About Domain Dossier. The Domain Dossier tool generates reports from public records about domain names and IP addresses to help solve problems, investigate cybercrime, or just better understand how things are set up. These reports may show you: Owner’s contact information; Registrar and registry information. Assigning File Permissions to Domain Users and Groups. The name service switch (NSS) library enables you to use domain user accounts and groups in commands. For example to set the owner of a file to the demo01 domain user and the group to the Domain Users domain group, enter: # chown 'SAMDOM demo01:SAMDOM domain users' file.txt Setting up.
The net user command is used to add, remove, and make changes to the user accounts on a computer, all from the Command Prompt.
The net user command is one of many net commands.
You can also use net users in place of net user. They're completely interchangeable.
Net User Command Availability
The net user command is available from within the Command Prompt in most versions of Windows including Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server operating systems, and some older versions of Windows, too.
The availability of certain net user command switches and other net user command syntax may differ from operating system to operating system.
Net User Command Syntax
net user [username [password | *] [/add] [options]] [/domain]] [username [/delete] [/domain]] [/help] [/?]
See How to Read Command Syntax if you're not sure how to read the net user command syntax explained above or in the table below.
[1] Windows 98 and Windows 95 only support passwords up to 14 characters long. If you're creating an account that might be used from a computer with one of those versions of Windows, consider keeping the password length within the requirements for those operating systems.
The following options are to be used where options is noted in the net user command syntax above:
You can store the output of whatever is shown on screen after running the net user command by using a redirection operator with the command. See How to Redirect Command Output to a File for instructions.
[2] The default home directory is C:Users<username> in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. In Windows XP, the default home directory is C:Documents and Settings<username>. For example, if the user account on a Windows 8 tablet is named 'Tim,' the default home directory created when the account was the first setup was C:UsersTim.
Net User Command Examples
This first example of the net user command shows that at its simplest form, it will produce a list of all the users on the computer, much like this:
This computer has over a dozen user accounts, so they're separated into multiple columns.
In this net user example, the command produces all the details on the administrator user account. Here's an example of what might display:
As you can see, all the details for the administrator account on this Windows 7 computer are listed.
Here's an example where I, presumably someone responsible for this user account [rodriguezr], make a change to the days and times [/times] that this account is able to log on to Windows: Monday through Friday [M–F] from 7:00am to 4:00pm [7AM–4PM] and on Saturday [Sa] from 8:00am to noon [8AM–12PM].
We thought we'd throw the kitchen sink at you with this example. This is the kind of net user application that you might never do at home, but you might very well see in a script published for a new user by the IT department in a company.
Here, we're setting up a new user account [/add] with the name nadeema and setting the initial password as r28Wqn90. This is a standard account in our company, which we note in the account itself [/comment:'Basic user account.'], and is the new Human Resources executive, Ahmed [/fullname:'Ahmed Nadeem'].
We want Ahmed to change his password to something he won't forget, so we want him to set his own the first time he logs on [/logonpasswordchg:yes]. Also, Ahmed should only have access to the two computers in the Human Resources office [/workstations:jr7twwr,jr2rtwb]. Finally, our company uses a domain controller [/domain], so Ahmed's account should be set up there.
As you can see, the net user command can be used for a lot more than simple user account adds, changes, and removals. We configured several advanced aspects of Ahmed's new account right from the Command Prompt.
Now, we'll finish off with an easy one. Ahmed [nadeema] didn't work out as the latest HR member, so he was let go and his account removed [/delete].
Net User Related Commands
The net user command is a subset of the net command and so is similar to its sister commands like net use, net time, net send, net view, etc.
Windows domains are typically used on large networks — corporate networks, school networks, and government networks. They aren’t something you’ll encounter at home unless you have a laptop provided by your employer or school.
A typical home computer is an isolated entity. You control the settings and user accounts on the computer. A computer joined to a domain is different — these settings are controlled on a domain controller.
What is a Domain?
Windows domains provide network administrators with a way to manage a large number of PCs and control them from one place. One or more servers — known as domain controllers — have control over the domain and the computers on it.
Domains are generally made up of computers on the same local network. However, computers joined to a domain can continue communicating with their domain controller over VPN or Internet connection. This allows businesses and schools to remotely manage laptops they provide to their employees and students.
When a computer is joined to a domain, it doesn’t use its own local user accounts. User accounts and passwords are managed on the domain controller. When you log into a computer on that domain, the computer authenticates your user account name and password with the domain controller. This means you can log in with the same username and password on any computer joined to the domain.
Network administrators can change group policy settings on the domain controller. Each computer on the domain will get these settings from the domain controller and they’ll override any local settings users specify on their PCs. All the settings are controlled from a single place. This also “locks down” the computers. You probably won’t be allowed to change many system settings on a computer joined to a domain.
RELATED:Do You Need the Professional Edition of Windows 8?
In other words, when a computer is part of a domain, the organization providing that computer is managing and configuring it remotely. They have control over the PC, not whoever is using it.
Because domains aren’t intended for home users, only a computer running a Professional or Enterprise version of Windows can be joined to a domain. Devices running Windows RT also can’t join domains.
Is My Computer Part of a Domain?
If you have a home computer, it’s almost certainly not part of a domain. You could set up a a domain controller at home, but there’s no reason to do this unless you really want the experience. If you use a computer at work or school, there’s a good chance your computer is part of a domain. If you have a laptop provided to you by your work or school, it may also be part of a domain.
You can quickly check whether your computer is part of a domain or not. Open the Control Panel, click the System and Security category, and click System. Look under “Computer name, domain and workgroup settings” here. If you see “Domain”: followed by the name of a domain, your computer is joined to a domain.
If you see “Workgroup”: followed by the name of a workgroup, your computer is joined to a workgroup instead of a domain.
Workgroups vs. Domains
RELATED:What is a Windows Domain and How Does It Affect My PC?
Every Windows computer not joined to a domain is part of a workgroup. A workgroup is a group of computers on the same local network. Unlike on a domain, no computer on a workgroup has control over any other computer — they’re all joined together as equals. A workgroup doesn’t require a password, either.
Workgroups were previously used for home file and printer sharing on previous versions of Windows. You can now use a homegroup to easily share files and printers between PCs at home. Workgroups have now been pushed to the background, so you shouldn’t need to worry about them — just leave the default workgroup name of WORKGROUP and set up homegroup file sharing.
Joining or Leaving a Domain
If your computer is part of a domain, joining or leaving the domain won’t generally be your job. If your computer needs to be on a domain, it will already be on a domain when it’s handed to you. You’ll usually need the domain administrator’s permission to leave a domain, so people who sit down to use a domain-joined PC can’t just leave the domain. However, you can leave a domain if you have local administrator access on your PC. You won’t have administrator access if you’re using a locked-down PC, of course.
Click the Change Settings link next to “Computer name, domain and workgroup settings” in the System information window to access the System Properties window, which allows you to join or leave a domain.
If you have an old computer that’s joined to a domain and you no longer have access to the domain, you can always gain access to the PC by reinstalling Windows. The domain settings are tied to your installed operating system, and reinstalling Windows will give you a fresh system. You shouldn’t do this to a work or school PC you don’t own, of course!
Domains limit what you can do on your PC. When your computer is part of a domain, the domain controller is in charge of what you can do. This is why they’re used on large corporate and educational networks — they provide a way for the institution that provides the computers to lock them down and centrally administer them.
That’s the core concept, although much more can be done with domains. For example, group policy can be used to remotely install software on computers joined to a domain.
Image Credit: Phil Manker on Flickr, Jeffrey Beall on Flickr
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