Users change things every day, whether they mean to or not. I sometimes think that the Windows kernel includes a random configuration generator. Once your users start adding software, life really becomes scary.

No doubt a few clients are complaining because their systems take too long to log in, even though you've upgraded the server and the network wiring. They aren't crazy, they actually may take more time to log in now than last month.

The first thing to do is to check your network client versions. Novell posted upgrades to Client 3.21 for Windows 95/98 on 4/26/2000 on their Web site, and Client 4.71 for Windows NT/2000 on 4/26/2000. New clients can do wonders for speed during login and afterwards.

If you have the new clients and login still drags, check the protocol settings. The protocol you normally use the most should be listed on top. It may be that your most utilized protocol may haver been moved out of the top spot in favor of another. This means the client will have to check the inactive or seldomly used protocol until it works down to the active or more readily used one. In the mean time, you sit and wait.

These things change not only because Windows goes weird now and then, but because of new software installation and even browser plugins. Never underestimate the configuration damage an odd program can do to a user's system.

Check these options before going to level 2 troubleshooting for slow login, and save yourself some headaches.