How to set up a "double connection"

Two Windows XP laptops accessing the internet through a Wireless access point then router. 10.0.0.x IP addresses.

From time to time I want to synchronize files across the laptops and the wireless is slow so I put an ethernet cable between the two and manually set IP addresses so as to not conflict with the wireless addresses. However as soon as I plug the cable in I lose internet access. What am I doing wrong?

Reply to
AnthonyL
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Probably using the same subnet on the wired cable as the wireless. If you're configured with 10.0.0.x, since you didn't mention the subnet mask I'll bet that you're actually using 10.x.x.x. So on your wired network you need to choose another private range such as 192.168.*.x (pick any one "*", vary the x to differentiate machines).

Chris

Reply to
Chris Davies

Windows tend to use Automatic metric settings for routes and as a rule the ethernet interfaces have in the past been faster than wireless so when you connect the ethernet cable traffic is set to be sent via the faster route, ethernet, rather than wireless.

Reply to
LR

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:23:01 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@please.invalid (AnthonyL) wrote in :

Nothing. Windows XP will only route through one network connection at a time. Better to cable both machines to the wireless access point or router.

Reply to
John Navas

It's misleading to say that XP will only route through one network connection at a time. XP (and most other OS's) can use as many network connections as you have. Some minor configuration may be required in some cases.

The PC I'm typing this on has two NICs and XP happily routes traffic through both at the same time. The PC beside me has 7 NICs and XP also happily routes traffic through all 7 at the same time. Not to the same destination, of course, since I'm only using Route statements rather than any kind of load balancing.

Reply to
Char Jackson

There should only be one default gateway, and it should be on the WiFi connection.

I have a PC with a wired connection, and a laptop WiFi to the same router. Both of those connections have a default route to the same router. I have added a wired connection between the laptop and the router that I only connect some of the time, for larger data transfers. I have a second wired connection from the PC to the same router that is always connected.

The "second" wired connections are on a different subnet, and have no default gateway.

Laptop WiFi - dhcp 192.168.22.2 - all default automatic dhcp settings. Wired - Fixed 192.168.33.2 - no gateway - no DNS. PC Wired-1 - dhcp 192.168.22.4 - all default automatic dhcp settings. Wired-2 - Fixed 192.168.33.4 - no gateway - no DNS.

I can share files, etc, via either IP address. My "normal" conection is unaffected. "route print" metric being better for the Wired has no effect because there is no route looking to the .33. subnet, except for traffic to the other IP address on the .33 subnet.

Reply to
dold

Yes that was it. I've set the (alternate configuration)for TCP/IP on the ethernet connection for both machines to 192.168.1.x. I can now do fast direct transfers and access the internet via wireless on both machines. Thanks.

Reply to
AnthonyL

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