can i connect to 2 networks at once??

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ok im a noob when it comes to networking :( never really had anything to do with it so i would appreciate any help :)

Basicly i have a file server in my room and this is connected to a linksys wireless router downstairs using a wireless usb adapter. I also have a spare netgear router that i want to use in my room to connect my server to my pc and laptop via LAN.. this would mean my server would have to be connected to the wireless network for internet and connect to the network in my room for my other pc's.

I would need my pc + laptop to be able to connect to the LAN network and get internet through my server and share files.

if your wondering why i want to do this and not just use the router downstairs its because the wireless speed is too slow for file transfer so i would have to buy another wireless router and 2 more wireless cards for my pc + laptop :o

I have server 2003 on my file server btw :/ i don't know if this is even posible or how to do it so can anyone inform me if its possible?
 
It should work. I think you'll need to assign an IP address manually to the wired interface on the server and make sure you don't assign a gateway to it. You'll need to assign the server as the gateway for the PC and laptop so it may be easier to assign IP addresses manually for these too as most routers insist that they are the gateway if they supply DHCP. Alternatively, you could run DHCP on the server* to supply IP addresses, etc. to the PC and laptop. Either way, the range you use for this should be different from the range used for the wireless connection. You'll also have to tell the server how to route stuff from one network to the other and my mind's gone a complete blank on how to do this in W2003. :rolleyes:

*making sure it's turned off on the Netgear
 
If the netgear router has a switch on the back, try just plugging everything in to the switch ports without using the router part of it.
 
Snapshot said:
It should work. I think you'll need to assign an IP address manually to the wired interface on the server and make sure you don't assign a gateway to it. You'll need to assign the server as the gateway for the PC and laptop so it may be easier to assign IP addresses manually for these too as most routers insist that they are the gateway if they supply DHCP. Alternatively, you could run DHCP on the server* to supply IP addresses, etc. to the PC and laptop. Either way, the range you use for this should be different from the range used for the wireless connection. You'll also have to tell the server how to route stuff from one network to the other and my mind's gone a complete blank on how to do this in W2003. :rolleyes:

*making sure it's turned off on the Netgear
I'm currintly trying to do exactly this... I'll set my wired router to stop broadcasting DHCP and try manual IP address.

As far as routing is concerned, is it done using the "route" command? It seems to exists for XP pro which is what my set up it using. :)
 
yep you can do it and both cards can have default gateways but you have to tell it what's what.

open up a cmd and type
route print

This will give you a list of all known networks and routes etc

you can then use the 'route' command to point routes via different interfaces and delete the second 'default' route etc.

One your happy, write the commands you used as a bat file and run it on windows startup, that way if you reboot the server, the routes come back!
 
Managed to do it without the route command....

I had a DNS server set up for my wired connection.

I got rid of the DNS server, and now both networks work at once! I'm now transferring files over the 100Mbps wire, and browsing here using slow-ass wifi. :cool:

Waahooo! I've been trying to fix this all week. Thanks guys. :)
 
If you go to 'Network Connections', > 'Advanced', > 'Advanced Settings', you can specify the order by which network adaptors are accessed.. thus specifying which one you want to primarily use for services that are available through both adaptors.
 
meh

ok on my file server the wireless and the wired connection are both connected and the wired connection is working as i can use RD from my laptop however the wireless is not working unless i unplug the LAN cable.

This is the wireless
63wrurq.jpg


This is the LAN
54j7t08.jpg


What have i done rong? :p
 
Chief Wiggum said:
y
One your happy, write the commands you used as a bat file and run it on windows startup, that way if you reboot the server, the routes come back!

Perisistant routes were added in Win2k, did have to do this in NT4 withch could be a pita if you missed a server


edit:- If you using the same network you need to bridge the connections or change the netwrok id on one side
 
Sone said:
Perisistant routes were added in Win2k, did have to do this in NT4 withch could be a pita if you missed a server


edit:- If you using the same network you need to bridge the connections or change the netwrok id on one side
yes - but not always the PC we're doing this on in the office is a Win2k pro and we used the -p tag but it didn't stick. Hence the batch file...

May just be us (wouldn't suprise me tbh...) :)
 
this is totally overcomplicated, just get a wireless access point and a switch. Connect everything into the switch, configure the AP to client mode, and everything will be taken care of passively.
 
Ive got the 2 working (ish) i know the 2 networks are connected because i can remote desktop to the server using the wireless and LAN connection. The only thing is now the internet isnt working properly on the server :confused:

The internet is connected because i can access a website on the server but when i open IE on the server it does not work :/ sure its something simple.. but not sure what it is. any ideas? :p
 
Clarkey said:
this is totally overcomplicated, just get a wireless access point and a switch. Connect everything into the switch, configure the AP to client mode, and everything will be taken care of passively.
Why should the OP waste money on equipment he doesn't need? It should only take a few minutes fiddling about and there's a chance it'll enhance his networking knowledge.
 
Snapshot said:
there's a chance it'll enhance his networking knowledge.

IDD before i could only work out how to connect 2 pc's with a cross over cable :p

Almost got this working i think, so thanks for the help so far :)
 
almost there

ok ive got everything working almost!! the 2 networks are connected and the server connects to the internet etc..etc..

All i need to do now is make it so that my pc and laptop can access the internet via my server... how do i do that? :)
 
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