Linux networking in general vs Windows domains question
 

Could someone point me in the right direction of a link or tell me if it's simple how Linux works locally with linux clients connecting to linux servers natively. Does linux use domains just like Windows? Thanks in advance.

I am not sure here, but I think you need to setup a DNS server which would resolve to domain names on your local lan. While I was being taught linux, I accessed the main server hitting "ssh server -l student".

I think that the original poster was referring to active directory and SMB domains -- not DNS domains. Linux has things that are similar to Active Directory (e.g. NIS, LDAP). In fact Active Directory is IIRC just LDAP with some extensions written by Microsoft. There's also Kerberos.

Many people just use straight NFS to share files which does not have any inbuilt authentication. Of courrse with SAMBA you can use the Windows protocols too,

Yes, I am looking for how and what Linux clients connect to as windows clients authenticate onto windows domain controllers, but on a linux only network. Windows uses AD and domains, but linux uses what?