How a work computer belongs to the organization
Workgroup, Active Directory domain, Microsoft Entra joined and hybrid joined: what each means, how to tell which one you're looking at, and why it changes how you troubleshoot.
- Level
- Beginner
- Length
- About 35 minutes
- Contents
- 3 lessons · 1 video · final exam
- Status
- Published · updated 1 Oct 2026
Skills you'll practise
- Identify whether a computer is workgroup, domain joined, Entra joined or hybrid joined from dsregcmd /status
- Explain what each join type means for sign-in, policy and management
- Choose the right troubleshooting starting point for each join type
Course outline
- 1.How a work computer belongs to the organizationVideo · 5 min
- 2.Four ways a Windows computer relates to the organizationLesson · 12 min
- 3.How a computer gets into each state, and what joining changesLesson · 14 min
- 4.Choosing your first checks by join stateLesson · 12 min
- 5.How a work computer belongs to the organization: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 19 questions
- 6.How a work computer belongs to the organization: practical exerciseKnowledge check · 1 question
- 7.Final exam3 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out
Sources it draws on
The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.
- Microsoft Learn: What is a device identity?
- Microsoft Learn: Troubleshoot devices by using the dsregcmd command
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Entra hybrid join
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