Network path
Configured the lab gateway and confirmed LAB1 can reach another lab host and the internet.
Gateway 192.168.50.1Explore the lab
From an isolated network to a working Windows domain.
A hands-on office network lab covering routing, DNS, Active Directory, and the checks that make them work together.
Interactive walkthrough · read-only demonstration
How the lab connects
A VirtualBox internal network keeps the practice environment separate from the home network. OPNsense routes the lab subnet; DC01 provides domain and DNS services; LAB1 is a domain-joined client.
GatewayOPNsense
192.168.50.1
Routes traffic for the lab subnet.
Domain controllerDC01
192.168.50.10
Active Directory and DNS for lab.local.
Domain memberLAB1
192.168.50.20
Uses DC01 for DNS and joins the domain.
What I configured and verified
These checks come from the working lab, with private management access kept out of this public-facing overview.
Clean name resolution
Corrected DNS registration so lab.local resolves to the internal domain controller address; verified the DC host and LDAP service records.
DC01 192.168.50.10Standard user sign-in
Created a Test Employee account in Active Directory, signed in on LAB1, and verified the identity with whoami.
Explore a DNS investigation
Choose a check to follow the investigation. The terminal output is an illustrative reconstruction of the commands and results observed in this lab.