How Do You Know if Your Computer Is on a Domain?

Windows domains are typically used on large networks — corporate networks, school networks, and authorities networks. They aren't something you'll encounter at home unless y'all 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 figurer 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 manner to manage a big number of PCs and control them from one identify. One or more servers — known as domain controllers — take control over the domain and the computers on it.

Domains are generally made up of computers on the same local network. However, computers joined to a domain can continue communicating with their domain controller over VPN or Cyberspace connection. This allows businesses and schools to remotely manage laptops they provide to their employees and students.

When a calculator is joined to a domain, information technology doesn't use its ain local user accounts. User accounts and passwords are managed on the domain controller. When y'all log into a computer on that domain, the computer authenticates your user account name and password with the domain controller. This ways you tin log in with the aforementioned username and password on any figurer joined to the domain.

Network administrators can change group policy settings on the domain controller. Each figurer on the domain will get 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 place. This as well "locks down" the computers. Yous probably won't be immune to change many organisation settings on a computer joined to a domain.

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

Considering domains aren't intended for habitation users, simply a computer running a Professional person or Enterprise version of Windows can be joined to a domain. Devices running Windows RT also can't bring together domains.

Is My Computer Part of a Domain?

If y'all accept a home computer, it's almost certainly not part of a domain. You could gear up a a domain controller at home, but there's no reason to do this unless you really want the experience. If you lot use a calculator at work or school, in that location'due south a good chance your computer is part of a domain. If you have a laptop provided to y'all past your work or school, it may too exist part of a domain.

You can quickly check whether your computer is part of a domain or non. Open up the Command Panel, click the System and Security category, and click System. Look nether "Computer name, domain and workgroup settings" here. If you see "Domain": followed by the name of a domain, your computer is joined to a domain.

If y'all see "Workgroup": followed by the proper noun of a workgroup, your estimator is joined to a workgroup instead of a domain.

Workgroups vs. Domains

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Every Windows computer not joined to a domain is function of a workgroup. A workgroup is a group of computers on the same local network. Dissimilar on a domain, no computer on a workgroup has control over any other computer — they're all joined together every bit equals. A workgroup doesn't require a password, either.

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

Joining or Leaving a Domain

If your computer is function of a domain, joining or leaving the domain won't more often than not be your task. If your computer needs to be on a domain, it will already be on a domain when it's handed to you. Y'all'll usually demand the domain administrator's permission to leave a domain, and so people who sit down down to use a domain-joined PC tin can't simply leave the domain. However, you tin can leave a domain if you lot have local administrator access on your PC. Y'all won't have ambassador access if you're using a locked-down PC, of grade.

Click the Change Settings link next to "Reckoner name, domain and workgroup settings" in the System data window to access the System Properties window, which allows you to join or leave a domain.

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


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

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

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

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Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/194069/what-is-a-windows-domain-and-how-does-it-affect-my-pc/

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