Editing Windows Internet Name Service (section)

{{short description|Microsoft's implementation of NetBIOS Name Service}}
{{Distinguish|text = WINS, a software [[solution stack]]}}

'''Windows Internet Name Service''' ('''WINS''') is a Microsoft [[name resolution (computer systems)|name resolution]] service, introduced in 1994 with [[Windows NT 3.5]], for translating [[NetBIOS]] names to [[IP address]]es. NetBIOS names are an older naming convention used for local name resolution before [[Domain Name System|DNS]] became ubiquitous. WINS is mostly unnecessary for modern networks unless legacy systems require it. The rise of DNS, especially through Microsoft's [[Active Directory]] service's DNS support, made WINS effectively obsolete by the mid-2000s. Microsoft documentation advises not to use WINS on networks not requiring it.<ref>[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/networking/technologies/wins/wins-top Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) | Microsoft Docs]</ref>