If you want to know the steps that will allow you to join a Windows 10 PC to a domain, then congratulate yourself as you have landed on the right spot. But before we jump right into the main topic, let’s have a brief idea about what exactly is a domain. Let’s proceed.
A domain is basically a kind of network, which facilitates a person to log in to his/her user ID from another computer that is present on the network. The only prerequisite is that the network must have at least one computer that is running Windows Server.
The rest of the computers on the network must be running either Pro or Enterprise Windows versions. Its application is quite relevant in the following cases:
- A large company that has a lesser number of computers as compared to its number of employees.
- A small office that does not have permanent computers for each of its employees.
- In case they have fixed computers, one can oversee their work along with providing different permissions separately from your server.
- A domain is also quite useful when it comes to schools, colleges, and universities.
In simpler words, you can say that by sitting on any computer that is present in the domain, you can log in with your username and password. Afterward, you can submit your work and lastly log out. The following stuff is required by you to join the domain:
- A username
- A password
- The domain name
- The IP of the server (It helps in making the connection more reliable.)
Your domain administrator facilitates the creation of a user on the server computer along with providing you with the above-mentioned information. Now with that out of the way, let’s get started with the steps that are required to join a Windows 10 PC to a domain:
How to Join a Windows 10 PC to a Domain?
Set up the server’s IP as your Primary DNS
- Start by opening up the Control Panel and then search for Network and Sharing Center.
- Then click on the connection on which you are working. It could either be the WiFi or ethernet.
- Click on Properties.
- Then select the option of Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP4) and click Properties.
- Finally, select the option which says Use the following DNS server addresses. Next, enter the server IP that you had got as your Prefered DNS Server and lastly click OK.
Joining a domain
- Start by clicking on the Settings option in your start menu.
- Go to System.
- Now click on About that is in the left pane and then click on Join a Domain.
- Proceed with entering the same domain name that you had previously received from your domain administrator and then click on Next.
- Now, enter the Username and Password that was provided to you. Once you are done, click OK.
- Afterward, select your user type. It could be either Administrator or Standard user.
- The above-mentioned steps will take effect only after you restart your system. You can select any one option of either Restart Now or Restart Later.
- Once you are done with the restart part, your lock screen will appear a bit different than before. Proceed with entering your domain user’s password.
- There might be cases where you would be required to change your password immediately. In other cases, you may proceed by asking your server administrator to only change the password when you need it.
- It would take some time to get everything ready on your system. You would get the feeling of working on a new system. The changes that you will be making will be saved to the domain user. It would further be accessible from any other system on the domain. You would just be putting in your credentials and you would be ready to go.
- Once you are logged in, click on Settings–>System–>About. You will notice that your system has been registered on the domain.
The above-mentioned steps will guide you thoroughly to join a Windows 10 PC to your domain. You might be willing to know the process of logging back into your computer account. If that is the case, follow these steps:
- You can start by either booting your system or signing out to the lock screen.
- Now select the Other User option that is present in the bottom left corner.
- Proceed with entering your machine name. It would be followed by a backslash and then your local user. If you have a local machine password, enter it and then press the Enter key.
Disconnecting your computer from the main domain
To disconnect your system from the main domain, you will be required to perform the following steps:
- Use your local account to sign in by following the above-mentioned steps.
- Then go to Settings–>System–>About and select the option of Disconnect from the organization.
- Click on Continue.
- You can select to either restart your system now or later. You must keep in mind that it won’t be possible for you to leave the domain before performing a restart.
Conclusion
That was all about the steps that can easily let you join a Windows 10 PC to a domain. Hopefully, now, you will be able to join your Windows 10 PC to a domain. Do let us know in the comments section how much you liked this post.
If you find any discrepancies, let us know about them as well. We would improve and improvise with the sole intention to serve you well. Thanks for reading. Till next time.