Mark wrote:
> Laptops running slow when connected to another network
>
> We have the situation where engineers in our company go out to
> different sites and connect their laptops to customer LAN's (for
> programming PLC's & internet access). All the laptops are joined to
> our Windows 2003 domain and are WinXP SP2.
>
> When out on site & connected to other LAN's the laptops are very
> slow to login, open windows explorer etc. If the machines are
> started without being connected to the network, everything runs
> fine.
> I guess the laptops are looking for our domain controller. I have
> tried making different hardware profiles and disabling a number of
> services but with the same result.
>
> Creating a local user on each Laptop isn't an option, as they don't
> want to have different profiles.
>
> Are there any specific timeout settings to help with this issue?

They could have the same local/domain profile if you change the proper
registry settings and give the proper file/folder permission on the domain
profile directory.

- Does the slowdown exist if they logon to the laptop *before* they connect
to the network and THEN connect?
- Do they have any persistent network drives (always a bad idea for those
not using offline folders or something - IMHO.)

Essentially - once the machine sees a network - it is going to assume it is
the one where all its domain friends live and will look for it if you try to
logon using domain credentials. That slows the logon significantly. A
local profile that points to the same drive location as the domain profile
can help alleviate that and maintain the same look/feel they have setup
already.

As for the slowness after logging in - I can only assume that is because
they may have remembered drive connections?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
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