We just rolled out Windows 7 Ent to about 150 users on ThinkPad T430s. These users are mostly remote employees. We use Direct Access for domain connectivity and when the user is either in our office or on a known network (like their home Wi-Fi) they can log in fine.
What we are seeing with some of these laptops is when the user goes to a hotel, or uses a free Wi-Fi like at the airport or something they can connect fine, but when they close the lid putting the laptop to sleep, wake it up at a different location (not connected to a network) they get "there are no domain controllers available ..." and they are unable to log in using their cached credentials.
Our workaround, which is rather painful for both the user and our support team, is to have the user login with the local admin account, connect to a network, switch user and they are able to log in. We have tried to have them switch the Wi-Fi switch off, reboot and wait 30 minutes etc but the only thing that works is to connect to a network as the local admin and switch user. Another thing that works is if they can not log in, they can take the laptop back to a known network and they are able to log in right away.
We have checked to make sure Cached Logons... is set to 10 (tried a bunch of different options). If you shut the laptop down and don't let it go to sleep the user is able to log in locally with cached credentials.
I have seen a few others with this issue, but nothing with a resolution, Any ideas?