domain login issue when users leave wifi switched on

I would bridge them together so it doesn't use the wifi when its plugged into the network but it uses the wifi when its not connected

OK.  But the users never use Wifi for network domain activity,

Check whether the metric setting on the wifi is lower than the one on the wired connection.
netstat -rn
The metric value/weight the lower number has the higher preference.
Usually, the wired connection has a lower metric of 20 while the wireless has 50 or higher.

Is the system in question booted while on the LAN or is the system resuming from a hibernation state?

I would assume its from booting.

Is there a way to change the weight/metric?

Currently my laptop is showing
Ethernet as 10 Metric
WiFi as 25 Metric
IP Range on Ethernet as 266 Metric
IP Range on WiFI as 281 Metric

The laptop which has a problem
Ethernet as 45 Metric
WiFi as 10 Metric

Look at the adapter setting properties of tcp/IP they likely changed from auto and manually adjusted the metric entry on each.(network sharing center, adapter settings)

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7785874/setting-network-adapter-metric-priority-in-windows-7

Its weird, because on my laptop the preference in Advanced Settings is also that my WiFi should be utilised first however it isn't.

So will tweaking make any difference?

Yes if wired is first, it will have a higher preference with a lower metric value.
This way when both wired and wireless are connected the wired network will have preference. The issue is reversed if the Domain LAN is on the wifi while the wired is not on the domain line.

if you bridge the wifi and nic or restrict them from the wifi network that will work

There is no need to bridge. The system is used in multiple environments. Oe has wifi I.e. when the reason takes the laptop off-site.
The issue is not to connect two distinct networks.

I do it on my laptop when I take in the office I can use the wifi or use the lan for better performance so block the user from the wifi in the office so they must use a network port

My understanding is that the laptop in question has the wifi enabled but not connected to the AD LAN but is connected (phone hotspot) and the AD network via Ethernet.

Hi Arnold, you are correct.  We have a wifi which is used for web only primarly for visitors, but some staff use it for browsing.
The domain is only available via ethernet.

Bridging would/could compromise the AD LAN by bridging two distinc and purposefully separated networks/functions.
If this allowed by company policy for the configuration of these laptops to use the wifi?
If it is, the only option available to the user are:
Disable the wifi before the login.
To modify their settings for the network interface to match your laptop while adding a login script that will add a more preferred route via the wifi connection
I.e. on login the batch file will run something akin to
Route add 0.0.0.0 mask 0.0.0.0 metric 5 if <wifi>
This will change the preference on the default gateway to prefer the wifi network for networks not otherwise already defined.

Hi Arnold,
Understanding what you have written am I correct in if I add a route that gives preference to the Ethernet by using your script method it could fix a bulk of my problems.

Route add 192.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0 metric 5 if <LAN>

Another question is my is there a generic term for ethernet to adjust this metric.  On my laptop the card is realtek, on the other it is intel.
I noticed that in your route add command you used the generic term wifi.

Regards,

Generic term, I meant in your regard to your line of code
Route add 0.0.0.0 mask 0.0.0.0 metric 5 if <wifi>

<wifi> is that a generic term you can use in a script?

However with your great help I believe I have completed what I need to.  Based on our network I know the IP address range of the WiFi and of the Lan, and because they are different my script basically makes the 192. range the priority (lower metric) and the 10. range the  low priority and higher metric.

One thing I have noticed in my testing is that you cannot have a metric lower than ten.

Thanks again for your help.

Great help thank you again.