How does an internal //[name] domain work?

[justjort]

Hi. 

I bought a new laptop and needed to move a lot of files. So I shared a few folders over my network. I then accessed these by typing in \\[PcName] on my other computer and it got in the files.

We have the same sort of thing on my school, where you can login to the internal network by going to //login on your phone.

 

My question is, how does my computer and phone know where/who //login or //[PcName] is, without my router hosting a dns server?

I currently take computer science as one of my subject and am interested to learn more, but I don't know how to google this

 

Does anyone know roughly how this works and where I can get to know more.

 

Thanks in advance

 

P.S. I know how public DNS servers work, I am just interested in how this works on my small home network

[Bittenfleax]

@justjort Your school could be using Active Directory or something to manage all of the users? Then there is no DNS Server required. Active directory would handles all of the queries for transporting information between users.

 

Also, with home networks I THINK that this could be a viable option for how the home works. 

 

So, because a router stores every devices MAC Address, each PC communicates using MAC Address and the router will translate the MAC Address to name/IP of the other computer. I found this when playing around with Wake On LAN and everything within the network is MAC orientated when it comes to identifying different devices.

[Arty]

@justjort Your school could be using Active Directory or something to manage all of the users? Then there is no DNS Server required. Active directory would handles all of the queries for transporting information between users.

 

Also, with home networks I THINK that this could be a viable option for how the home works. 

 

So, because a router stores every devices MAC Address, each PC communicates using MAC Address and the router will translate the MAC Address to name/IP of the other computer. I found this when playing around with Wake On LAN and everything within the network is MAC orientated when it comes to identifying different devices.

RIP, Active Directory 

[manikyath]

//<computername> is netbios.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBIOS

 

its amazing when it works, its frustrating when it doesnt.

[Bittenfleax]

RIP, Active Directory 

lol, yeah but school budgets 

[Venomz1337]

lol, yeah but school budgets 

 

As far as I know, Routers use mac-addresses to communicate between devices. The second you're connected on the network it will allow you to connect to other devices. As for Active Directory, it's a free tool.

[Mattch23]

lol, yeah but school budgets 

 

Confirming we use ADDS where I work, they've invested quiet a bit into the server stuff to.

[Arty]

lol, yeah but school budgets 

Their is a big ass flaw in it.

which is great for "legal activities"