, not for NetBIOS name resolution.
- ✗
smbd
Why it's wrong here
smbd provides SMB file sharing services but does not handle NetBIOS name resolution; that is the role of nmbd.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This LPIC-2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LPIC-2 exam.