Choosing a user database

WinGate requires you to choose a user database that it will use for user and group management, before you can actually log into the WinGate Management console and configure WinGate. The choice of which database you implement will usually be dependent on how you wish to control user activity through WinGate, and what current user control you have in place on the local network.

WinGate offers 3 different user database options:

1. WinGate user database

   WinGate provides its own user database so you can create users and groups for use with WinGate operations. The WinGate user database allows you to create groups to easily manage large numbers of users in WinGate. Similar to operating system level user management, WinGate user database groups can be nested within other WinGate groups to allow you to handle permissions and particular Internet access requirements.

   In WinGate the WinGate user database supports both Basic (Plain text) and NTLM Authentication methods. With NTLM support you can simply add users to the database that should be allowed access to the Internet. When these users connect using a Windows machine on the network, their Windows user credentials can be supplied as part of NTLM authentication if required by WinGate. If these credentials match an allowed user that has been configured in the WinGate user database, then authentication will take place. This allows you to only have the required users from the network (who need to be given access etc in WinGate) needing to be added to the WinGate user database.

2. Windows Users and Groups Connector

   WinGate allows you to utilize the users and groups in the user database of the Windows server where it is installed. WinGate makes queries to the local Windows user database, but does not affect or control Windows security of these users and groups in anyway. It merely uses the structure of users and their group memberships, to implement its own policies, permissions, and authentication. All normal administrational tasks for users and groups (creating, editing, changing passwords etc.) is still managed from Windows.

   When using the local Windows user database, WinGate supports both (Windows) Negotiate and NTLM authentication methods. This makes the Windows Users and Group connector an ideal option when WinGate is located on a work group or non-domain Windows network. Required users can be simply added to the local Windows user databse of the machine where WinGate is installed. When they connect from a windows machine, their current Windows login credentials will be supplied when authentication is required by WinGate.

3. Active Directory Connector

   When WinGate is located on an Active Directory, you can choose to have WinGate query and utilize the domain user database. Like the Windows Users and Groups connector, all user and group administration (creating users and groups, passwords etc.) is still performed by the relevant Active Directory domain authorities. WinGate merely utilizes users and their group memberships to assist with implementing its own policies, permissions, and user authentication.

   When using the Active Directory user database WinGate supports both (Windows) Negotiate and NTLM authentication methods.