What happens if a domain user leaves the network of the domain controller?

[706]

I have several users that are connected to the domain at my workplace on their laptops. One user is finding that when they go home and attempt to log on to their computer it takes signifcantly longer to start up, and continues to run slowly. They are blaming this on the computer trying to find the domain controller, which it can no longer as it is not connected to the network which hosts the domain controller. However I don't believe I've seen this issue with any other users, and I think if I tell the user to log on locally when at home they will start to get confused as to which to log on to and where. Also I believe this would create a second profile on the computer leading to 2 different desktops and my documents folders.

Is this a known issue with domains? Is there any way around this?

 

[Preacher]

Tell the user not to connect to the DC when at home, or find a VPN solution...

 

[706]

Though if the user doesn't log in to the domain at home then won't they be using a different profile than when they do log into the domain. Therefore it will become difficult if the user has 2 different my documents folders and 2 different desktops. It isn't that complicated, but this user is prone to making things difficult.

I do have a VPN set up though how could I set it up to connect before the user logs in? If it is set up to dial the connection automatically does it do this at start up or only after the user has logged in. If it is after then it wouldn't help.

 

[Jayce]

In my experience, as long as the user has been logged into the PC on the domain @ the work place, it will create that domain profile for them. Then if they log in when offline or when out of the network, it'll log in just fine but you will not have access to your work network, servers, etc. But I've RARELY had a PC fail to log in @ home that's part of a domain. We have a couple dozen users who do it all the time (mostly XP, some on Win 7) that don't have any issues.