XP Workgroup and domain. Part1

[A]

I am going to have to be a frequent visitor to this list... I have huge
problems with my home XP Pro computer. It is quite evident that an
intruder has gotten into it. I have ICS enabled, and tried to stop
access through all the ports. I am trying to use this as a learning
experience.

I have many questions, and huge holes in my practical understanding of
things. So I request tolerance from you folks.

My home network:
I have configured static MAC addresses from my router to my computer A
and B. So I am not using DHCP

So far this is what I understand.
A computer can be a member of a workgroup or of a domain. By default the
computer is a member of a Workgroup and if it wants to join a domain, it
has to do so actively.

I am a little confused by what I saw on my computer.

net config Server

Server Name \\ABCD

net config workstation

Computer name \\ABC
Full Computer name ABCD
User name User1
Workstation active on
NetbiosSmb (000000000000)
Software version Windows 2002
Workstation domain MYWORKGROUP
Workstation Domain DNS Name (null)
Logon domain ABCD
....<snip>...

I want my computer to not be a part of any domain or anything.
Under "System Properties", I find

Full computer name: ABCD
Workgroup Name: MYWORKGROUP

Now the question is
1. Why is it saying computer name is \\ABC instead of just ABC on "net
config server" ?
2. Why is the software version 2002? I have XP ?
3. Why does it say "Workstation domain" MYWORKGROUP on "net config
workstation" ? when in System Properties it says MYWORKGROUP is my
workgroup name ?
4. What is the deal with Logon Domain being my computer's name ?
5. so finally what am I on ? A domain or a workgroup ?
6. Is it possible to belong to neither ? I just want to use my computer
to access the internet and nothing else on the internal network.

I DONT need to access files/printers between computers.

I find it really hard deal with guis so please tell me if there are any
command line tools to find who all the users are on my system, their
groups and last login times.

Under system properties panel I am not able to change my computer name
or my workgroup membership. I dont understand why- I have admin
privileges. Is there some place where disable/enable different control
panel fields ( or entire panels) are stored so I can go and enable it ?

I did look into the group policy editor. Many rights that I was advised
to enable/disable were not even found on my editor. Can I somehow get
back a full list of rights ?

Thanks
A

 

[JP Breton]

Ok....

I will start by responding to your questions:

1. Why is it saying computer name is \\ABC instead of just ABC on "net
config server" ?

\\ is a UNC (Universal naming convention) This is normal behavior

2. Why is the software version 2002? I have XP ?

XP is Windows 2002

3. Why does it say "Workstation domain" MYWORKGROUP on "net config
workstation" ? when in System Properties it says MYWORKGROUP is my
workgroup name ?

Because your workstation is part on its "own domain" even thought it is not
part of a real domain

4. What is the deal with Logon Domain being my computer's name ?

Like I said , your computer is acting has its own domain ....logon domain

5. so finally what am I on ? A domain or a workgroup ?

WORKGROUP. you need a Windows server 2000 or Windows server 2003 acting has
a Domain Controller to be part of a domain....so your PC is in a workgroup.

6. Is it possible to belong to neither ? I just want to use my computer

nope...your computer has to belonge "somewhere"


Hope that is a start.

JP

 

[A]

Thanks for the quick reply.
Lets see if I get it... so WORKGROUP and DOMAIN are a kind of grouping
mechanism and this grouping mechanism is also called a domain ? I
realize Workgroups and Domains with domain controllers behave
differently.
When I look at something on the computer saying "domain" how on earth do
I know what exactly it is referring to ? A workgroup or a real domain ?
Instead of saying Logon domain, workstation domain I wish they had
called it something else like grouping, I kind of see what you are
saying with the computer acting as its own domain (not a real one right
?) but dont see the boundaries clearly.
So why does the computer act as its own "domain" it really belongs to a
"workgroup", why does a user log into logon domain ABC (the computers
logon domain) instead of logging on to a workgroup ? Since the computer
is not part of a REAL domain, all this domain terminology is extremely
confusing.
<small rant>I wish microsoft chose its names carefully, everything about
their naming drives me crazy, like Internet Connection Firewall, yeah
its a firewall, but you cant co-opt a totally general term and use it
for naming a part. Like naming your baby- baby.
</small rant>


So what happens when my computer joins a REAL domain whose name is
a) the same as my Workgroup name "MYWORKGROUPNAME" ?
b) the same as my computer name ? In this case what will

What would net config workstation say in each of the above case ?

net config workstation

Workstation domain ????
Workstation Domain DNS Name (null)
Logon domain ????

