Question on domains

[River19]

I have been working with computers for a very long time and are familiar with all major networking concepts, so please do not think I am stupid when I ask this question. I was going to set up a small server for my home network (4 computers) and use it to validate logons and to store profiles of all my family members. all of the books that I have read or am reading say that a "domain server" has to valiadate logons. What is necessary for a "domain". I have a static IP address (cable modem). Is that enough or do I have to have something else like a an actual DNS name assigned to my computer (mycomputer.com)? This is never really explained and I'm hoping that my friends out in cyberspace will be able to help me! Thanks in advance.

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A ship in a harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for...

[xtac]

You would want to make the new Server the PDC (Primary Domain Control;er) of the Domain that you are going to install. That Server would verify rights for users that you have created.

When you install NT Server, it will ask you if you want to make this computer a PDC, BDC, or stand-alone.

[CinderElmo]

River, not to stop you from doing it your way, but unless you are familiar with Windows NT Server and Domain Controllers, you are going to have a hard time setting that up. Unless you have NT Server sitting around it is going to cost a ton too. Finally, you will have to leave the server on almost all the time to authenticate users on the other machines...

With only 4 machines you are better off just having each machine with several user accounts. Just make sure they are win2k pro or NT workstation as there is no security of user profiles in win95/98/etc.

If you MUST do it your way, you will need NT or 2000 server, install it from scratch with the "domain controller" option, then set up users, assign roaming profiles (so they can log on from any machine and see the same thing), then set up each machine to log into the domain. A sweet deal, but it will take a little work. Unless you are just doing it to learn, probably a waste of your time in my opinion.

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Elmo's Home

[BSOD]

Well if you are going with Windows 2000 server you want to register your server on http://www.networksolutions.com as a host or dns server I can't remember. Make sure your 2000 server has dns installed on it and run dcpromo to promote it to a domain controller. There you will be able to assign the domain name and everything else you need for your home network.

Hope this helps!

[iateyourcat]

CinderElmo is right. It's more headache than you want to deal with.. ..bsod?? what are you talking about?

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=-iateyourcat-=

[This message has been edited by iateyourcat (edited January 03, 2001).]

[xsrvx]

It really isn't as hard as everyone is saying especially if we are talking about Win2k Server.In NT4 it could take some work and during the install you have to specify Primary Domain Controller as opposed to BDC or stand alone but in Win2K this is not an issue.basically just install win2k server and when done run dcpromo to make it a domain controller and this will install active directory and the like and after thats done run the active directory users portion and create your user accounts.
For the best reliability is is better to keep the whole environment Win2k (workstations) but if you must have Win9x in there somewhere you will have to instruct it to log onto the domain.
You will also need DNS setup and configured for this to work.Hmmm maybe thias is tougher than I originally thought.You do not need to contact network solutions for DNS info unless you are running a web server or email server or something.You would not do it through NS anyways you would call your ISP and they would add the info to their name servers and cable does not allow that I am sure.

Anyways have fun

[iamtheman]

Well you definitely don't have to register a Legitimate DNS domain name for Win2K server.
NT or 2000 as a basic setup is not hard at all. In fact I recommend it, its better to play around and blow up a "test" system then a server that you may be called in to fix. If you run into a problem just ask here.

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Born to Network

[River19]

Thank you for all your posts! To reply to Cinder, yes I am doing this just for learning purposes and I am going for my MCSE so I kinda want to practice on it in the "real" world as oppossed to just reading about it. I didn't know about dcpromo before I posted, so thank you for that tidbit of info. It will be a job, but I will gain alot of experience from it. Thanks again for your posts! If I have anymore questions I know where to go!

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A ship in a harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for...