Configuring a laptop to join new domains

My Windows XP Professional laptop is moved between different branches of my office with separate domains. How can I configure the machine to join each domain without reconfiguring each time I change location? That is, when the Windows logon dialog box appears, is there a way I can just pick the right domain and enter the corresponding username and password?
In an earlier version of this tip, I believed that the NETSH tool could be used to change domains. I did a little more digging and found out that if you're talking about changing domains -- complete with authentication and whatnot -- the best way to do this is with a third-party program like Netswitcher. One other possible way to get around some of the problems of domain membership is to join the laptop to the most commonly-used domain, and then use NET USE /NETONLY and the RUNAS commands to do anything that involves credentials in the other domain.

This was first published in September 2003

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