title: How to Authenticate LDAP in .NET
body: <p>I would like to authenticate username and passwords for my application on a windows operating system with any directory service.  For example it could be microsoft active directory, Novell eDirecotry, or SunOne.  I already know how to do this code natively for Microsoft Active Direcotry with c#.  ( I totally gave up using ADSI and creating a low level com component)</p>
  
  <p>The way im attempting to authenticate with Novel eDirecotory is i have installed the Mono project.  Inside the mono project they provide you with Novell.Directory.ldap.dll  The code looks somewhat the same as for Microsoft Active Directory.(<a href="http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/11204.html" rel="noreferrer">http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/11204.html</a>)</p>
  
  <p>For SunOne, i have been told to use the same code as active direcotry, but the ldap connecton string is a little different.(<a href="http://forums.asp.net/t/354314.aspx" rel="noreferrer">http://forums.asp.net/t/354314.aspx</a>)
  (<a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc720649.aspx" rel="noreferrer">http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc720649.aspx</a>)</p>
  
  <p>To complicate my project, most customers use a "Service account:" which means i need to bind with an administrative username and password before i can authenticate a regular username and password.  My questions is in 2 parts.</p>
  
  <p>1) From what I have explained above, is this the correct direction I should be going to authenticate against each individual direcotory service?  </p>
  
  <p>2) I feel that i dont not need to do any of this code at all.  I also feel the stipulation of using a service account is not imporant at all. If all I care about is authenticating a username and password on a windows machine why do i even need to use ldap?  I mean think about it.  When you login to your machine in the morning, you do not have to provide a service account just to login.  I can easily authenticate a username and password at a DOS prompt by using the runas feature and i will be denied or not and could parse the text file.  Im sure there are other ways i could pass a username and password to the windows operating system that i am on and will tell me if a username and password is valid for the domain that it is on.  Am i right?  If so what suggested ways do you guys have?</p>
  
  <p>Michael Evanchik
  www.MikeEvanchik.com</p>