What's the difference between a domain and a work group?

The main difference between workgroups and domains is how resources on the network are managed. Computers on home networks are usually part of a workgroup, and computers on workplace networks are usually part of a domain.

In a workgroup:

• All computers are peers; no computer has control over another computer.
• Each computer has a set of user accounts. To log on to any computer in the workgroup, you must have an account on that computer.
• There are typically no more than twenty computers.
• A workgroup is not protected by a password.
• All computers must be on the same local network or subnet.

In a domain:

• One or more computers are servers. Network administrators use servers to control the security and permissions for all computers on the domain. This makes it easy to make changes because the changes are automatically made to all computers. Domain users must provide a password or other credentials each time they access the domain.
• If you have a user account on the domain, you can log on to any computer on the domain without needing an account on that computer.
• You probably can make only limited changes to a computer's settings because network administrators often want to ensure consistency among computers.
• There can be thousands of computers in a domain.
• The computers can be on different local networks.

A workgroup is a basic network infrastructure with slack security control and there is basically no central controlling administrative center. A workgroup is more synonymous with small networks - one where it does not warrant to have a domain network installed. With a workgroup no other extra computers are required and by far the cheapest setup for a local in-house network. A domain on the other hand is more complicated and suitable for large businesses with many computers and departments within departments like a university structure or the structure within the Microsoft Corporation. Domains have extra computers to oversee the normal functioning of the corporate computers and security and sharing of data is high on the agenda.