What is the NetBIOS equivalent of an /etc/hosts file for mapping IP addresses to NetBIOS names?

The lmhosts file serves as the NetBIOS equivalent of the /etc/hosts file in that it is used to map IP addresses to NetBIOS names. This file allows for the manual resolution of NetBIOS names to IP addresses, which is similar to how the /etc/hosts file operates for translating hostnames to IP addresses on a Linux or Unix system. It is particularly useful in environments where a WINS server is not available, or for providing static mappings for certain host names.

In contrast, netbios.conf is not a standard file associated with NetBIOS name resolution. While the hosts file is the equivalent for standard IP-to-hostname mapping on Linux, it does not function for NetBIOS names specifically. The netbios.hosts file does not exist as a standard or recognized configuration file for NetBIOS name resolution. Thus, lmhosts is the correct answer as it directly serves the purpose of mapping NetBIOS names to IP addresses.