Join Domain and Login over a VPN Connection

This is a short tutorial on how to join a computer to a domain over a VPN connection. This was very useful for us this weekend. We had to reformat a computer and needed to set up their profile again under their login.

Join Domain over VPN

Note, you will need to login to the computer with a local account.

Connect to VPN

First, you must connect to Virtual Private Network.

1. Open the “Windows Settings” → “Network & Internet”;
   
2. Choose the “VPN” tab and click on “Add a VPN connection”;
   
3. Fill in the fields as follows:
   • “VPN Provider” → Windows (built-in);
   • “Connection name” can be any (best to use provider country and/or server location);
   • “Server name or address” → the address of your VPN provider (you can find it in your VPN account);
   • “VPN type” → “Automatically” (you can choose manually);
   • Type of sign-in info → your type (in this case, it is login and password).
     
4. Click on “Save” button.

Also, you can get the Touch VPN in Windows Store (it’s free) and use it for a VPN connection.

Use the Network ID

Join the computer to the domain.

1. Open the “Control Panel” → “All Control Panel Items” → System;
   
2. Choose “Change settings”;
   
3. Click on the “Network ID…” button on the “Computer Name” tab;
   
4. Select the option that describes your network and press “Next”;
   
5. Restart the PC;
6. Connect again to the VPN. Now add the domain user you will be using to the local administrator’s group on the computer.

Now lock your computer. You can do this by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL and then selecting “Lock the Computer.” Or you can press the Windows + L key.

Hit Control-Alt-Delete again to login to the computer. But this time use your domain account to log in. It will log the local account off.

And there you go, you are now logged in with the domain account on a domain-joined machine.

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Cyril Kardashevsky

I enjoy technology and developing websites. Since 2012 I'm running a few of my own websites, and share useful content on gadgets, PC administration and website promotion.

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