Network adapter priority issue vs Internet

[cavemanoc]

I have been playing around with my network and have come across a particularly annoying issue. I currently have 2 networks:

1. Sky Box - Wifi - with internet
2. Belkin - wired - no internet

When my laptop is connected to the Sky box (Wifi) I have no issues accessing the internet. When I then plug in the wired connection to the Belkin (to access my WHS box) the laptop loses the internet - even though in the Windows Network dialogue box, both networks show as present and correct, and it sees the internet on the wireless connection.

I assumed it was a priority issue and have swapped the priority to favour the Wifi to the Sky box - but still no dice. The moment I plug in the ethernet cable I looks the internet, and then it magically returns when the cable is unplugged.

Windows 7 Pro

Screen shot of the priority:

 

[bremen1874]

It sounds like a strange setup, but have a look at the interface metrics (IPv4 properties advanced). Set them manually rather than leaving them on automatic.

Can provide more information about how your network is configured? It sound like you're making things more complicated than they need to be.

 

[PistolPete]

Have you got DHCP set for both the wifi and ethernet cards?
Is the ethernet card getting valid address, subnet, gateway & DNS settings?

 

[cavemanoc]

Both elements are configured and functioning correctly. DHCP is on for both the Sky Box and the Belkin. The 2 networks are entirely separate so this causes no issues. The only common point is the Laptop at the moment. As far as I can work out the only issue is that the laptop is trying to use the Belkin via ethernet to connect to the internet instead of the Sky Box via Wifi - hence the change of priority. Layout is as follows:

Network 1 (Sky - wifi): Laptop - Sky Box - Internet
Network 2 (Belkin - gigabit ethernet): Laptop - Belkin - Windows Home Server

Absolutely no reason why the laptop should insist on defaulting to the wired connection for internet when it's connected, but that seems to be what it is doing

Edit: as an example, I started this post with just the Wifi - plugged in the ethernet to check the config, and when I hit post - nothing - unplugged the ethernet and the post submitted successfully.

 

[chaosophy]

Have a look at setting up some static routes. And possibly look at removing DNS from the wired side.

You should be able to let it use it's discovered route for the wired subnet and then add a static route for everything not on that subnet to go to the wireless router where the internet connection is.

 

[cavemanoc]

Thanks for that - will take a bit of reading on my part, but I think I can make it work. Before I go down that route p) is there no way to specify (simply) in Win 7 that all internet traffic goes through the Wifi router?

 

[cavemanoc]

SOLVED!!

From the MS Help:

To force Windows to use a specific network connection, assign a metric value to each one, giving the lowest value to the desired connection:

1. Open the Network Connections folder (Start > Run > ncpa.cpl)
2. Right click the desired connection.
3. Click Properties > Internet Protocol Version 4.
4. Click Properties > Advanced.
5. Un-check "Automatic metric".
6. Enter a number between 1 and 9999 for the "Interface metric".

Later in the comments it mentions that low value metrics have issues, so I set the LAN to 2500 and left the Wireless as auto and voila!

No further messing around required, everything now just works!!

[Posted with both connections live and through the wireless!! ]