Attach to multiple domains or workgroups

[Guest]

Can XPPro or any other Windows system attach to multiple domains or
workgroups? The System Properties seem to allow only change but not add?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Can XPPro or any other Windows system attach to multiple domains or
workgroups? The System Properties seem to allow only change but not add?

A Windows network can have any number of workgroups, and a computer in
any workgroup can access a computer in any workgroup.

To see all of the workgroups on a network in Windows XP:

1. Click My Network Places.
2. Click "View workgroup computers".
3. Press the Backspace key.

To access another computer, regardless of what workgroup either
computer is in, type the other computer's name in the Start | Run box
in this format:

\\computer
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Chuck]

Can XPPro or any other Windows system attach to multiple domains or
workgroups? The System Properties seem to allow only change but not add?

You can attach your computer to as many domains or workgroups (or to individual
resources in domains or workgroups) as you wish, if you can authenticate,
locally, to servers in those domains or workgroups. You can only join your
computer, and use domain based authentication, to one domain at a time.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, I knew that we can access multiple workgroups and multiple domains in
network neighbourhood. I was referring to the pre-set settings.

 

[Guest]

Thanks! You're right. However, there must be some advantages to be in the
same workgroup or the same domain if the system allows us to pre-set it.
Long time ago, I thought file and printer sharing only works in the same
workgroup or the same domain. And that doesn't seem to be the case. Would
you mind tell me the pros and cons to be in the same workgroup or the same
domain? In the circumstances, how do we decide which domain or workgroup we
should choose to attach? I suppose the one we access most should be the best
choice. Is there any other factor?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Thanks, I knew that we can access multiple workgroups and multiple domains in
network neighbourhood. I was referring to the pre-set settings.

I'm not sure what you mean by "pre-set settings". A computer can only
be a member of one workgroup. But workgroup membership is basically
irrelevant in Windows XP and has no effect on accessing other
computers.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Malke]

Thanks! You're right. However, there must be some advantages to be
in the same workgroup or the same domain if the system allows us to
pre-set it. Long time ago, I thought file and printer sharing only
works in the same
workgroup or the same domain. And that doesn't seem to be the case.
Would you mind tell me the pros and cons to be in the same workgroup
or the same
domain? In the circumstances, how do we decide which domain or
workgroup we
should choose to attach? I suppose the one we access most should be
the best
choice. Is there any other factor?

From your posts, I'm not sure you understand the difference between a
Workgroup and a Domain. I'm not saying this to hurt your feelings, so
if I'm wrong, I apologize. It's just that you don't just choose
Workgroup or Domain because of file sharing; you choose your setup
based on your computing needs.

A Workgroup is for a peer-to-peer network without a server (running a
real server operating system). The naming of the Workgroup is basically
for cosmetic and organizational purposes. With a Workgroup you must
manage each member computer separately.

A Domain is a collection of computers - usually referred to as
'workstations' - where there is a real server involved. Having a server
enables central management of group policies, security, updates,
programs, backup, etc. Users must have an account on the server to
access any files from it. Normally in a domain (usually business
environment) you don't share files between workstations.

Usually you wouldn't have a domain in a home situation. For a business
with more than 7 or 8 computers, setting up a server and a domain is a
good idea.

Malke

 

[Chuck]

Thanks! You're right. However, there must be some advantages to be in the
same workgroup or the same domain if the system allows us to pre-set it.
Long time ago, I thought file and printer sharing only works in the same
workgroup or the same domain. And that doesn't seem to be the case. Would
you mind tell me the pros and cons to be in the same workgroup or the same
domain? In the circumstances, how do we decide which domain or workgroup we
should choose to attach? I suppose the one we access most should be the best
choice. Is there any other factor?

Network Neighborhood / My Network Places lets us see all computers near us. The
workgroup that we are in is the part of Network Neighborhood that is nearest to
us - those are the computers that we need access to the most. A workgroup
provides a way of identifying the computers that relate closely to our computer.

A domain, on the other hand, is a collection of computers that trust each other.
If / when your computer is joined to a domain, it sets up a two way trust.

Your computer learns to trust the domain. You authenticate (login as a local
admin) to your computer, allow a domain admin to authenticate to the domain
from your computer, and a "certificate" from the domain is added to your
computer.

