Connect to a directory server in macOS Server
With macOS Server installed, your server can connect to several kinds of network account servers (also known as a directory server), such as a Windows Active Directory server or a third-party LDAP server. If your server connects to an LDAP server, you might need to use the Directory Utility app to change your server’s LDAP server mappings.
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
Click Users & Groups, then click Login Options (below the users list).
The button is labeled Join if you haven’t already connected to a network account server. It’s labeled Edit if you already have an existing connection.
If you clicked Edit, click
.Type the name or IP address of a network account server in the Server field, or choose one from the Server pop-up menu.
Click OK.
For an Open Directory server, you can enter the name and password of a standard user account; you don’t need to use a directory administrator account. Depending on the network account server settings, you might be able to connect without authentication by leaving these fields blank, although this is less secure.
For an Active Directory server, you can enter the name and password of an Active Directory administrator account or a standard user account that has the “Add workstations to domain” privilege.
If your server is connected to a network account server, groups on your server can include users and groups from that server. Users with accounts on other network account servers don’t have user accounts on your server.
To add another server connection, click
, then repeat steps 3 and 4.