Set up a virtual Windows Server 2016 for Homelab: Part 3: Windows Domain: IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway and DNS Server configuration, Add Users, Join a Workstation to a Domain

 

Now that we've promoted our Server to a Domain Controller, it's time to change IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway and DNS Server information so that these can join the Domain we created in Part 1 of this series. 

Change IP address, Subnet mask, Default Gateway 

and DNS Server

First, get the notes you took on the IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway you got in Part 1 of the series, You will need this information for assigning the IP Addresses of the workstations you will add to the network.

My Server's IP information is as follows

    As you can se the First Address, that is the Default Gateway is set to 192.168.240.1, so we can use any addresses after that within the private space to assign to other devices. 192. 168.240.42 is the Server IP Address. It would be a good idea to assign IP Addresses for other devices following a predefined scheme. For the purposes of this tutorial. I simply added 10 to the Next devices IP Address, and come up with an IP Address of 192.168.240.52. 

    For the Workstations Subnet Mask and Default Gateway, using the Server's information will suffice. And the Preferred DNS server should be the IP Address of the Server. above. 

Click OK.

Now that we have our IP Information configured it's time to create a user for the workstation to use to join the domain.

Create a User

Open the Server Manager on your server and take the following steps.

Server manager > Tools > Active Directory Users and Computers > 

Right-click Users under the domain you created > New User 

Input credentials for the User >  Next > choose a password > choose login conditions > Next > Finish

Find the user you just created in the list of users. Now you're ready to log into the target workstation with the newly created user,.

Join a workstation to a domain

Control panel > System  > change settings >  Change > Member of Domain > OK 

You will be asked to input the Administrator credentials to log into the domain. Input them and you should get a "welcome to the domain" message.

The computer you added will also be viewable in the Computers Organizational Unit.

And there you have it. You have your first working domain. But let's not let our guards down just yet. There is much to be done to make it work to it's full potential, not to mention that glaring security holes that come standard with such a simple configuration. As it stands the user we just added could very easily look at all the files in the C: drive. That's no good now , is it?

But still, take a short break and relish in the fact that you're well on your way to get an Active Directory working. Not everyone can say them made their own from scratch. This is quite the accomplishment.

Once you're feeling up to it, let's go on to the next part in the series and learn how to  create Organizational Units, User Objects, and Groups.