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Is NetBEUI or TCP/IP more efficient in a LAN?

Which protocol is more efficient (or useful) in a LAN -- NetBEUI or TCP/IP? How can we make a comparison between them?
NetBEUI was the default protocol under Windows NT 4.0, but has since been largely supplanted by TCP/IP. NetBEUI is broadcast-based and will not route beyond a single subnet, which limits its usability to small LAN configurations. TCP/IP is routable and extensible, and is the protocol of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Most recent operating systems have largely automated the configuration of TCP/IP in a SOHO (small office/home office) environment, which largely negates any practical reason to opt for NetBEUI.

This was first published in January 2003

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