> When we enable Windows Firewall on PC connected to our NT 4.0 domain, it uses
> the non-domain settings. How does Windows Firewall determine if it is
> connected to a domain? We have tested this on 5 different PC's with the same
> results. We are using WINS and DNS (running on NT4 servers).
Hi
The domain profile is only activated if you run a Active Directory
domain.
Here is how the SP2 firewall determines if it is to activate
the domain or standard profile:
If last-received Group Policy update DNS name match any of the
connection-specific DNS suffixes of the currently connected
connections (not PPP or SLIP-based) on the computer the FW's
domain settings will be used. There is no way to change this
behavior.
From
The Cable Guy - May 2004
Network Determination Behavior for Network-Related Group Policy Settings
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg0504.mspx
<quote>
To apply this behavior to Windows Firewall settings:
() If the connection-specific DNS suffix of a currently connected
connection on the computer that is not PPP or SLIP-based (such as
an Ethernet or 802.11 wireless network adapter) matches the value
of the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group
Policy\History\NetworkName registry entry, Windows Firewall uses
the domain profile.
() If the connection-specific DNS suffix of a currently connected
connection on the computer that is not PPP or SLIP-based does not
match the value of the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group
Policy\History\NetworkName registry entry, Windows Firewall uses
the standard profile.
You can determine the connection-specific DNS suffixes of the
currently connected connections on the computer from the display
of the ipconfig command issued from a command prompt.
</quote>
Read the Cable Guy article for more about this.

Signature
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/default.mspx
NetPIP - 31 Jan 2005 20:13 GMT
Torgeir,
Thanks for your help. That's what I needed to know.
"Torgeir Bakken (MVP)" wrote:
> > When we enable Windows Firewall on PC connected to our NT 4.0 domain, it uses
> > the non-domain settings. How does Windows Firewall determine if it is
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
>
> Read the Cable Guy article for more about this.