Reason I am so interested is because I've been trying to decipher my
event logs. there are all these other "logon domains" like NT Authority
etc., are these real domains ? This seems like a great way to fool
people into thinking that a logon came from a local machine when it came
from the lan.

 

[JP Breton]

Windows XP cannot be a Windows domain controller (only Windows servers).
But, It can be part of a domain.

To be part of a domain, you need Windows 2000 or 2003 server running as a
domain controller.
Once you have a Win2k/2k3 domain controller, you can then join your Windows
XP to that domain.

When I look at something on the computer saying "domain" how on earth do
I know what exactly it is referring to ? A workgroup or a real domain ?

I guess experience comes in play here. Microsoft has use those term for
years now...since Windows NT 3.5
So I guess...I am just used to those term

So what happens when my computer joins a REAL domain whose name is
a) the same as my Workgroup name "MYWORKGROUPNAME" ?
b) the same as my computer name ? In this case what will

If you join your computer to a Windows domain, you get that domain name.

Here is an example of a netconfig workstation on my windows XP that IS PART
of a Windows domain:

Computer : \\01wksdud
Full computer name: \\01wksdud.dud.local

Workstation domain: DUD
Workstation domain DNS name: dud.local
logon domain: DUD

In resume:
My computer name is (Netbios) : 01wksdud. a name must be unique on a
network
the full DNS computer name is: 01wksdud.dud.local

The domain name is DUD. (netbios)
my Windows domain DNS is called: DUD.Local
Microsoft still use Netbios support for older OS (Win95..Windows Nt..)

Hope that help a little bit more.
Let me know if you need more info.

Regards

JP

 

[A]

Pardon me for being really dense here, but I've got to get this cleared if
I am to grok all the information ther is. Apparently this kind of
information is so simple that everybody knows it so no-one talk about it.
Believe me I've tried looking.

OK what if:

net config workstation

Workstation domain SOMETHING
Workstation Domain DNS Name (null)
Logon domain ABC


1. How can you tell if I am joined to a domain or not ? By looking at net
config output.. Afterall SOMETHING could be a workgroup or a real domain
name
2. Is there a utility which tells me if I'm joined to a real domain and
what its domain controller is ?
3. Are there any restrictions about naming machines/workgroups and real
domains ? (I'm always going to say real domain - reduces unnecessary cycles
in my head)

4. Computer name must be unique on a network -does that mean unique among
computer names or does that include domain name/workgroup name ?
Thanks

 

[JP Breton]

1. How can you tell if I am joined to a domain or not ? By looking at net

config output.. Afterall SOMETHING could be a workgroup or a real domain
name

When you are in a workgroup, the Logon Domain will be exactly like your
Computer name (because it is only your computer that does the
authentification process)

2. Is there a utility which tells me if I'm joined to a real domain and
what its domain controller is ?

You will know when you are not in a workgroup. (right click My Computer,
Propreties, Computer name, you should see Workgroup just below the Full
computer name. If you were in a domain, it would say Domain.

3. Are there any restrictions about naming machines/workgroups and real
domains ? (I'm always going to say real domain - reduces unnecessary
cycles
in my head)

Yes they are but I won't cover this part right now. Just remember that any
computer name or domain name has to be unique.

4. Computer name must be unique on a network -does that mean unique among
computer names or does that include domain name/workgroup name ?
Thanks

Computer name are different then workgroup and domain name. But a computer
name could be the same as a workgroup name for example. (althout not
recommanded)