Setup Guide
This guide walks you through the complete AD Unlock setup process.
Before you start: Make sure you’ve reviewed the Requirements page.
Overview
The setup process consists of 5 steps:
| Step | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Create Account | Sign up and create your tenant | 5 min |
| 2. Prepare AD | Create service account, configure LDAPS | 15 min |
| 3. Configure Portal | Set up AD settings, WhatsApp, policies | 10 min |
| 4. Install Connector | Deploy connector to your network | 10 min |
| 5. First Test | Verify everything works | 5 min |
What You’ll Accomplish
By the end of this guide, you’ll have:
- ✅ AD Unlock tenant configured
- ✅ Service account with proper permissions
- ✅ LDAPS connection to your Domain Controller
- ✅ WhatsApp integration ready
- ✅ Connector running in your network
- ✅ First successful unlock/reset test
Architecture Reminder
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ YOUR NETWORK │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌───────────────────┐ │
│ │ Active │◄─── LDAPS ───────►│ AD Connector │ │
│ │ Directory │ │ (Step 4) │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────┬─────────┘ │
│ ▲ │ │
│ │ Permissions (Step 2) │ Outbound │
│ ▼ │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┼─────────────┘
│
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┼─────────────┐
│ AD UNLOCK CLOUD ▼ │
│ │
│ Tenant (Step 1) → Settings (Step 3) → Gateway │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Quick Start vs. Detailed Guide
Quick Start (Experienced Admins)
If you’re familiar with AD, LDAPS, and Windows Services:
- Create account at admin.adunlock.me
- Create service account with Reset Password + Write lockoutTime on target OUs
- Configure AD settings in portal (server, base DN, allowed OUs)
- Download connector bundle, extract, configure, run as service
- Test with enrolled user
Detailed Guide (Step by Step)
Follow each section for detailed instructions:
Common Questions
Can I do this without LDAPS?
LDAPS (port 636) is strongly recommended. Password operations require a secure connection. If LDAPS is not available, you can use LDAP (port 389) with StartTLS.
Do I need a dedicated server for the connector?
No. The connector is lightweight (< 50MB RAM) and can run on any Windows server that can reach your Domain Controller.
What if I have multiple Domain Controllers?
Configure the connector to point to one DC. AD Unlock handles one connector per tenant by default. For HA, contact support about multi-connector setup.
Can I test in a lab first?
Yes! Create a test tenant and point to a lab AD. You can deploy to production when ready.