Windows 7 / Networking

Joining a Domain

When Windows 7 is first installed, it is a member of a workgroup by default. Workgroups are used in small offices, home offices, and home networks to allow users to share resources among themselves.

However, networks of more than 10 users implement domains. A domain is easier to manage and provides better security than a workgroup. One important benefit of a domain is that it provides single sign-on capabilities. In a domain, each user has one account that they can use to log on to almost any computer in the domain. In a workgroup, users need a separate account for each computer.

A Windows domain includes at least one server acting as a domain controller and hosting Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). Desktop computers (such as Windows 7 computers) are then joined to the domain so that users can access the domain resources.

AD DS includes objects such as users, computers, and groups. In order for a user to log on to the domain, the user needs a user account. In addition, the user must log on to a computer that is joined to the domain. If the computer isn't a member of the domain, the user won't be able to log on even if the user has a domain account.

It is important to know how to join a computer to a domain. In the following section, you'll have an opportunity to create a virtual test environment that includes a single domain controller hosting a domain. You can then use this to join a Windows 7 computer to the domain.

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In this tutorial:

  1. Managing Windows 7 in a Domain
  2. The Domain
  3. What is Wrong with Workgroups
  4. The Domain Concept
  5. Active Directory
  6. Domain Security
  7. Joining a Domain
  8. Windows 7 Offline Domain Join
  9. Browsing the Domain
  10. Searching the Domain
  11. Custom Searches
  12. Assigning Permissions to Domain Members
  13. The Double-Thick Security Trick
  14. Creating a Test Bed
  15. Creating a Domain
  16. Installing Windows Server 2008 on vPC
  17. Configuring a Windows Server 2008 Server
  18. Promoting a Server to a Domain Controller
  19. Joining Windows 7 to a Domain
  20. Authentication vs Authorization
  21. Authentication
  22. Authorization
  23. Built-in Groups
  24. Organizing Users with Groups
  25. Group Scope and Group Type
  26. Creating Users and Groups in a Domain
  27. Using HomeGroup with a Domain-Based Computer
  28. Identifying and Resolving Logon Issues
  29. Hardware vs. Network
  30. Using Cached Credentials
  31. Password Expiration
  32. Determining Logon Context
  33. Logon Hours Compliance
  34. Restricting Computer Access
  35. Time Synchronization
  36. Understanding User Profiles
  37. Standard Profiles
  38. Roaming Profiles
  39. Implementing Roaming Profiles
  40. Mandatory Profiles
  41. Super-Mandatory User Profiles
  42. Modifying the Default User Profile
  43. Configuring Settings with Scripts
  44. Anti-Malware Software
  45. Microsoft Windows 7 Defender
  46. Third-Party Anti-malware Software