Network Domain

I am trying to set up a small home network. Everything works fine if I use Workgroups, including SAMBA on my Linux box. However, I want to use a network domain in order to allow login scripting, user authentication etc... But I cannot seem to find how to do it. I can get every computer to join the FIRESTORM workgroup, but I want a domain (called FIRESTORM, or something similar) to log each computer on to.

I have Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000 Pro and Linux Mandrake 7.1 (I also have 4 or 5 other Linux distros sitting round on CDs).

What can I do to get a network domain?

The domain model is a Microsoft invention. Your options are as follows: configure a Windows 2000 Server or NT 4.0 box as a domain controller, and join the other boxes, or look into the Samba project's PDC emulation features at http://www.samba.org and do the same.

This should get you going. Once you figure out how to do it, it's very simple.

--Voodoo_Bluesman

You cannot easily run an NT or 2k domain unless you have an NT or 2k box. Also, you probably shouldn't attempt to do so with only 1 domain controller, as if it breaks things will be bad.

I have done win95 domains on Samba before, which works but is basic (and a lot easier and simpler than NT domain). I don't recommend trying the NT domain code in samba.

Don't try the NT domain code in Samba unless really brave. I suppose it's cheaper than (approx) £800 NT server licence though.

Cheers
Slarty

Oh I'm not bothered about the cost, a CD-R only costs £0.50 !!!
So it'd be best to use NT4, then?
Can this be done from Windows 2000 Professional, or do I need a server version?

You'll need a copy of NT Server or W2K Server for your domain controller. Not sure it's worth the trouble on a home network to have a whole domain setup going...unless you have a bunch of PC's or a bunch of users.

Samba has beta support to be a domain controller. It works, but that is about all I will say about it. That is why we still have an NT PDC here. The next version of Samba (2.4 I believe) is supposed to have full functionallity as a domain controller. The current version does allow most of what you are asking, but it doesn't always work correctly.

If you only have a couple of puters, I wouldn't worry about making a domain. If you really want user authentication, go with kerbos. As far as login scripting, well, it can be done with samba, but do you really need it? Isn't it just as easy to create a batch file that runs at startup to do the same thing?

I have 5 or 6 users, but I'm setting it up more for the experience than anything (plus it'll work better with the features I use on the network)

Hmm... batch file at startup! Good idea, I guess I could do that, have a diff. batch file in each users Startup folder...

Install the Windows 2000 Server as your PDC, it's very easy to install and with Active Directory you can easily control your new domain :)

Okay, thanks for the info everyone, I'm gonna have to acquire Win2K Server before I can continue.