Project URL: https://github.com/Mxyiwa/How-to-Setup-an-Active-Directory-Corporate-Network-Home-Lab/tree/main

Lab Objectives

The lab is my walkthrough approach to setting up a mini corporate network in my home lab by designing a simple network architecture with a subnet layout, including a Domain Controller (DC) and client machine, assigning static IPs to the DC and configuring DHCP for clients. Install Windows Server on the DC, promote it to a Domain Controller by installing the AD DS role, and set up a new forest with a domain name. Next, we will configure the internal DNS settings on the DC, set clients to use it as their DNS server, and configure the NAT. We will then use Active Directory Users and Computers to create and manage user accounts and organisational units (OUs), setting permissions and updating attributes as needed. Finally, we will prepare a Windows client machine, join it to the domain by configuring system properties, and verify that it integrates properly with domain resources and policies.