What Is A Windows Domain

Windows domains are typically used on big networks — corporate networks, school networks, and government networks. They aren't something you lot'll run into at home unless you lot have a laptop provided by your employer or school.

A typical home reckoner is an isolated entity. You control the settings and user accounts on the computer. A reckoner joined to a domain is unlike — these settings are controlled on a domain controller.

What is a Domain?

Windows domains provide network administrators with a way to manage a large number of PCs and control them from one place. One or more servers — known as domain controllers — have control over the domain and the computers on it.

Domains are more often than not made upward of computers on the same local network. However, computers joined to a domain tin proceed communicating with their domain controller over VPN or Net connection. This allows businesses and schools to remotely manage laptops they provide to their employees and students.

When a computer is joined to a domain, it doesn't apply its own local user accounts. User accounts and passwords are managed on the domain controller. When you log into a figurer on that domain, the calculator authenticates your user account name and countersign with the domain controller. This means you tin log in with the same username and password on whatever computer joined to the domain.

Network administrators tin can alter grouping policy settings on the domain controller. Each reckoner on the domain will go these settings from the domain controller and they'll override any local settings users specify on their PCs. All the settings are controlled from a single identify. This also "locks down" the computers. You probably won't be allowed to alter many system settings on a computer joined to a domain.

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In other words, when a reckoner is part of a domain, the arrangement providing that computer is managing and configuring it remotely. They accept control over the PC, not whoever is using it.

Because domains aren't intended for home users, only a calculator running a Professional or Enterprise version of Windows tin can be joined to a domain. Devices running Windows RT also can't join domains.

Is My Reckoner Part of a Domain?

If you take a abode computer, it'south most certainly not part of a domain. Yous could fix up a a domain controller at habitation, but in that location'southward no reason to do this unless y'all really want the experience. If you utilize a computer at work or school, there's a skilful run a risk your computer is part of a domain. If you accept a laptop provided to you lot by your work or schoolhouse, it may as well be office of a domain.

You lot tin can chop-chop check whether your computer is office of a domain or not. Open the Control Panel, click the Arrangement and Security category, and click System. Look under "Computer name, domain and workgroup settings" here. If you see "Domain": followed past the name of a domain, your calculator is joined to a domain.

If you see "Workgroup": followed by the name of a workgroup, your estimator is joined to a workgroup instead of a domain.

Workgroups vs. Domains

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Every Windows computer non joined to a domain is part of a workgroup. A workgroup is a group of computers on the same local network. Unlike on a domain, no figurer on a workgroup has command over any other figurer — they're all joined together equally equals. A workgroup doesn't require a password, either.

Workgroups were previously used for domicile file and printer sharing on previous versions of Windows. You lot can now use a homegroup to easily share files and printers between PCs at abode. Workgroups have now been pushed to the background, so you shouldn't need to worry almost them — just get out the default workgroup proper noun of WORKGROUP and ready homegroup file sharing.

Joining or Leaving a Domain

If your figurer is office of a domain, joining or leaving the domain won't mostly be your job. If your figurer needs to be on a domain, it will already be on a domain when it's handed to you. You'll usually need the domain ambassador'due south permission to leave a domain, so people who sit downwards to use a domain-joined PC can't only get out the domain. All the same, you tin exit a domain if you have local ambassador admission on your PC. You won't have administrator admission if you're using a locked-downwardly PC, of form.

Click the Change Settings link next to "Computer proper noun, domain and workgroup settings" in the Organisation information window to access the System Properties window, which allows you to bring together or go out a domain.

If you lot have an former computer that's joined to a domain and you no longer have access to the domain, you tin can always gain admission to the PC by reinstalling Windows. The domain settings are tied to your installed operating arrangement, and reinstalling Windows will give you a fresh system. You lot shouldn't do this to a piece of work or school PC yous don't own, of course!

Domains limit what you can do on your PC. When your computer is office of a domain, the domain controller is in charge of what you tin can do. This is why they're used on large corporate and educational networks — they provide a way for the establishment that provides the computers to lock them downwardly and centrally administrate them.

That's the cadre concept, although much more tin can be done with domains. For example, group policy can exist used to remotely install software on computers joined to a domain.

Paradigm Credit: Phil Manker on Flickr, Jeffrey Beall on Flickr