Welcome to the Neighborhood!

IBM i NetServer opens the door to file and print serving via My Network Places (formerly known as Windows Network Neighborhood). Here's more on how to get IBM i NetServer working for you and what it means to you from an end user point of view.

IBM i NetServer is integrated in IBM i (formerly System i, i5/OS, OS/400) starting with V4R2. Without any additional client software, PC clients on the network utilize the file and print-sharing functions that are included in their operating systems (e.g. My Network Places) to access IBM i NetServer. You can configure IBM i NetServer properties and the properties of IBM i NetServer file and print shares with Navigator for i.

IBM i NetServer supports the Server Message Block (SMB), Server Message Block version 2 (SMB2) protocols.  It also supports the encryption features of Server Message Block version 3 (SMB3) starting in IBM i 7.4.  Clients access the server through the use of Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) on the IBM i platform. This communication allows clients to access directories in the IBM i Integrated File System and output queues.

IBM i NetServer provides support for the following client operating systems:

• IBM i NetClient File System (QNTC)
• Actively supported Windows versions
• Linux (Samba client support)
• macOS

• Clients

  Supported releases
  No longer supported

  Description of service or feature	V7R5	V7R4	V7R3	V7R2	V7R1	V6R1	V5R4	V5R3	V5R2
  Windows for Workgroups
  Windows 95
  Windows 98									✔
  Windows Me									✔
  Windows NT 3.51
  Windows NT 4.0								✔	✔
  Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition							✔	✔	✔
  Windows 2000 Professional							✔	✔	✔
  Windows XP Professional							✔	✔	✔
  Windows Server 2003							✔	✔	✔Note1
  Windows Vista			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Windows 7		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔Note1	✔Note1
  Windows Server 2008		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔Note1	✔Note1
  Windows 8.1	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Windows 10	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Windows 11	✔	✔	✔
  Windows Server 2012 R2	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Windows Server 2016	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Windows Server 2019	✔	✔	✔
  Linux Samba	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  macOS	✔	✔	✔

• Print serving

  Supported releases
  No longer supported

  Description of service or feature	V7R5	V7R4	V7R3	V7R2	V7R1	V6R1	V5R4	V5R3	V5R2
  User ASCII, AFP, SCS	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Automatic sensing of the print stream for spooled file type	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Stand-alone AFP and SCS printer drivers	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Printer file support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Printer share publishing to Active Directory	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

• File serving

  Supported releases
  No longer supported

  Description of service or feature	V7R5	V7R4	V7R3	V7R2	V7R1	V6R1	V5R4	V5R3	V5R2
  Access mode (read-only/read-write)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Limit to maximum number of simultaneous users	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Large file support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Text converting on the fly	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Complex data conversions	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Opportunistic locks	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  SMB2	✔	✔	✔

• Starting/Jobs

  Supported releases
  No longer supported

  Description of service or feature	V7R5	V7R4	V7R3	V7R2	V7R1	V6R1	V5R4	V5R3	V5R2
  Started with QSERVER subsystem	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Started as a TCP/IP server - automatic	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Multiple subsystems for client work	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Threading support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

• Security

  Supported releases
  No longer supported

  Description of service or feature	V7R5	V7R4	V7R3	V7R2	V7R1	V6R1	V5R4	V5R3	V5R2
  Integration with iSeries user profile	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Hide IBM i NetServer from Network Neighborhood	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Hide print and file shares from Network Neighborhood with '$'	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  NTLMv2 authentication capability	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Supports QPWDLVL (disable LANMAN passwords option)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Kerberos ticket support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Kerberos and encrypted password co-existence	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔note1
  Message authentication/signing support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  SMB2 extended session security	✔	✔	✔
  SMB3 encryption	✔	✔
  AUTL support to limit user access	✔

• NLS

  Supported releases
  No longer supported

  Description of service or feature	V7R5	V7R4	V7R3	V7R2	V7R1	V6R1	V5R4	V5R3	V5R2
  Multiple network client code page support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  SMB NT Dialect (CIFS extensions) support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  UTF-8 support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

• Logon

  Supported releases
  No longer supported

  Description of service or feature	V7R5	V7R4	V7R3	V7R2	V7R1	V6R1	V5R4	V5R3	V5R2
  Provides domain logon services					✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Domain Master Browser support					✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Supports IBM Networks Primary Logon Client v4.4						✔	✔	✔	✔
  Supports IBM Networks Primary Logon Client v4.5						✔	✔	✔	✔

• Other

  Supported releases
  No longer supported

  Description of service or feature	V7R5	V7R4	V7R3	V7R2	V7R1	V6R1	V5R4	V5R3	V5R2
  Network Neighborhood browsing	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Guest access	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  WINS Client/Proxy	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Access allowed using iSeries system name	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Direct TCP/IP hosting on port 445	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Long username truncation/mapping	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  GO NETS command menu tool	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  Informational messaging (WinPopups)				✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
  IPv6 Support	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

•  

IBM i Navigator support maps to the following release:

• V5R3 OS/400 - V5R3M0 iSeries Navigator
• V5R4 i5/OS - V5R4M0 iSeries Navigator
• V6R1 System i - V6R1M0 System i Navigator
• V7R1 IBM i - V7R1M0 IBM i Navigator

Note1: Support announced after release general availability.