How to Determine Which Domain Controller a PC is Using?

A domain controller is a role that a computer server holds in a Microsoft Windows networked environment. The domain controller manages different network resources for a set of users that are connected to that domain controller. The primary domain controller also maintains and manages the master user database for the network, which will control what types of access and to which devices each logged-in user will be able to use. When a networked computer starts up, it connects to the domain controller before completing any other network tasks.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Click on the Windows "Start" button in the lower left corner of the computer. This will bring up the start menu on your screen.

2. Click in the search text box or run text box, depending on your version of Windows. Newer versions will have a box containing the words "Start Search." Older versions of Windows will have a box next to the word "Run."

3. Type cmd and press "Enter." By typing those three letters in the box, you are asking the computer to execute a command. When the command is executed, a window will appear on the screen with a black background and a flashing cursor, waiting for you to type.

4. Type in that window "set logonserver" without quotes. This will execute the command to determine the name of the server that was used by the PC when it first connected to the network.

5. Read the result of the output. The output will show you LOGONSERVER= and after the equals sign will be the name of the logon server. It will normally start with two backslashes, so the name of the computer server is just after those two backslashes.

References

• Installing a domain controller