Join the Domain and Log On by using Wireless Method 2

  • Article

Updated: October 4, 2010

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, Windows XP

In this method, you complete the steps in the General steps section, then you provide your domain-member users with the instructions about how to manually configure a wireless computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Vista® with a bootstrap wireless profile. The bootstrap wireless profile allows the user to establish a wireless connection and then join the domain. After the computer is joined to the domain and restarted, the user can log on to the domain through a wireless connection.

General steps

  1. Configure a local computer administrator account, in Control Panel, for the user.

Important

To join a computer to a domain, the user must be logged on to the computer with the local Administrator account. Alternatively, the user must provide the credentials for the local Administrator account during the process of joining the computer to the domain. In addition, the user must have a user account in the domain to which the user wants to join the computer. During the process of joining the computer to the domain, the user will be prompted for domain account credentials (user name and password).

  1. Provide your domain users with the instructions for configuring a bootstrap wireless profile, as documented in the following procedure: To configure a Bootstrap Wireless Profile. Additionally, provide the user with both the local computer credentials (user name and password), and domain credentials (domain user account name and password) in the form DomainName\UserName, as well as the procedures to “Join the computer to the domain,” and to “Log on to the domain,” as documented in the Windows Server® 2008 R2 Core Network Guide.

Note

After completing the general steps, provide the following procedures to users at your organization who will connect to your wireless network with computers running Windows 7 or Windows Vista.

To configure a bootstrap wireless profile

  1. Use the credentials provide to you by your network administrator or IT support professional to log on to the computer with the local computers administrator account.

  2. Click Start, click Connect to, and then click Set up a connection or network. The Connect to a Network dialog box opens.

  3. Click Manually connect to a wireless network, and then click Next.

  4. In Manually connect to a wireless network, in Network name, type the SSID name of the AP.

  5. In Security type, select the setting provided by your administrator.

  6. In Encryption type, select the setting provided by your administrator.

  7. Select Start this connection automatically, and then click Next.

  8. In Successfully addedYour Network SSID, click Change connection settings.

  9. Click Change connection settings. The Your Network SSID Wireless Network property dialog box opens.

  10. Click the Security tab, and then in Choose a network authentication method, select Protected EAP (PEAP).

  11. Click Settings. The Protected EAP (PEAP) Properties page opens.

  12. In the Protected EAP (PEAP) Properties page, clear Validate server certificate, click OK twice, and then click Close.

  13. Windows Vista attempts to connect to the wireless network. The settings of the bootstrap wireless profile specify that you must provide your domain credentials. When Windows Vista prompts you for an account name and password, type your domain account credentials as follows: Domain Name\User Name, Domain Password.

To join a computer running to the domain

  1. Log on to the computer with the local Administrator account.

  2. Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. The System dialog box opens.

  3. In Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings, click Change settings. The System Properties dialog box opens.

Note

On computers running Windows Vista, before the System Properties dialog box opens, the User Account Control dialog box opens, requesting permission to continue. Click Continue to proceed.

  1. Click Change. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box opens.

  2. In Computer Name, in Member of, select Domain, and then type the name of the domain you want to join. For example, if the domain name is example.com, type example.com.

  3. Click OK. The Windows Security dialog box opens.

  4. In Computer Name/Domain Changes, in User name, type the user name, and in Password, type the password, and then click OK. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box opens, welcoming you to the domain. Click OK.

  5. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box displays a message indicating that you must restart the computer to apply the changes. Click OK.

  6. On the Computer Name tab of the System Properties page, click Close. The Microsoft Windows dialog box opens, and displays a message, again indicating that you must restart the computer to apply the changes. Click Restart Now.

Log on to the domain

  1. Log off the computer, or restart the computer.

  2. Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE. The logon screen appears.

  3. Click Switch User, and then click Other User.

  4. In User name, type your domain and user name in the format domain\user. For example, to log on to the domain example.com with an account named User-01, type example\User-01.

  5. In Password, type your domain password, and then click the arrow, or press ENTER.