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For the last 9 years, I have maintained a home Windows Domain (Active Directory) for all my systems. I am now looking at removing the domain, as I don't want the overhead in maintaining it.

However, without AD and DDNS, how will my machines identify each other? In the 90s I know that NetBIOS was the primary way to name/locate services. Is this still the case? What directory service/protocol should be used on a domain-less network?

I want to use the network for simple network shares, nothing too complex.

Thanks, Erick

4 Answers 4

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I believe it is still Netbios. Just put all the machines into the same workgroup and they seem to discover each other.

EDIT Not essential but if you happen to have a router that supports dhsmasq. e.g. use DDWRT.

dnsmasq: Dnsmasq is a lightweight, easy to configure, DNS forwarder and DHCP server, designed to provide DNS (and optionally DHCP) services to a small-scale network. It can serve the names of local machines which are not in the global DNS...

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  • So the NetBIOS names (based on the machine name) are discovered via broadcasts? When I look up NetBIOS and SMB in Wikipedia, they keep mentioning Windows legacy. Is NetBOIS used for "Homegroups"?
    – Erick T
    Nov 10, 2010 at 22:30
  • As long as all your machines run client systems, using a workgroup is OK. If you want to assign permissions you just need to create an user with the same name and password in each machine (I have a small network at home with a Windows 2000 computer, two Windows XP laptops and a XBOX and works fine :-) ). Nov 11, 2010 at 0:21
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Nothing wrong with running a standalone Windows DNS server. That's what I use at home, in concert with Windows DHCP.

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  • I am hoping to avoid running any servers. If I was going to keep a server, I would just AD and DDNS.
    – Erick T
    Nov 10, 2010 at 22:22
  • Server 2003 is pretty lightweight - you could stick that in a VM somewhere?
    – tomfanning
    Nov 10, 2010 at 22:31
  • Running an internal DNS server will give you guaranteed internal name resolution, NetBIOS won't. In addition, Your router is unlikely to have the ability to host an internal DNS zone, so it's ability to resolve DNS names for internal hosts is going to be little to none.
    – joeqwerty
    Nov 10, 2010 at 23:39
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I havent used Windows in a while.. But last time i did.. it was called a workgroup..

Same as a domain basically.. just not control or binding..

It just sets systems/computers into named groups..

For example..

My Workgroup at home was called MSHOME

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  • That is what I remember as well, but I don't like not understanding what is happening on my network. I see references to networking "Homegroup", but can't find much on the actual technology used.
    – Erick T
    Nov 10, 2010 at 22:31
  • Ohh i think it is still on Netbios.. They "were" supposed to change it, cause its old and well - not good.. hehe
    – Arenstar
    Nov 11, 2010 at 0:40
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If your running a network at home, you probably have some sort of router. If your router was produced in the last 10 years, you should have a DNS server built into it, just make sure it is turned on. NETBIOS takes care of the rest.

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