Using HomeGroup with a Domain-Based Computer

A computer that is joined to an Active Directory domain (typically, a business network based on Windows Server) can join a homegroup, making it easy and productive to bring home a work computer and have access to home resources such as media, documents, and printers. It's also secure, due to differences in the way HomeGroup works on a domainjoined computer.

The principal difference is that a domain-joined computer can see and use all shared resources in the homegroup, but other homegroup members cannot see anything on the domain-joined computer. (This is done to protect your business documents and files from inadvertent access by others in your home.) When you create or join a homegroup using a domain member computer, the dialog box does not include any of the sharing options (Pictures, Music, Videos, and so on) that appear for other homegroup users.

Some corporate administrators might not relish the idea of you listening to music with Windows Media Player or watching television with Windows Media Center while you're working at home; those taskmasters can use Group Policy to prevent the computer from joining a homegroup.