nmblookup

Find hosts in the local network with SMB shares

$ nmblookup -S '*'

$ nmblookup --status __SAMBA__

nmblookup [-S] [-R] [-d debuglevel] [-v] [-n netname] [-h] [-W workgroup] [-O output code] [-M master browser] [-T] [-U username%password]

-S
    Perform a NetBIOS name query to get the IP address of a server.

-R
    Use broadcasting rather than contacting the WINS server.

-d debuglevel
    Set the debug level.

-v
    Enable verbose output.

-n netname
    NetBIOS name for the query.

-h
    Display help message.

-W workgroup
    NetBIOS workgroup name.

-O output code
    Set output code.

-M master browser
    Set the master browser.

-T
    Truncate name to 15 characters.

-U username%password
    Use the specified username and password to connect.

<name>
    The NetBIOS name to query.

nmblookup is a command-line tool for querying NetBIOS names, primarily used in Samba environments. It sends NetBIOS name query requests to a specified server or broadcasts on the local network. It is used to resolve NetBIOS names to IP addresses, and can also retrieve the NetBIOS name of an IP address. This tool is essential for troubleshooting NetBIOS name resolution issues and verifying the proper configuration of Samba or Windows networking.

nmblookup relies on NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NBT) which is an older protocol and may not be enabled in modern networks. It may not work reliably in environments where NetBIOS is disabled or filtered.

Lookup the IP address of a NetBIOS name:
nmblookup MYSERVER

Lookup the NetBIOS name of an IP Address:
nmblookup -A 192.168.1.100

nmblookup has been a part of the Samba suite since its early development. It was created to provide a utility for querying NetBIOS names, mirroring functionality found in Windows operating systems. Over time, it has remained an essential tool for administrators managing Samba-based networks and interacting with Windows file sharing.

smbclient(1), nbtstat(1)