Difference between logging on using user@domain or domain\user?

[ADB100]

Ever since Windows 2000 I have used the 'user@domain' to logon to the domain (e.g. user21@mydomain.com). If I specify the '@' then the Domain drop-down box is greyed out, however when I logon with just the username and select the Domain from the drop-down box (I have only the Domain or the local computer listed) there seems to be no difference in the outcome.

Are there any differences? What is the recommended way?

Andy

 

[Stevehewitt]

There's no real difference. I use multiple domains, but my users have a single domain email address, so to prevent confusion I always tell them it's DOMAIN\Username.



Steve.

"They have the internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson

 

[ADB100]

There's no real difference.

This slightly concerns me...... Do you mean there are no differences at all or there ARE some differences but they are minor? Even if they are minor what are they?

Thanks

Andy

 

[djbeenie]

There is no difference. You can authenicate either way.

dj beenie
A+ Net+ MCP

 

[terrywilson]

The domain\user method is the legacy method from NT4 domains that supported netbios and WINS names for their domains, whereas Win2k uses DNS. This mean that instead of just calling your domain COMPANY (COMPANY\USER) you could now call it COMPANY.COM (USER@COMPANY.COM), but because NT and 98 wouldn't necesarily like the new names, when a domain is built you specify a domain name and a name for pre windows 2000 clients to refer to it (ie, 9x workstations and NT4 BDC's). I believe that they both work the same and that it has been retained for compatibility only.

 

[itsp1965]

Terrywilson, is correct. The use of username@domain negates the need to logon using username\domain, that's why the domain box is greyed out, since it is assumed you will be logging into the particular domain your user account belongs to. The difference here is that the username@domain uses DNS in order to find the domain whereas username\domain uses the NetBIOS protocol (this is for backward compatibility)

 

[bustamove]

How about MAC and LINUX, if I want to authenticate against W2K3 DC but there is no Domain field for the app, can you do it without domain name at all? or use user@domain / domain\user syntax

 

[itsp1965]

Connecting via SAMBA requires you use the NetBIOS naming convention, unless you have set it up for AD (v3 and higher)

 

[terrywilson]

On Macs I have just used domain\user without any problems before; never done it with Linux though sorry, although I think that it should work using domain\user with smbclient.