Windows 2000 Quick Fixes

Change workgroup or domain

Workgroups and domains provide a means of logically grouping computers and other network resources such as printers. Domains add the benefit of centralized authentication and security management. Although you specify the workgroup or domain for your computer during Setup, you can change the workgroup or domain at any time. You can join any existing domain (subject to restrictions) or workgroup or create a new workgroup by becoming its first member.

Change workgroups

Changing workgroups is easy. You simply specify the workgroup name, and if it exists, your computer is added to that workgroup. If the workgroup doesn’t exist, Windows 2000 creates a new workgroup and your computer becomes its first member. You can access your workgroup/domain identification through either My Computer or the Network and Dial-Up Connections folder:

1. Right-click My Computer, choose Properties, and click the Network Identification tab. Or, in the Network and Dial-Up Connections folder, choose Advanced → Network Identification.

2. Click Properties to open the Identification Changes dialog box.

3. Highlight the existing workgroup name in the Workgroup text box, type the new workgroup name, and click OK.

4. Click OK to close the system properties, and then restart the computer for the change to take effect.

Change domains

You can change domain membership for your computer if it has an existing account in the domain or if you have a username and password in that domain that has the right to ...