Workgroup vs Domain

WHAT IS IT?

In a network, you can share folders, drives, printer, external storage devices etc.
There are two types of networks we came make such as:

Peer-to-peer Network
Client-server Network

Here we will see how the Windows Workgroup and Windows Domain.

WORKGROUP

A group of computers that are connected to a network.
Shares resources such as printers and files.
When we set up a network, Windows Automatically creates a workgroup and gives it a name.

All computers are peers.

Router/Switch/Hub

Desktop - 1

Desktop - 2

Desktop - 4

Desktop - 3

Workgroup

No computer has control over another computer.
Each computer has a set of user accounts. To log on to any computer in the workgroup, you must have an account on that computer.
Not more than 20 computers can be connected in a Workgroup.
All computer must be on the same local network.
Name of each computer should be unique.

Add a computer to Workgroup:

Every PC have a default workgroup called WORKGROUP.
We can change the name by following steps.
Goto This PC > Right click > Properties.
Here you can see the Workgroup name.
Click on the change button.
Change the workgroup name, and click OK.
PC needs to restart to make an effect.

Enter the workgroup name

Name should be unique in a workgroup

You can set the same workgroup in another PC to make them a single workgroup.

WINDOWS DOMAIN

It allows the administrator to manage large computer networks.
Generally contains a large number of computers on the same network.
We need only one Domain Controller to build a Windows Domain.
Mostly domain can contain several servers and computers.
The servers are used by administrators of the network to control the other computers.
You can login to any computer in a domain if you just have a user account on the domain.
There is no need to have a user account on each computer to log in.

Server

Centralized Domain

Windows Domain Controller (DC):

A domain controller is any server that has Active Directory Domain Services role installed.
Handles authentication requests across the domain.
There is only one primary Domain Controller.
Uses Directory Services called "Active Directory Users and Computers"
It contains Active Directory & Group Policy.

Domain Controller contains 2 tools.

Active Directory

Manage AD objects: users, computer, printers, files shares, groups and more.

Stores the AD objects in a folder called Organizational Units.

Group Policy Management

GPO object to manage the settings of valid ad objects you.

It allows an administrator to manage all the domain users & domain computers remotely.

Create a Domain Controller:

To create a domain controller, open a Server Manager in a server computer in your local network.
And we need to add a role to serve called "Active Directory".
So here are the following steps to set up a Domain controller.
Open Server Manager.

Open Server Manager

Click on Add roles and features.

Click Next.
Select Role-based or feature-based installation.
Click next.

Select the Active Directory Directory Services role.

Accept the default features required by clicking the Add Features button.
Click next.

Follow the step and click next and install.

Once completed, a notification is made highlighted on the dashboard.
Click on that notification icon.
Select Promote this server to a domain controller.

Select add a new forest.
Set a name as "sps.local" > Next.

Set a name

Set a password.
Click on Next.

Set password

Follow the instruction and click on Next.

After it completes the required tasks and the server restarts, the new Windows Server 2012 Domain Controller setup is completed.
Lastly, on each server/workstation within the target domain require a NIC properties configuration update to point to the new Domain Controller.
Open the DHCP management console, select Option no. 006 and under server/scope options and add the IP address of your new Domain Controller as DNS server.

Connect a Computer to the Domain Controller

Open the System properties on a PC.
Click on c

Select the Domain radio button.
Enter the domain controller name as "sps.local".
It will ask the password, enter the password.
This PC will need a restart to make an effect.
And you will be connected to the Domain Controller.

Here is the key difference between Workgroup and Domain Controller.

Workgroup

Domain

vs

Peer-to-peer windows computer network.

Client-server network.

Centralized login server is not needed.

It requires a centralized server to set up a domain.

A user needs a separate login id and password at each workstation.

A user can login on at any workstation and access domain resources.

Only 20 computers can be connected.

There is no limit of computers to connect a domain.

It's small.
Easy to set up.

It's a large network.
It takes more steps to set up.

Computers must belong to a local network.

Computers can be on the different local network.

Workgroup vs Domain

WHAT IS IT?

In a network, you can share folders, drives, printer, external storage devices etc.

There are two types of networks we came make such as:

Peer-to-peer Network

Client-server Network

Here we will see how the Windows Workgroup and Windows Domain.

WORKGROUP

A group of computers that are connected to a network.

Shares resources such as printers and files.

When we set up a network, Windows Automatically creates a workgroup and gives it a name.

​

​

​

All computers are peers.

Router/Switch/Hub

Desktop - 1

Desktop - 2

Desktop - 4

Desktop - 3

Workgroup

No computer has control over another computer.

Each computer has a set of user accounts. To log on to any computer in the workgroup, you must have an account on that computer.

Not more than 20 computers can be connected in a Workgroup.

All computer must be on the same local network.

Name of each computer should be unique.

Add a computer to Workgroup:

Every PC have a default workgroup called WORKGROUP.

We can change the name by following steps.

Goto This PC > Right click > Properties.

Here you can see the Workgroup name.

Click on the change button.

Change the workgroup name, and click OK.

PC needs to restart to make an effect.

Enter the workgroup name

Name should be unique in a workgroup

You can set the same workgroup in another PC to make them a single workgroup.

WINDOWS DOMAIN

It allows the administrator to manage large computer networks.

Generally contains a large number of computers on the same network.

We need only one Domain Controller to build a Windows Domain.

Mostly domain can contain several servers and computers.

The servers are used by administrators of the network to control the other computers.

You can login to any computer in a domain if you just have a user account on the domain.

There is no need to have a user account on each computer to log in.

Server

Centralized Domain

Windows Domain Controller (DC):

A domain controller is any server that has Active Directory Domain Services role installed.

Handles authentication requests across the domain.

There is only one primary Domain Controller.

Uses Directory Services called "Active Directory Users and Computers"

It contains Active Directory & Group Policy.

Domain Controller contains 2 tools.

Active Directory

Manage AD objects: users, computer, printers, files shares, groups and more.

Stores the AD objects in a folder called Organizational Units.

Group Policy Management

GPO object to manage the settings of valid ad objects you.

It allows an administrator to manage all the domain users & domain computers remotely.

Create a Domain Controller:

To create a domain controller, open a Server Manager in a server computer in your local network.

And we need to add a role to serve called "Active Directory".

So here are the following steps to set up a Domain controller.

Open Server Manager.

Open Server Manager

Click on Add roles and features.

Click Next.

Select Role-based or feature-based installation.

Click next.

Select the Active Directory Directory Services role.

Accept the default features required by clicking the Add Features button.

Click next.

Follow the step and click next and install.

Once completed, a notification is made highlighted on the dashboard.

Click on that notification icon.

Select Promote this server to a domain controller.

Select add a new forest.

Set a name as "sps.local" > Next.

Set a name