How to set up a Windows XP Pro Domain

[STherrien]

I have Windows XP Pro, and a network of about 26 computers (also running Windows XP Pro). Since Windows XP has the limit of only 10 users connected at a time while using a workgroup, (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q314882) I was wondering how to set up a Windows XP domain.
I've searched different sites (including Microsoft) but can't find a good guide on how to do this.

Any help would be appreciated since I have no experience with network domains. (Or if anyone knows how to bypass this 10 connection limit I'd be grateful).

-steve

[Ghost_Hacker]

You need a Windows server to setup a domain.


A Google search should turn up a few ways to try and get around the 10 user limit. There is also an old thread in these forums which talks about it.


Good Luck :)

[STherrien]

Thanks for the reply.

I've searched this message board, Google and other sites, but the only answer I get is that the max amount of users is 10 :(
I find it strange that MS would have no limit in Windows 9x, but invoke one in the more advanced and network oriented OS.

I'll keep searching, but it seems like I'll have to set up a domain :(

-steve

[Ghost_Hacker]

Here's the post I was refering to.


http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=446&highlight=Workstation+into+server


It might help you.

[skhips]

I far as i am aware you can have more than 10 pcs in a peer to peer but that is the most recommended.

The 10 max connections is i think referring to one machine can have a max of 10 pcs trying to access a shared resource but you could have more than that on your LAN, as long as they didnt all want to view the same folder at the same time, this would could happen depending if you had one machine acting in the similar role as a file server otherwise you should be ok.

:)

[STherrien]

Originally posted by skhips
The 10 max connections is i think referring to one machine can have a max of 10 pcs trying to access a shared resource but you could have more than that on your LAN, as long as they didnt all want to view the same folder at the same time, this would could happen depending if you had one machine acting in the similar role as a file server otherwise you should be ok.
Yeah, the problem isn't having more than 10 computers on the same workgroup, it's them sharing the same files/printers...

[STherrien]

Originally posted by Ghost_Hacker
Here's the post I was refering to.


http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=446&highlight=Workstation+into+server


It might help you.

Thanks for the link, it's an interesting read. I downloaded the program and will try it out on the XP Pro machine and see what happens. If it messes up, I'll install Windows 2000 and set up a domain.

Thanks for all your help :)

[terryf1960]

The only way to have a true domain is to set up a domain controller with an NT4 Server acting as a domain controller, or a Windows 2000 or .NET Server with active directory installed making it a domain controller. Other wise its just a work group.

[STherrien]

Yeah, and unfortunately Windows 2000 Server isn't the cheapest thing around, and there is a 10 active share limit with Windows NT 4 to Windows XP Pro in a Workgroup.

I'll probably end up going back to Windows 98 SE if I can't figure anything out :(

[LinuxGeek430]

a domain controller cannot be setup on xp without cygwin and samba, and that isnt exactly a stable option. if your looking to create a domain controller for free, i would recommend samba3(for an NT style domain) or trying the alphas of samba4(capable of hosting a server 2008_R2 style domain(Active Directory)). this means using linux, heres a good distro for the job, which is used for the samba4 howto at: http://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Samba4/HOWTO i use ubuntu: http://ubuntu.com for a domain controller with samba4. i hope this has helped.

[PrntRhd]

LinuxGeek430,
Welcome to the PC Guide forums, your info is great but you just replied to an eight year old thread.
:p