Simultaneously, the domain learns to trust your computer. You authenticate
(login as a local admin) to your computer, allow a domain admin to authenticate
to the domain from your computer, and a "certificate" from your computer is
added to the domain.

The domain membership also gives workgroup visibility. You see the other
members of "your" domain. as you would see the other members of "your"
workgroup. But the two way trust in the domain is special.

You gain access to your computer thru domain authentication - you trust the
domain, based upon the certificate from the domain that's now on your computer,
and upon the credentials (domain account / password) that you supply. You gain
access to domain resources in a similar way, from the certificate from your
computer that's now in the domain, and from the credentials that you supply.

 

[Guest]

When I said "pre-setting", I was referring to grouping computers in a
workgroup in a peer-to-peer networking environment, or attaching computers or
workstations to a domain in a client-server environment. By default,
Microsoft puts all computers in a workgroup called "workgroup" or we can
change it in the process of OS installation. That's why I called it a
pre-setting, I apologize for the misnomer if it is.

I don't know why you said workgroup membershipis was irrelevant in Windows
XP. Workgroup membership applies to all Windows operating systems by default
including Windows XP though it doesn't have any bearing on security.

 

[Guest]

I think I have worded the question poorly.

I guess what I was saying was it didn't matter which workgroup the computer
belonged to for we could access any of them as long as we had a user account
on them with adequate permission for the job we intended.

In the course of my work, I deal with workgroups and domains. Sometimes I
work or say without thinking twice when what I do becomes so mechanical.
However, I appreciate when people wake me up and reinforce what I have had in
my mind.

Thanks again!

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

When I said "pre-setting", I was referring to grouping computers in a
workgroup in a peer-to-peer networking environment, or attaching computers or
workstations to a domain in a client-server environment. By default,
Microsoft puts all computers in a workgroup called "workgroup" or we can
change it in the process of OS installation. That's why I called it a
pre-setting, I apologize for the misnomer if it is.

I don't know why you said workgroup membershipis was irrelevant in Windows
XP. Workgroup membership applies to all Windows operating systems by default
including Windows XP though it doesn't have any bearing on security.

Every computer on a Windows peer-to-peer network is a member of a
workgroup. But it doesn't matter which workgroup, because:

1. A computer in any workgroup can access a computer in any other
workgroup.

2. Shared resources belonging to computers in all workgroups appear in
My Network Places.

3. As you noted, workgroup membership has no bearing on security.

So, workgroup membership in Windows XP is necessary, but basically
irrelevant.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

Thanks a lot for your kindness.
Regards

Network Neighborhood / My Network Places lets us see all computers near us. The
workgroup that we are in is the part of Network Neighborhood that is nearest to
us - those are the computers that we need access to the most. A workgroup
provides a way of identifying the computers that relate closely to our computer.

A domain, on the other hand, is a collection of computers that trust each other.
If / when your computer is joined to a domain, it sets up a two way trust.

Your computer learns to trust the domain. You authenticate (login as a local
admin) to your computer, allow a domain admin to authenticate to the domain
from your computer, and a "certificate" from the domain is added to your
computer.

Simultaneously, the domain learns to trust your computer. You authenticate
(login as a local admin) to your computer, allow a domain admin to authenticate
to the domain from your computer, and a "certificate" from your computer is
added to the domain.

The domain membership also gives workgroup visibility. You see the other
members of "your" domain. as you would see the other members of "your"
workgroup. But the two way trust in the domain is special.

You gain access to your computer thru domain authentication - you trust the
domain, based upon the certificate from the domain that's now on your computer,
and upon the credentials (domain account / password) that you supply. You gain
access to domain resources in a similar way, from the certificate from your
computer that's now in the domain, and from the credentials that you supply.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your kindness
Regards

Every computer on a Windows peer-to-peer network is a member of a
workgroup. But it doesn't matter which workgroup, because:

1. A computer in any workgroup can access a computer in any other
workgroup.

2. Shared resources belonging to computers in all workgroups appear in
My Network Places.

3. As you noted, workgroup membership has no bearing on security.

So, workgroup membership in Windows XP is necessary, but basically
irrelevant.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com