"Business Network" and "Without a Domain" -- Consequences?

Question

In Windows 7 SP1, during installation (or later in "Control Panel\System and Security\System," under "Computer name, domain and Workgroup settings," click "Change Settings," than "Network ID") you get the following
choice:
This Computer Is Part of a Business Network; I Use It to Connect to Other Computers at Work.
This Computer Is a Home Computer; It is Not Part of a Business Network.
If you choose the former, you get the further choice:
My Company Uses a Network With a Domain
My Company Uses a Network Without a Domain
"Home Computer" is straightforward and allows you to set up a Workgroup or a Homegroup.  "Business Network" followed by "Without a Domain" appears to behave the same way but is **reputed** to prevent homegroups (which is
desirable) and in general to provide a higher level of networking security.  Is either of these assertions actually true?
Suppose you choose "Business Network," then "Without a Domain," or alternatively, you choose Home Computer," and in either case you continue through the wizard to the end.  You have to restart, so you assume some significant
changes have been made.  Yet if you then go back through the Control Panel procedure given above, you find that "Business Network" and "With a Domain" are pre-selected, causing you to wonder if these changes persist.
So my main quandary is this:  Do these choices produce persistent effects that can be seen in one of the Policy Editors (or even the Registry Editor)?  If so, how do you find, and if necessary adjust, them?
Similar questions have been asked at http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-security/difference-between-home-network-and-business/85597e92-2b38-4d2f-b7b3-6f45f3c750d5?tm=1390436195902, at http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-security/home-vs-business-network-choice-can-you-get-back/74a872bf-18d4-437b-99b2-ded5fa60df4e?tm=1418982314037
and at http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-security/how-to-setup-windows-7-as-a-workgroup-that-is-not/43f7a288-50cf-444e-aff8-efc7588251f8) but apparently not definitively answered.  Can somebody here do so? -- JCW2

Answer 1

Hi,
This choice could affect many registry entries. It's hard to figure out every entry.
For example, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy\History
there is Machine Domain entry stand the current domain name.
When you choose any one of them, after restart, registry entry will adjust this new settings.
In addition, Business network without domain and home network is different. since the domain network have some security restriction for all domain network no matter if you are in doamin or out of domain.
Karen Hu
TechNet Community Support