After you start a Microsoft Windows computer that is connected to a local network, you may see one of the following error messages: "A duplicate name exists on the network" or "A duplicate name exists on the network (system error 52)." These errors prevent a Windows computer from connecting to the network. The device starts up and functions only in an offline (disconnected) mode.
How to Fix the 'Duplicate Name Exists on the Network' Error
Windows clients display "A duplicate name exists on the network" when two devices are detected with the same network name. This error can be triggered in several ways:
The computer reporting these errors is not necessarily one of the devices with the duplicate name. Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 operating systems use NetBIOS and the Windows Internet Naming Service system to maintain a shared database of network names. Any NetBIOS device on the network can report the same errors. Think of it as a neighborhood watch where devices down the street notice a problem. The Windows error messages do not specify exactly which neighboring devices are experiencing the name conflict.
To resolve these errors on a Windows network:
