Build Your First Active Directory Homelab (Free Guide)
If you want to learn Windows Server and Active Directory, the best way is hands-on practice in your own homelab. I put together a free step-by-step guide to help you build one.
Read the full tutorial here: ad-homelab-tutorial.netlify.app
The guide walks you through building a small Active Directory network inside your own computer using VirtualBox, Windows Server 2025, and Windows 11, all with free evaluation software. No prior Windows Server experience is needed.
My hope is that this guide gives anyone working to grow their tech skills a solid starting point. Once your lab is running, have fun with it. Experiment, break things, and build past where the guide stops. The source is on GitHub under the MIT License, so you’re welcome to fork it, adapt it, and make it your own.
Disclaimer: AI tools assisted with drafting and editing the tutorial and this post. Verify important details against official documentation. Provided “as-is” without warranty.