A side-to-side comparison of workgroup and domain:
Workgroup Domain
Peer-to-peer Windows computer
Network type Client/server network
network
User can log on at any workstation
User needs to have separate log in
Log in via their account and access domain
id and password at each workstation
resources
Computers are limited to maximum
Workstations There can be up to 2000 computers
10
Each user controls the resources One administrator to administer the
Administrator
and security locally on their PC's domain and its users and resources.
The computers can be on different
All computers must be on the same
Location local networks, i.e. anywhere in the
local network or subnet.
world.
One can make only limited changes
Each user controls the settings on to a computer's settings because
Computer's
their own computer. No central network administrators often want
settings
settings. to ensure consistency among
computers.
Each computer must be changed
Changes made to one are
Changes manually or once changed must be
automatically made to all computers
transferred to each computer.
User needs to have separate log in
Domain users must provide a
id and password at each
Security password or other credentials each
workstation, but once logged in can
time they access the domain.
access the computer.