Messenger Service of Windows

Using the Messenger Service in Windows gives you varying results that depend on the command options or interface you use to send messages. The method you use determines whether the message is a local Broadcast or a directed datagram, and to which NetBIOS name the message is to be sent.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

NET SEND *

Sends out a broadcast to all registered users of the local domain <00> through each protocol on the sending computer. For example, a computer that runs Windows with NWLINK, TCP/IP, and NetBEUI would send three broadcast messages to domain <00>. A user in the domain that runs all three protocols would receive three messages.

NET SEND /DOMAIN:NAME

Sends out a broadcast to the specified domain name <00> through each protocol on the sending computer. This functions the same as the NET SEND *, with the exception that you can choose a specific domain, instead of using your current logon domain.

NET SEND NAME

Sends a directed message to the <03> NetBIOS entry for the user specified. The user receives only one message, and the normal methods for detecting NetBIOS names is used.

For additional information, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

NET SEND /USERS

Sends a directed message to the <03> NetBIOS entry for the computer name of each session established with the server. You can view these connections through Server Manager. If a computer has three sessions open under Server Manager, then that computer receives the message three times.

SERVER MANAGER - SEND MESSAGE

Send a directed message to the <03> NetBIOS entry for each computer connected to the server. Unlike the NET SEND /USERS, only one message is sent to each connected computer, even if the computer has multiple sessions with the server.