What Does Network Basic Input Output System (NetBIOS) Mean?

A network basic input output system (NetBIOS) is a system service that acts on the session layer of the OSI model and controls how applications residing in separate hosts/nodes communicate over a local area network. NetBIOS is an application programming interface (API), not a networking protocol as many people falsely believe. Older versions of operating systems ran NetBIOS using IEEE 802.2, but modern implementations run over TCP/IP.

Techopedia Explains Network Basic Input Output System (NetBIOS)

NetBIOS was developed as a software communication API for IBM-compatible PC network LAN technology by Sytek Enterprises in 1983. This version relied on Sytek’s proprietary technology for wired communication. Since this PC network only supported up to 80 computers/hosts at a time, NetBIOS was designed to be inherently limited.