trouble logging on when communications protocols are being reconfi

I am learning basic networking skills, and just had a general question about
one of my assignments.

I have set up a network consisting of 1 windows server 2003 computer as my
DC, and two Windows XP Professional workstations, all connected by a switch.
My current assignment is to kill off IP communication, and install IPX as the
new network protocol. I used the server and one workstation for this
assignment. I was instructed to reconfigure the servers IP address to 1.1.1.1
so that the workstations could not find it, and then install IPX. I did this,
and then was instructed to log on to a workstation as the domain
administrator and then change the settings on the workstation to IPX so that
It could again communicate with the server. I have never logged on to the
workstation as the domain administrator. I tried to log on, and it said that
the network was not accessible, and denied my access. I then tried to log on
as the regular user for that computer, and I succeeded in logging on, however
I could not change the IP settings of course, because I did not have the
priveleges.

I then went back to the server, and reconfigured my IP settings to the point
where my workstations could communicate with it, and then I went back to the
workstation and successfully logged on to the workstation as domain admin. I
immediately logged out, went back to the server, killed off IP communication
again with the 1.1.1.1 address, went back to the workstation and successfully
logged on as domain admin.

Why would I initially be able to log on to the network only as the regular
user for that workstation and not as domain administrator when network
communications are down? And then why does it let me log on as domain admin.
after I have made an "imprint" on that workstation?
-
Thanks, everybody for your time.-


How ya doin?

Hi,

One of prerequisites for Active Directory to work is TCP/IP. It will simply
not work without IP (it is not designed for IPX).

Clients locate Active Directory by using DNS servers. They look for service
records locating services such as global catalog (GC) and then connecting to
the IP address that is listed in DNS.

Note that IP address 1.1.1.1 is not private address and actually belong to
someone and server/client will try to route the traffic to that IP address.

You were able to logon to the computer with your admin account because the
client cached the user/administrator credentials. E.g. if I take my laptop
from corporate network home or to customer site, I don't have access to
domain controller back in the office, but I am still able to logon to the
computer using these cached credentials.

--
Mike
Microsoft MVP - Windows Security

"steeveepee" <(E-Mail Removed).(donotspam)> wrote in message
news:1BB86104-8312-49E2-B29B-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am learning basic networking skills, and just had a general question
>about
> one of my assignments.
>
> I have set up a network consisting of 1 windows server 2003 computer as my
> DC, and two Windows XP Professional workstations, all connected by a
> switch.
> My current assignment is to kill off IP communication, and install IPX as
> the
> new network protocol. I used the server and one workstation for this
> assignment. I was instructed to reconfigure the servers IP address to
> 1.1.1.1
> so that the workstations could not find it, and then install IPX. I did
> this,
> and then was instructed to log on to a workstation as the domain
> administrator and then change the settings on the workstation to IPX so
> that
> It could again communicate with the server. I have never logged on to the
> workstation as the domain administrator. I tried to log on, and it said
> that
> the network was not accessible, and denied my access. I then tried to log
> on
> as the regular user for that computer, and I succeeded in logging on,
> however
> I could not change the IP settings of course, because I did not have the
> priveleges.
>
> I then went back to the server, and reconfigured my IP settings to the
> point
> where my workstations could communicate with it, and then I went back to
> the
> workstation and successfully logged on to the workstation as domain admin.
> I
> immediately logged out, went back to the server, killed off IP
> communication
> again with the 1.1.1.1 address, went back to the workstation and
> successfully
> logged on as domain admin.
>
> Why would I initially be able to log on to the network only as the regular
> user for that workstation and not as domain administrator when network
> communications are down? And then why does it let me log on as domain
> admin.
> after I have made an "imprint" on that workstation?
> -
> Thanks, everybody for your time.-
>
>
> How ya doin?